Perfecting Your MakeUp Skills - Foundation

First of all, your face should be carefully cleansed.

You can use cleansing lotions. To achieve the

best possible result, the skin also should be smooth – use an exfoliating

scrub and then apply a rich moisturizer

or a cleansing mask, depending on your skin type.

FOUNDATION

The 1st stage: applying liquid foundation.
A liquid foundation is the most important part of makeup. It gives the face an even tint and makes oily skin appear matte. It’s not a good idea to choose a shade that’s too dark, as it can sharpen the features, make you look older and give the face a harsh expression.

The selection of colors
To choose the foundation shade, use as a guide a shade that is one-fourth deeper than the tone of your skin. Apply some foundation on the back of the palm and then on the face with a sponge-applicator.

Techniques of the professional makeup artist
If you don’t know what shade you need, try to apply some foundation on the palm or on the neck by daylight. The color should blend with the basic color of your face.

Application
Begin applying foundation from the central part of the face, gradually moving on to the temples with upward movements, so as not to give your features a puffy look. First, apply the foundation on your cheeks, then the ears, the neck (from the top down), the décolleté (if necessary), the area around the lips, the forehead, the nose, the eyelids (with the lightest movement) and, finally, on the lip-line. It simplifies the application of eye shadows and lipstick. After that, carefully blot your face with absorbent paper to remove any excess foundation.

The 2nd step: applying correctors
Correctors let you hide blemishes. For small heat spots, scars and shadows under the eyes, you should use different tints. Correctors with a green tint hide redness and a peach tint improves the shadows under the eyes -– the same principle as the color spectrum and complementary colors. But pay attention! – avoid a grayish effect. On the top, apply a liquid foundation to carefully hide blemishes.

The 3rd stage: applying loose powder
You should use a light, almost transparent, loose powder to achieve a matte effect and to fix the foundation. As for colors, it’s best to use a powder one shade deeper than the foundation, or you could achieve a grayish tint. For ideal application, use a big brush made specially for powder.

Techniques of the professional makeup artist
Before applying powder on the eyelids, remove any excess foundation in the crease of the upper eyelid with your fingertip.