Concealer 101
So, you’ve applied your foundation and you know the next step should be your concealer, but you’re not really sure what to do.
Where should it go? What color should you use? How much should you apply?
Don’t worry, this post will cover all that and get you on your way to getting flawless skin with the help of your concealer! :]
Why use concealer?
The benefit of using concealer is that it will cover up those stubborn spots that our foundation just can’t cover like pimples and dark under eye circles.
Where should you apply concealer?
Concealer is not meant to be used like foundation. You should not apply it all over your face. You’ll always want to apply it after your foundation to the areas that your foundation was unable to cover.
The main areas where concealer is applied are:
- Under eye area - to conceal dark circles or puffiness
- Around nostrils and/or corners of the mouth
- Pimples, dark spots, or any skin discoloration
You can also apply concealer to your forehead, bridge of the nose, cupid’s bow, and chin to act as a highlight. I’ve done a post on that if you’re interested to learn more about highlighting.
What color concealer should I use?
That all depends on where you’re wanting to conceal. Not all types of areas will get the same concealer. If you want to conceal under your eyes, I suggest getting a concealer that is 1 to 2 shades lighter than your skin tone to help brighten up the area. If you’re applying concealer to other areas, it should be the same color as your skin tone.
However, say your have dark circles under your eyes or redness in your skin or hyper-pigmentation. You going to need to do some color correcting with your concealer.
What the heck is color correction and how do I do it?
Color correction is something that a lot of us skip, mainly because we don’t really understand how it works. It’s really just about color theory. For those of you that are unfamiliar with this, we’re going to go back to school for a sec :]
Take a look at this color wheel:
Let’s take red for an example. The color opposite to it is green. If you have redness underneath your eyes, you’re going to want to use a green based concealer to help cancel out the red.
So, how it will work is whatever color you’re try to conceal, use the color opposite to it on the color wheel to cancel it out on your face. Another example, if have darker under eye circles which tend to be bluish, you’ll want to use a peachy/orange to cancel out the blue undertones of the dark circle.
Make sense?
Once you’ve color corrected, you can go over with your regular concealer so that it will match the rest of your skin tone.
Picking the right concealer:
This is going to depend on a few different things. You need to decide what type of coverage you want, i.e. sheet, light, medium, or full. You also need to keep in mind your skin tone and undertones. You’ll want to make sure you use one that’s suitable for your skin type as well.
How to apply concealer:
I apply the concealer with my hands and a brush. I use my finger to apply it first. That way it warms up the product a bit. Take your ring finger and press the product onto your skin. Make sure you don’t rub it around, you could disturb the foundation that you’ve applied on underneath of it.
Next, once you’ve applied the foundation with your finger, take a brush, I like to use a crease brush, something dense, yet soft, to blend out any harsh edges.
Make sure your apply in layers. Put on a sheer layer and then build up the coverage as necessary.
One last thing:
If you’re using a liquid/cream based concealer, make sure you set it with a powder. Doing this will help it to stay put. Liquid/cream products have a tendancy to slide around on the face a bit, so the more you do to keep them in place, the better.
Alright, I think I get concealer a bit more…but which ones should I use?
These are all concealers I’ve tried and liked, there are plenty others out there that are fabulous as well, I just haven’t tried them yet :]
NYX Concealer Jar
MAC Studio Finish Concealer
L’Oreal True Match Concealer
Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer
Welp, that’s it. Hope that helps!
DSP's Beauty VIPs: 10 Foundation Commandments
Check out my audition to become a Beauty VIP. It’s long, but I’m pretty proud of it :]
I get a lot of questions about foundation.
Foundation is one of those makeup products that cause a lot of us to make ‘beauty sins’. So I thought it was important to compile a list of foundation commandments that help us remember rules around application…
Beauty Basics: It’s “Prime” Time!
I’ve been receiving a lot of questions about eye makeup and foundation lately and more often than not, my first thought is:
“They must not be using a primer.”
What’s so great about primers?
