Most women (and some men) use makeup on a daily basis, whether heavy or light. The biggest concern for makeup users (and non-makeup users all over the world) are skin problems and other imperfections on the face. The most common problems are eyebags, blemishes and redness. Most women just cake on lots of concealer, or if they don't have concealer, powders. That's the biggest mistake anyone can make, unless the imperfection is super mega ultra supremely subtle. Caking on concealers or powders doesn't help correct the imperfection, but otherwise makes the imperfection more pronounced and obvious.
It all goes down to how you take care of yourself - eating right, sleeping enough, and keeping your skin clean and healthy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Šκιή Ĉαяε
STEP 1:
¤¤¤¤¤¤
¤¤¤¤¤¤
Get enough sleep. We all know that the average person needs at least 8 hours of sleep per day, but due to our hectic lifestyles or just plain bad habits, we sleep much less than that. Sleeping is the process in which your body and brain gets a rest. It's also the time when your dead cells regenerate and the nutrients from the food you ate to thoroughly be processed and absorbs by your body.
STEP 2:
Eat balanced meals. Every doctor, teacher, parent, etc tells us to do it. I know it's pretty difficult especially with the fast food chains and vast selection of delicacies, but you'll just have to focus. What we eat nowadays are as fast as the lives we lead now. You go up to the counter, place your order and within seconds your meal is ready on a tray. No, you can't do that anymore. Look out for RESTAURANTS with a menu, preferably one with descriptions of the food and one on a stand at the entrance so you get a rough idea of what you want before you order. Go for broiled, steamed, baked (not in tons of cheese!) and/or stir-fried stuff. Ditch the stuff with cheese (though small amounts are alright, indulge yourself once in a VERY LONG WHILE), cream, coconut milk, lots of oil (deep fried or just fried stuff), breaded stuff (the breadcrumbs pack the calories, unless it's panko, and a very small amount at that), glazed stuff, extra sweet stuff and the really fatty stuff (look out for lean, lean, lean and LEAN!!!).
If you can afford the time (sleep earlier then you could wake up earlier =]), make your home-made lunch-boxes. Make a rough menu for your lunchbox, for example lean beef and mustard sauce with primavera spaghetti for Monday and baked chicken casserole (remember, ditch the cream and cheese!) for Tuesday and so on. If you really have no other choice than fast food, opt for NON-BREADED, MINIMUM CHEESE and LEAN MEATS. Try to go for the juice rather than the soft drinks.
Do your homework and learn more about Chinese eating. Chinese culture involves yin and yang, the balance of the world. Same with eating. According to the Chinese, there are 'cool' foods and 'hot' foods. I don't mean this by the temperature, but rather the chemicals or something else in the food. For example you eat something really heaty (as the Chinese say), usually something of it's counterpart ('cool' foods) will be served to balance things out. What we usually eat are the heaty things - fried, fatty, etc. Too much yang results in becoming heaty - nosebleeds, and MAJOR BREAKOUTS and PEELING.
STEP 3:
¤¤¤¤¤¤

STEP 4:
¤¤¤¤¤
Keeping your skin clean throughout the day. No matter how you take care of your skin and how many supplements you take, it's no use if you touch your face everyday with dirty hands. Our hands are in contact with germs and bacteria all the time, and they're especially concentrated with dirt and grime. Always have a packet of tissue/wet tissue and/or hand sanitizer/disinfectant wherever you go, and in the event that you need to touch your face, use a clean tissue to cover up the surface of your hands before you touch your skin to minimize bacteria transmission. After touching anything at all, sanitize/disinfect you hands before touching your skin in case you don't have tissues with you. Avoid using handkerchiefs on your face, 'cause it's loaded with accumulated germs.
STEP 5:
¤¤¤¤¤
Sticking to a regular skin care regimen. The moment you put down your briefcase or school bag, go straight to the bathroom, take your bath and WASH YOUR FACE. Being out in the world makes dust and ash particles stick to your skin with the help of facial oils and sweat. Don't just wash your face with water, use a facial cleanser that suites your skin type (preferably mousse or foam kinds then you don't need to drag your skin too much). You don't have to get the really expensive ones just because a magazine recommended it, though brands like Biotherm, and Dermalogica are very good investments. Follow up with at least toner and moisturizer, then apply serums or other creams. Eye creams are important.
Go to a skin care counter or consult a skin therapist (I think they call it that) and have them 'interpret' your skin and recommend some products that you could use. If you're on a tight budget, inquire about the ingredients of the product recommended, then go to a drugstore to get the product - cheaper, but you still have the same effect. =) Do a mask, any mask, at least once a week. Don't put the mask on while you're still in the bath (some people do that), put on the mask AFTER your bath and keep your hair out of your face.
Brands/products recommended:
-Dermalogica (cleanser, toner, moisturizer, mask)
-Biotherm (cleanser, toner, moisurizer, serums, mask)
-L'Occitane (cleanser)
-TheFaceShop (cleanser)
-Estee Lauder (eye cream)
-Clean'n'Clear (cleanser, toner, moisturizer)
STEP 6:
¤¤¤¤¤¤
Relax. Stress contributes to breakouts, wrinkles and other skin problems. In the event of stress, find some way to channel away the stress healthily - do yoga, punch a punch bag, listen to music, read a book, do something rather than just let the stress take over you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Μαкєΰρ
STEP 1:
¤¤¤¤¤¤

