Sunday, October 5, 2008

Makeup Care - Top 10 Makeup Mistakes

ONE - Wearing dark lip liner with light lipstick is way out of date. Wearing matching liner and lipstick is the rule of the day for the new millennium. Make up that is understated is more in line with today's more natural look.

TWO - Using your lip liner to draw a line that extends beyond your natural lip line is passé. Keep your lip line natural. There are newer products out now that can help plump up your lips. Hot lips types of lip glosses or enhancers are now available that can increase your lip's volume.

THREE - Drawn in eyebrows are also a thing of the past. There is now eyebrow powder that you can use to enhance your eyebrow's natural line. These powders are a more subtle look.

FOUR - Eyeliner is a tricky thing. Keeping it in control can create a sexy look, while extending eyeliner too far past the corner of the eye can be over done. The Cleopatra look is great for Halloween, but for everyday it just appears overdone.

FIVE - Clumpy mascara just simply looks very bad. This is where purchasing better cosmetics is worth it. Some of the cheaper brands clump up terribly or use a brush that isn't adequate. There are some low cost mascaras that really are good. Loreal has a few good ones.

SIX - Glaring blush is a definite 80's look. Use a large blush brush to apply blush so you get a nice blended look that is more natural. You want people to see your whole face when they look at you, for an overall appearance. You don't want them to be seeing just your cheeks.

SEVEN - There are different colors of mascara available today, teal being one of them. Teenagers can get away with the more exotic colors, but for a sophisticated look go for dark blue. This is for the woman who wants to be taken seriously.

EIGHT - I've seen many women make this mistake...they cake on foundation over problem skin. I need to first say that there is much that can be done today for women with problem skin. There are many products that can clear up skin issues, such as rosacea, acne or brown spots. For the women who have more serious issues, there are laser treatments, peels, microdermabrasion, and facials. Be sure to use mineral makeup if you have acne prone skin. If you have fine lines you can mix a quality moisturizer with your foundation to help fill in the fine lines.

NINE - Foundation should be blended at the jaw line. Many women just don't seem to catch this mistake even though they are looking in the mirror when applying their makeup! Most importantly, you need to pick a foundation color that closely matches your skin color. Use a sponge to apply makeup, which will go a long way in helping to blend your foundation line.

TEN - It used to be the thing a few years ago to line the eyelid half way with eyeliner. Today the advice is to open the eyes with a softer look by applying a powder liner and outlining the whole eye area above and below the eye.

Today's beautiful woman is one who appears confident and well maintained, and by all means, in control of her looks. She knows that she is a whole package and not just individual features. The first thing that makes an impression is your face when meeting new people. Dress your face with makeup as well as you would dress your body with clothes.

Melanie Vasseur is a chemist, esthetician and the founder of Vasseur Skincare. For more skincare tips and information, visit http://www.vsskin.com or http://www.vasseurdayspa.com, 619-236-9095.