So funny you should ask :] In my opinion, primers are key to making any look the best it can be. Think about if you needed to paint a room in your house. What’s the first thing your typically do? Lay down a primer. Same principle applies…just with makeup :]
Primers help to do the following:
- They give you a good canvas. Primers are going to fill in any fine lines and help make the area your applying makeup to nice and even. Some primers can also help to even out your skin tone a bit.
- They give your makeup something to stick to. Now, I don’t mean that primers are super sticky on your face, but they will give the makeup you’re applying something to adhere to, which in turn will help your makeup last MUCH longer than it would on it’s own.
- They provide a barrier between your face and your makeup. I’m not saying that primers are going to help clear your skin or anything, but since they fill in any uneven areas on your face, they are going to help keep makeup from really seeping into your pores.
- They help to keep your skin moisturized. What I mean by this, is primers help to lock in your skins moisture so that your face won’t dry out over time. This may not be the case for EVERY primer, but those a typically mattifying primers which are meant to remove the excess oil from your skin but can sometimes take out a bit of the moisture as well.
Types of Primers.
There are really two types of primers: face and eye. They have different types of formulas, but their end goal is still the same…making your makeup last.
Choosing the Right Primer.
Picking the perfect primer for you is really going to depend on your skin’s chemistry.So ask yourself the following question:
“Do I have dry, normal, combination, oily, or sensitive skin?”
The answer to that question will help guide your in choosing the right primer for you. I’m going to talk through each skin type and then provide a face and eye primer that will work best for you.
I have dry skin.
Well, if you have dry skin, you’re going to want to help look for something that is going to help hydrate your skin as much as possible. You’ll want to look for something that has a lotion type feel to it for the face. For the eyes, look for something that’s creamy.
Stay away from any primers that claim to be mattifying. The point of those primers is to help to draw excess oil and moisture from your skin. If you have dry skin, a primer that is mattifying can lead to your skin appearing flaky…not what you want.
Face primer(s) for dry skin:
1. Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer
2. Laura Geller Spackle Under Makeup Primer
Eye primer(s) for dry skin:
1. Mally Eye Essentials Perfect Prep Eye Primer
2. Benefit Lemon Aid Color Correcting Eyelid Primer
I have normal skin.
Well aren’t you just lucky :] You can look for a primer that’s more suited for what look you’re really going for. You can try a hydrating formula is you want your skin to stay nice and dewy, or you could go for a mattifying primer if you really want your skin to stay nice and matte.
Face primer(s) for normal skin:
1. Makeup Forever HD Microperfecting Primer
2. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer
3. Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
Eye primer(s) for normal skin:
1. MAC Paint Pots
2. Too Faced Shadow Insurance
3. Urban Decay Primer Potion
I have combination or oily skin.
The key to your skin is going to be helping control any excess oil you might get. Your going to want to look for primers that help to mattify the face. For eye primers, look for ones that will dry to a matte finish.
More often than not, when you have oily or combination skin, you’ll have larger pores. Try and find primers that help to minimize the size of your pores.
Also, look for primers that are oil-free.
Face primer(s) for oily/combination skin:
1. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light
2. NARS Oil-Free Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer
Eye primer(s) for oily/combination skin:
1. Benefit Stay Don’t Stray Primer
I have sensitive skin.
You wan’t to do the best you can to protect your sensitive skin, so finding a primer may be a bit more difficult.
I would try and stay away from primers that have silicone in them. Silicone can prevent your skin from breathing as much and lead to breakouts.
I’d also try and look for primers with more natural ingredients in them.
Face primer(s) for sensitive skin:
1. Tarte Clean Slate Primer
2. Tarte ReCreate Silicone-Free Primer
3. Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Primer Serum
Eye primer(s) for sensitive skin:
1. Korres Eye Primer
That’s all I’ve got. Hope this helped! Make every morning prime and start using face and eye primers! :]
xx
Q:I really love your blog! I have a question: I have never really worn eyeshadow before but would like to try it out. I usually wear eyeliner and mascara but I'm afraid I will look silly with eyeshadow. Do you have any tips on good colors or techniques to start with to ease into wearing it? I have light skin with green eyes. Thanks!