Products recommended:
-TheFaceShop Migamsu Cleansing Foam
-L'Occitane Immortelle Cleansing Foam
-L'Occitane Foaming Rice Cleanser
-Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution
-SK-II Facial Treatment Cleanser
STEP 2:
(OPTIONAL)
¤¤¤¤¤¤
I would recommend doing a mask before putting on any makeup. Secure your hair out of your face, then apply the mask (sheet or cream). For cream masks, opt for wash-offs rather than peel-offs as the peel-off masks pull on your skin, making them loose faster than natural. Peel/rinse off thoroughly and pat dry with clean towel.
Product recommendations:
-Biotherm Biopur Purifying Balancing Masque
-Biotherm Biopur Purifying Balancing Masque
-Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Masque
-Daiso Japan Charcoal Mask
STEP 3:
¤¤¤¤¤¤
Tone your skin. Some toners will have 'lotion' printed on the tube. If you're unsure, ask the shop assisstant. Always use a cotton pad to apply your toner, never your fingers. The handle of the cupboard and the bottle of the toner isn't all that clean, so using your fingers will just slab the bacteria back onto your face. Shake or spray the toner onto the cotton pad and apply evenly over the face.
STEP 4:
¤¤¤¤¤¤

Product recommendations:
-Biotherm Aquasource Ultra-cool Hydrating Water Gel
-Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream
STEP 5:
¤¤¤¤¤¤
Apply sunblock. Use a strong SPF product if you will be in constant sunlight. Apply a VERY THIN LAYER of sunblock, spreading evenly and applying more on the areas where the sun hits first - the nose, cheekbones and eyes. Also apply some to the neck so that you won't look like you're wearing a geisha mask later.
Product recommendations:
-Biotherm Sun SPF50 Sensitive Skin Sun Cream Multi-Protection
STEP 6:
¤¤¤¤

STEP 7:
¤¤¤¤¤¤
Apply concealer on your under eye circles, your eyelids, on blemishes, obvious scars, and darkened or red areas on your face. It would be better to use a colour corrector concealer palette, which comes in a few colours to neutralise the redness/darkness on your skin. Apply using a brush, then blend with fingers or a slightly larger brush. For blemishes, simply dot a VERY SMALL AMOUNT of concealer onto the blemish then gently rub to blend. Set the foundation and concealer with loose powder. Blend well with a soft bristled brush.
STEP 8:
¤¤¤¤¤¤
Draw/fill in and/or define your brows using a brow pencil. For a softer, more natural effect, use an angled brush with two tones of eyeshadow colours that match your eyebrows. Try not to overdo the filling in. Blend with a clean mascara wand/eyebrow colour blender (both look the same, just different names).
STEP 9:
¤¤¤¤¤¤

Prime your lids with an eyelid primer/cream eyeshadow/shadestick, etc. This will help the eye shadow stay on longer and help intensify the colour of the eyeshadow. Apply it from the lashline all the way up to the bottom of the brow, if you're using a light coloured, very slightly shimmery primer. If using a dark base apply right up to where it's needed. Highlight browbones with a white or beige colour before or after applying eyeshadow colours of your choice.
Product recommendations:
-Shu Uemura Cream Eyeshadow
STEP 10:
¤¤¤¤¤¤
Line your eyes using eyeliner or black eyeshadow with an angled brush. Before doing any lining, do some practice strokes on the back of your hand to get used to the brush/pencil for better results later. If using eyeliner pencils, ensure that the tip of the pencil is sharp enough to draw hugh precision lines. If using liquid liner, make sure your hand is steady before starting to line your eyes. If using gel eyeliners, make sure your brush (gel eyeliner/angled) is clean before you dip it into the pot. For a sharp-eyed look, line your waterline as well. Try to avoid lining your lower lashline as it is sometimes a bit too dramatic for day wear.
Product recommendations:
-Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner
STEP 11:
¤¤¤¤¤

Product recommendations:
-Revlon Double Twist
-Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing
-Opera Volume Control
-Maybelline Volum' Express Cat Eyes Hypercurl Waterproof
STEP 12:
¤¤¤¤
Do your contouring using a bronzer, neutral brown eyeshadow or a contouring palette. Use an appropriate brush for this and always start subtle. Only layer on more product if you do not achieve the contouring results desired. Blend the contouring product well at the edges to avoid harsh lines. After contouring, apply blush. Use a large fluffy brush and get some blusher powder, tap off excess then gently dab onto the apples of the cheeks. A better alternative would be to use a lip and cheek tint if you're not doing much contouring on the cheek area.
Product recommendation:
-Bobbi Brown blush
STEP 13:
¤¤¤¤¤¤

STEP 14:
¤¤¤¤¤¤
Touch up anything that needs touching up, using a small brush where necessary. Set the applied makeup with a sealing mist or similar. Now go strut your stuff~!!
No comments:
Post a Comment