Makeup isn’t an everyday thing for all women. Some prefer going the natural route. And that’s fine. But we all know that when it comes to special occasions, even those who prefer to go without will want to put their best face forward. Makeup is a great way to highlight your best features and conceal any flaws. While some of us are especially gifted in creating the perfect look, it’s still a struggle for a lot of women. Now, the easiest solution to this dilemma is to visit a salon every time there’s a special occasion. But that isn’t going to do your wallet any favors. Which is why we’ve compiled tips and tutorials to help you create that look you’ve always dreamed of.
Tip: The two facial features that first get noticed are the eyes and the lips. Unfortunately, you can’t highlight both. You’ll need to create a perfect eye-lip balance. If you’re going bold on your lips, then you’ll need to minimize your eye makeup. You can also choose to create dramatic eyes and go nude on your lipstick.
Shimmery eyes
Give yourself a bit of eye-catching sparkle with glitter makeup. Apply light-colored eyeshadow along the crease of your eye. You can choose the color that matches your mood. Gray or light brown would be the perfect choice for a natural look while light blue or pink will give you a more colorful appearance. Next, pick a color that matches your first choice and dust it all over your eyelid using a flat brush. For the outer corner of your eye, pick a darker color such as dark brown or black. Then, soften the look by blending the darker color with the color on your eyelid. Subtly apply some of the same darker color under your eye with a smudge brush. On top of the brow bone, apply a bit of light color to highlight it. Then, use your eyeliner and mascara to create a winged look or something similar to up the glam even more. For the shimmery style, use a glittery liner under your eye, in the creases, and underneath the winged liner. The best thing about this style is that you can choose the colors that make you feel great and you never have to stick with just one look.
Metallic Eyeshadow
While metallic eyeshadow isn’t for every woman, there’s no denying that it is a fashionable statement. As long as you do it right, that is. We’ve listed some tips to help you pull of this particular look.
- Experiment to learn the right color for your skin tone. Silver and platinum shades are perfect for pale complexions while olive skin and gold/bronze shades look awesome together. Darker skinned individuals can have the best of both worlds.
- Don’t go overboard with the colors. You definitely don’t want to look like an 80’s rockstar. One or two shades should be enough.
- While you may want the bold metallic eyeshadow to make your eyes pop, it pays to keep it limited to your eyelid. The color and texture of this kind of eyeshadow will highlight the crease and any wrinkles in the area that you wish to hide.
- Create a balance. Use a matte neutral shade above the lid and blend it out to soften the look. You’ll also need to use a matte finish because you don’t want your makeup to look overdone.
- Practice your application. Some experts recommend using a finger so that the eyeshadow actually stays on your eyelid. Others suggest using a dense bristle concealer brush to pick up the right amount of color and apply it on your eyelids without getting it all over your cheeks.
- Don’t forget the black mascara. Pairing your metallic eyeshadow with black mascara heightens the definition of your eyes.
Tip: While a dramatic look is great for evening events, neutral makeup is just what you need when the special event is set during the day. You don’t want to go too bold on your makeup on a Saturday afternoon garden wedding, right?
Smokey eyes
You definitely can’t go wrong with something that looks this sexy. It’s the perfect makeup choice for any special occasion even if you’re attending a masquerade ball. Because once you’re wearing masquerade mask, your eyes will become your defining feature. To create this look, you will first need to use some nude eyeshadow on your upper eyelid. Use a slightly nacre eyeshadow, either grey or brown, to cover the upper eyelid. Then, starting from the center of your eyelid going to the outer edge, apply dark matte eyeshadow. Use an ear stick to create fade the eyeshadow out. Use light-colored eyeshadow under the arch of your eyebrow. Then, use black eyeshadow to contour your lower eyelid. Make sure that you begin at the outer corner of your eyelid going to the center.
Neutral Makeup
To create this look, you’ll need to ensure that skin has been prepared – washed, exfoliated, and moisturized. Then, use primer to fill in the creases and pores along your skin, particularly around your nose and chin. For dark circles under the eyes, apply an orange corrector to hide the blue eye bags. Then, apply full coverage foundation and blend to create flawless skin. Make sure that your foundation is a shade that complements your natural skin color.
The next step is to use face powder to set your foundation. Use a powder brush to dust some facial powder all over your face. Like the foundation, you need to choose a shade that’s similar to your skin color. Using a brow pencil, fill in your brows then brush them with a brow comb.
Since we’re going for a neutral look, you’ll need two neutral colors for your eyeshadow – one light and one dark. Apply the lighter color on your eyelid using the eyeshadow brush. Then, color the eye crease with the darker shade using a very thin brush and blend.
For your cheeks, it’s best to stick to a light blush color that suits your skin tone such as pink or peach for the fair-skinned and peachy beige for individuals with medium to dark skin tones.
Tip: Smile while you’re applying blush. This way, you can easily see your cheekbones. Also, if you applied too much color, you can use a bit of translucent powder to fade it out.
Your shade of lipstick will also need to be light, not bold or bright. If you have lighter skin tone, opt for nude, light pink, or peach. For medium to dark skin tones, darker shades (except for nude) should be chosen.
Statement lips
Let your lips do the talking by going bold. While red is the color of choice for standing out, why not branch out to other colors such as maroon, burgundy, plum, or even purple? To apply a bold lip color that lasts, below are a few things you should do:
– use a lip balm first to moisten your lips
– line the outer edge of your lips with concealer then softly blend your finger. This creates sort of a “wall” that prevents bleeding.
– use a lip liner to outline your lips and filling them in. Doing this adds a layer of color to your lips that will remain even when some of your lipstick fades. Then, slowly fill in your lips with your lipstick. Once you’re done, get a piece of tissue and place it on top of your lips while you dust a translucent powder on top of your lips. This prevents the powder from forming a layer on your lips but doing this will set the color. Then, apply another layer of lipstick and you’re good to go all night long!
Tip: Always use a highlighter to make your features stand out. Add some highlighter just above your blush to make your cheekbones stand out. Make the shape of your lips more prominent by applying some highlighter to the bottom and top of your lips. Make your nose look sharper by adding a touch of highlighter on the tip of your nose.
A Glowing Complexion
Makeup can do wonders for you… it can even give your skin a healthy glow. And who wouldn’t want to look radiant at a party, on date night, or any other special event? To create that glowing complexion, you’ll first need to apply a good moisturizer and let your skin absorb it for approximately 5 minutes before applying a primer. Let the primer settle into your skin and lock the moisturizer in place before using a face mist all over your face. Then, mix liquid foundation and liquid highlighter together (equal amounts of each) and apply it on your face just like you would when using a normal foundation. Blend it out to create a flawless finish. If you’re going for a dramatic look with your makeup, place a bit of light concealer under your eye in a triangle shape. Using a flat foundation brush or your fingers, blend it out. Then, add a bit of highlighter on the top of your cheeks plus some natural pink or brown blush.