Thank you! :]
Eye shadow is very fun to play around with. When starting out, colors can be a bit intimidating, but it’s all about experimenting and trying out different colors together. I really think practice makes perfect. As you get more comfortable, you’ll probably try a look every now and then that just doesn’t work (I do it all the time, haha), but luckily you can just take it off and try again :]
Some colors I think look great with green eyes are: browns, golds, bronze, purples, and pinks. Be careful with pink around your eyes, because it can make you look a little sick, so blend in browns or purples to help counteract that.
As far as tips for applying eye shadow, I thought I’d take you step by step through an easy look that I do on a regular basis. You can swap out any of these colors for others that might suit your complexion better, but by walking through the steps with me you’ll get an idea of the technique, and that’s key to applying eye shadow.
So let’s get started!
1. Apply an eyelid primer.
Ignore my eyebrows :] I fill them in before I put on any foundation. I do the same with my eye makeup so that clean up from any fall out from my eye shadows is quick and easy.
Applying a primer is going to help give you eye shadow something to stick to. Primer will also keep your eye shadow on much longer and help minimize any creasing.
So, the primer I use is the Groundwork Paint Pot by MAC. And the reason I use this one is that it’s pretty similar to my skin tone. There are a ton of different primers out there so you can take you pick. A good one to try if you’re first starting out is Urban Decay’s Primer Potion.
2. Apply a dark color to your crease.
Taking a large fluffy blending brush with a dark color, in this case I used brown, apply it to your crease (the area where your eyelid folds) using back and forth windshield wiper motions.
After you’ve applied the shadow it will look something like this:
You can see the dark brown helps to add some depth to the eye. That’s why you want to put a dark color in your crease.
Using a fluffy blending brush will help keep the edges from looking harsh so it doesn’t look like you have a big brown line across your eyelid.
3. Apply a light shadow to your brow bone.
To apply color to my brow bone I like to use a flat shader type brush. The color I selected was a very light, pale, matte yellow.
Applying color to your brow bone is going to help lift the eye. It also acts a highlight. If you don’t have an understanding of highlighting you can very a post I did that goes into that in depth and might be helpful.
After you’ve applied the shadow to your brow bone it will look something like this:
Can you see how now there is a nice blend from the color we put in our crease up to our brow bone? This gives a nice transition. That’s what you’re going for. You can also see that by brow bone now appears more highlighted.
4. Apply the color of your choice to your lid.
This is where you can have fun. Try purple or pink or gold. If you want to do something more for everyday, you can try a light cream or beige for a more natural look.
To apply color to your lid, you’ll want to use a flat shader brush.
I decided to go with a yellow for something fun. When your applying the shadow to your lid, make sure you use patting motions, don’t rub it in. This will help pack the color on to your lid so you get the best color pay off.
Here’s our look after applying color to the lid:
5. Add a definition color.
What I mean by definition color is a dark color that will be concentrated to the outer corner of your eye to help add more depth. For a definition color I like to use black or a dark brown or rich dark purple or bronze.
I went with a black. When applying your definition color, use a tapered crease brush, so you can really get into the crease of your outer corner so that the color is very concentrated to that one area.
It should look something like this:
See how it blends into the color we put in the crease, but helps add more definition to the outer corner of the eye?
6. Smudge the definition color along your lower lashline. (Optional)
I like to take the same color that I applied to my outer corner and smudge it along my lower lashline. I think this helps to add more depth the eye and really makes your lower lashline pop.
To apply color to your lower lashline use a smudger brush and really smudge the color in.
Now our eye makeup should look like this:
See how that helps to pull the top and bottom together?
7. Finishing touches: Mascara, Eyeliner, and Falsies (optional)
Now you’ll just want to add mascara and eyeliner, which you said you’re already familiar with so I won’t go through that.
If you’re going out and feeling a little extra dramatic that day you can also pop on some false lashes, but that’s definitely not necessary if you aren’t comfortable with them. I’m just a false lash addict :]
So here is our final look:
I always think eyeliner and mascara really help to pull any look together, so don’t ever skip out on those :]
If you’re unsure about some of the brushes that I mentioned, I have a post that talks about a lot of different eye makeup brushes that might be helpful.
I hope this was helpful and gives you the tips you need to get started applying eye shadow.
I’d love to see a look you come up with. Have fun!
Getting to Know Your Skin
We all want to get the most from our makeup, and in order to do that, you need to have a full understanding of your skin. Depending on your skin type, you’re going to want to chose different products that are going to help combat some of the issues that your skin might have.
If you don’t know your skin type, take a minute and introduce yourself to your skin. Touch it, get to know it. Your skin is like a brooding teenager…it just wants to be understood :]
Let’s just dive right in…
Determining Your Skin Type
There are 4 main skin types; Combination, Oily, Normal, and Dry.
- Oily: When your skin is oily, it will often look and feel moist. You have large, open pore when your skin is oily. You may be more prone to breakouts all throughout your face as your pore tend to get more clogged when you have oily skin. Your skin will tend to build up oil throughout the day and may be very shiny by mid-day.
- Dry: One key way to tell your face is dry, is how it responds after you wash your face. If you skin tends to feel tight, then your skin is most likely dry. Your skin may also get red or irritated when subjected to harsh weather conditions.
- Combination: Combination skin is very common. You can think of it as a hybrid of oily and dry skin types. When you have combination skin you tend to get oily only in certain spots, typically your T-Zone (forehead, down your nose, and chin) and you’ll stay dry around your temples, under your eyes, and cheeks. Since your t-zone is oily, you may also tend to break out there as well. You can also have combination skin when your skin types changes during certain types of the year. So for instance if you skin is dryer in the winter than it is in the summer you may have combination skin.
- Normal: There is always one of us that will luck out and have normal skin. Normal skin tends to have an even complexion and will find that it’s balanced, so it’s not too oily or too dry. You won’t notice a change in your skin throughout the day like the other skin types. You also won’t have much of a reaction to your skin when trying new facial products.
Now, if you don’t have normal skin, don’t fret. All skin types can be worked with, it’s just about understanding what your skin naturally wants to do and trying your best to work with it, not against it.
Here are 5 quick steps you can do to determine your skin type:
1. Wash your face and gently pat it dry. Allow your skin to sit for 30 minutes before moving on to step 2.
2. Grab a Kleenex or tissue and cover as much of your face with the tissue as you can and gently press it into your skin from top to bottom.
3. Remove the Kleenex or tissue from your face without rubbing it into your face. You’ll want to peel it away from your face.
4. Examine the tissue. You might need to hold it up to a light.
5. If the tissue is oily in several spots then your skin is oily. If the tissue is oily in a few spots, especially around your forehead and nose, then you have combination skin. If the tissue has little to no oil on it, then your skin is either dry or normal. The way to tell is dry is to feel your skin after you’ve applied the tissue to it. If you notice flaky areas, then your skin is dry. Normal skin will leave little to no oil on the tissue and your skin will still feel supple.
In addition to knowing your skin type, there are two main problems that your skin might also deal with: Sensitivity and Acne-Prone.
- Sensitive: A lot of times, when your skin type is sensitive, lotions, sunblock, and other face product tend to irritate your skin, so you need to be very careful when applying things to your face.
- Acne-Prone: Don’t think acne is just something teenagers have to deal with. Pimples and breakouts are something we may have to deal with later in life, and if you have oily skin you’re especially susceptible to this. So if you think your skin is acne-prone, make sure you have good skin care regiment in place that involves acne treatment.
Let’s Talk Eyeliner!
Eyeliner is one of those things can be a bit overwhelming when you’re first starting out with makeup. Even if you’ve been doing your makeup for a while it can still give you plenty of hassle.
There are different types of eyeliner and they can serve different purposes, so it’s good to have an understanding of what works best about particular liner styles, what are some of their quirks, etc.
Let’s address something first…why even apply eyeliner?
Eyeliner is going to add definition to your eyes. It’s going to help make your eyes pop, and make them appear larger as well. By applying eyeliner along your lashes, you’re going to help make them appear thicker…and who doesn’t love thicker lashes, right??
Now, let’s talk about the different types of eyeliner.
Liquid Liner:
- Liquid liner can come in either a tube with a brush that comes out that has the liner on it or a liner pen that contains the liquid inside of the pen.
- Liquid liners can be a bit tricky. They take a lot of practice to get down, but once you have practiced with it, you’ll get a super bold, slick looking liner which is great for dramatic looks.
- Since it’s a liquid, it can sometimes get out of control and it easily smudges, so it’s very important if you want your liquid liner to last, you should really set it with an eye shadow.
-Applying a liquid liner takes a very steady, precise hand, because it will show all of your mistakes.
Pros:
- Great for creating cat eye liner and other dramatic styles
- You can get very thin, precise lines and will help to make your lashes look thicker
Cons:
- Takes a ton of practice and patience
- Smudges pretty easily
Liquid Eyeliners To Try:
- Drugstore: Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner
- High-end: MAC Superslick Liquid Eyeliner
Gel Eyeliner:
- Gel liner comes in pot and can either be applied with a fine tipped eyeliner brush or an angled eyeliner brush.
- I’ll admit that I am a huge fan of gel eyeliner. It’s my favorite, so I’m gonna try to not make this biased :] So, with all that being said, gel liner delivers a great look because they are very pigmented and last a long time.
- Gel liners also make a great base for eye shadows.
- Like liquid liner, gel liner does take some practice, but unlike liquid liner, it’s creamy gel consistency, makes it easier to go on and won’t slip and slide around on you like a liquid liner will.
- One thing that is frustrating about gel liners is that they can dry out pretty easily, so it’s important to make sure the lid is fully closed so you don’t allow excess air in to the pot.
Pros:
- Consistency makes it easy to apply
- Great for great cat eye / winded liner
- Great for smudging along your lower lash line
Cons:
- Can sometimes take practice to learn to apply properly
- Tends to dry out quickly
- Not as portable since it requires a separate brush to apply it.
Gel Eyeliners To Try:
- Drugstore: Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner
- High-end: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Liner
Pencil Liner:
- Pencil liners are definitely the most basic of the types of eyeliner. They are easiest to apply and are very convenient. You don’t have to have any other makeup tools to apply them. Whenever you need more, you can just sharpen your pencil.
- Some eyeliner pencils can be a bit hard, so when you apply it to your lid it can hurt. So when looking for pencils, find one that has a creamier formula.
- Pencils are great to have, because they can be used to do so many different things. You can also use eyeliner pencils to line your lips or fill in your eyebrows.
- Pencils are also great for lining your waterline, but make sure it’s a waterproof formula so that if you tend to tear, they won’t pull the makeup back into your eye.
Pros:
- Really easy to apply and control
- Comes in a variety of colors so you can achieve lots of different looks
- Can be used for a lot of different purposes
Cons:
- Is often hard to get a very precise, accurate line
- If the formula of the pencil is hard, it can sometimes hurt or pull on the lid as your apply it.
Types of Eyeliner Pencils To Try:
- Drugstore: NYX Jumbo Eyeliner Pencils
- High-end: Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner Pencils
Eyeliner Shapes:
Now that we have a better understanding about the different types of eyeliner, let’s talk about the different types of shapes we can create with eyeliner. There are LOTS of different shapes that can be created, but I’ll just discuss 3 of the basic ones that you could wear on a day to day basis.
Natural:
This shape just follows the natural shape of your lashes. It’s going to help make your lashes appear thicker and fuller.
Subtle, Natural Cat-Eye:
To create this shape, think of it as if you’re extending your lower lash line upwards toward your brow. This liner gets a bit thicker toward the outer corner and wings out. You can also smudge a bit on your lower lash line to help make you lower lashes appear thicker as well.
If you have droopy eyes, this little flick you add to your outer corner will help lift them.
Bold, Dramatic Cat-Eye:
This look really helps to reshape your eye. It’s going to help your eye appear elongated and lifted.
Eyeliner Brushes:
Fine Tipped Eyeliner Brush:
Good for getting a nice thin line close to the lash line
Flat Eyeliner Brush:
Good for smudging color into the lash line and helping them appear thicker
Bent Eyeliner Brush:
Similar to a fine tipped liner brush, but the tip is bent. This can make it easier to apply winged liner because your hand won’t cover up your eye as you apply it.
Angled Eyeliner Brush:
Good for applying cat-eye eyeliner. Also good for applying shadow to your eyebrows.
Some Extra Eyeliner Tips:
If you’re curious to see exactly how to apply eyeliner, it’s probably better to watch someone do it, rather than have me explain it, so here’s a video for your enjoyment :]
Here are some extra tips for applying liner.
- Applying white eyeliner to your lower lash line will help your eyes appear bigger
- Make sure you apply your liner as thinly as possible and then build the thickness as desired. It’s always easier to add then it is to take away.
- Make sure your liner is as close to your lashes as possible. You don’t want to have a gap between your lashes and your liner.
- I’d throw out your eyeliner after about 6 months, any longer than that, and you risk bacteria building up.
- When applying liner, use short even strokes. Don’t try to do it all in one motion.
- Don’t be afraid of colored liners. They can add a fun pop of color to your look.
Beauty Basics: Making the Most of Your Lashes
When I think back to my younger days, the first makeup product I wore on a regular basis was mascara. I think more often than not, mascara is one of the first makeup products we all tend to try on our own. Lashes are something that automatically can pull an eye look together, so making the most of them is key.
For many, our lashes are something we tend to apply product to on a daily basis. And if you’re just starting out with makeup, you might be wondering some tips and tricks on applying mascara, or what kinds of brands are best for certain things, or perhaps how to prevent your lashes from clumping, or even why you should curl your lashes. Well hopefully I can provide you with that info in this post and by the end you’ll be able to apply mascara like a champ and have an idea of a brand that will work for you. Let’s get started!
Tips to Applying Mascara:
- DON’T pump your mascara wand before applying it. I’m not sure who started this and why…but all this does is push air into the mascara tube and dry out the mascara quicker.
- Before you place the wand on your lashes, make sure you’ve removed any excess product. You really don’t need a ton of mascara to coat your lashes, and by having the excess product, it’s only going to lead to your lashes potentially clumping up.
- As you apply your mascara, wiggle the wand from side to side as you bring the wand up your lashes. Wiggling the wand from side to side is what separates your lashes and helps to prevent them from clumping. This way, you get a nice even application.
- When applying mascara, I think it helps to look down into a mirror. This will help prevent getting the mascara onto your eyelid and potentially ruining your eye makeup.
- I think it helps to apply a layer of mascara to the tops of your lashes as well. It helps them to look thicker and will curl your lashes a bit too.
Picking the Right Mascara for You:
It’s important that when looking for a mascara you get the right formula for what you’re looking for. Are you wanting to add length? How about thickness? It’s important to know these things so you get the right one.
Lengthening Mascara:
If your lashes need help in the length department, then lengthening mascara is for you. Lengthening mascaras are going to have applicators with densely packed bristles so that you can really get the product on your lashes. It’s going to help define and separate each lash.
A product you might want to try: Maybelline Define-a-Lash mascara
Thickening / Voluminizing Mascara:
These type of mascaras are for when you want to make your lashes appear fuller and more dense.
A product you might want to try: L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara
Waterproof Mascara:
Waterproof mascaras are great when you need a mascara that is smudge proof. These types of mascaras contain special ingredients that help to repel water so that they don’t come off. However, be advised, waterproof formulas can be a bit harsh on the lashes when used frequently. You should always make sure to fully remove this mascara to prevent your lashes from breaking.
A product you might want to try: Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara
Non Clumping Mascara:
Non clumping mascara is a type of lengthening mascara. You might also see it referred to as telescopic mascara. It’s just a mascara that contains some ingredients that prevent it from clumping, i.e. silk extract or glycerin. This is good for people with shorter, densely packed eyelashes, as it will add length without clumping your eyelashes together.
A product you might want to try: L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara
Some Extra Lash Tips:
- Curl your lashes before applying mascara. I know that eyelash curler looks a bit scary, but it really does help to curl your lashes before you put on your mascara. Why you ask? Well, when you curl them they’ll extend upwards and when you apply the mascara to them you’ll be able to see them more. One thing to note, don’t ever curl your lashes after you’ve applied mascara, you risk breaking them off!
- Try applying two different types of mascara. This is a tip used by a lot of makeup artists. What they’ll do is first apply one coat of a lengthening mascara and then follow it up with a mascara that has a thickening formula. This will help you get lashes that will look more like falsies!
- Use an eyelash primer. An eyelash primer works like any other primer you use. It’s going to help separate your lashes and it’ll give your mascara something to stick to.
Daily Beauty Tip
If you have round eyes, winged or cat eyeliner will help to elongate your eyes and give them a more almond look.
Brows, Brows, and More Brows!
I can’t tell your how often I see women who are doing themselves such a disservice by how they’ve chosen to wear their brows. Eyebrows help to frame your face and they can really change the shape of your face as well, and if you have brows that are over-plucked, bushy & unruly, or the wrong shape for your face, it’s time to get your brows in order :]
Determining the brow shape for your face:
Certain brow shapes are work better for certain face shape than other. Below I’ll list the different face shapes and what brows work best for your face.
Oval Face:
- People with oval faces are pretty lucky. Your face is pretty balanced on it’s own and you can get away with a lot of different types of shapes.
Round Face:
- With a round face, your ultimate goal is to help eliminate some of the roundness from your face. So you want brows that help elongate the face, in order to do this, you’ll want a brow that has a high arch and the front of the brow will follow a straight line to the peak of the brow. By creating this shape you adding vertical elements to your face which will help make it appear longer.
- You’ll want to avoid very rounded brow shapes, this is just going to add to the roundness of your face.
Long Face:
- Unlike a round face, you’re goal will be to make your face appear shorter. So you won’t want a brow shape that adds vertical elements to your face. You’ll want your brow to appear flatter and create more horizontal lines to keep the eye from traveling up the face.
Square Face:
- With a square face, you have a strong jawline. So you’ll want to bring a bit of softness back to your face. So adding some curve to your brows will help balance the harder lines found in your jaw. You’ll want to create an angled brow or curved brow to help balance out the face.
- You might also want to consider having your brows a bit thicker, because this will help to balance out a strong jawline as well.
Heart Shaped Face:
- The heart shaped face is similar to a round face, but the chin comes to more of a point. With that being said, you’re going to want to add vertical elements to your brow, but not as much as you would if your face was round. So your brows will be a low arched brow, somewhere between flat and high arched.
Diamond Face:
- With a diamond shaped face, the middle of your face at the cheeks tends to be the widest part of your face. So you want your brows to help counteract this. Adding curve to the brow is going to help soften the angles in your face, but also make your face appear to be less wide.
Grooming Your Brows:
Now, I’m by no means an eyebrow expert, and if you like the way your brows look, then keep doing what make you happy. I’m just hear providing my own opinion on the subject.
So when it comes to grooming brows, I think a lot people tend to go too thin. What a lot of people don’t realize is that super thin eyebrows are very harsh on the face and really hard to pull off. Thicker, fuller brows appear much more natural and they actually make the face appear more youthful.
I actually say a video by Gossmakeupartist on YouTube, where he gave a great analogy. Think about a Disney movie with a prince and wicked witch. The evil queen or wicked witch always has very thin, super arched brows because it’s a much harsher look. The princess will always have fuller brows with a much more natural arch because it’s more youthful. Check it out for yourself and you’ll see what I mean:
Now, just because I mentioned that thicker, fuller brows appear more natural, that doesn’t mean that I think bushy, unruly brows have the same affect. Groomed brows are always going to make your face appear more polished.
When it comes to grooming your brows I think it’s beneficial to watch someone walk you through it. So I found a fantastic video from Kandee Johnson on YouTube where she walks you through step by step of grooming your brows.
Filling In Your Brows:
If you have very spare brows, you’ll want to fill them so they can really help to frame the face. I’ve done a tutorial that walks you through how I fill in my brows and you can view that here.
So what are you waiting for? Get those brows looking fab! :]
Daily Beauty Tip
Apply blush to the tops of your cheekbones.
When you smile and apply blush to the apples of your cheeks, the apples of your cheek are in a raised state. So when you stop smiling the blush will be down toward your mouth instead if where you intended it.
