Primer, foundation, concealer, powder, eye liner, eye shadow, mascara, bronzer, blush, lip gloss. Makeup eludes and intimidates just as it fascinates and invites.
Until this past summer, my idea of makeup was black pencil liner on the lower eye rim, mascara, lip gloss, and eye shadow if I was feeling especially fancy. I say until this past summer, because I spent June, July, and August taking a makeup course and working with renowned makeup artist Victoria Radford.
I was shocked not only at how much I didn't know, but at how much I didn't know I didn't know! Like clothing, there are makeup trends, good and bad quality makeup, flattering and unflattering makeup, and more. Here, the Fashion Informer gives you Makeup 101.
If you only put on one product before heading into public, it should be - without a doubt - concealer under the eyes and on any red spots or pimples that inevitably pop up. You would be amazed at what a huge difference a single product can make, and with practice it will take you no more than 60 seconds to cover and conceal.
If you have an extra 15 seconds, dab a powder such as Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder over the concealer to make sure it lasts all day ... and night.
If you only put on three products before heading into public, add mascara and blush after concealer. Mascara opens up your eyes and makes you look more alert and awake, while blush brightens and defines your whole face, also making you look more awake and healthy.
Maybelline Great Lash mascara is available at every drugstore and works like a charm, but my favorite mascara is Chanel's new Intimable - try it at your own risk, because you'll never go back! If you just want to blacken lashes but don't want to look like you're wearing mascara, Lash Tint from Jemma Kidd's new makeup line temporarily colors your lashes with one swipe for up to three days.
As for blush, Stila's Convertible Color is a cream formula that can be applied easily with your finger to cheeks and lips (try Lillium, Gerbera, or Gladiola). If you're more of a conventional powder blush gal, be sure to apply product on the apples of your cheeks to keep the look fresh and natural.
While concealer, mascara, and blush are fabulous, my two favorite discoveries of the summer were primer and tinted moisturizer, both of which I now wear religiously. Primer is the last step in skin care and first step in makeup. It seals in the benefits of your skin care regimen while reducing redness and providing a base for makeup to adhere to rather than clogging your pores.
Tinted moisturizer is the practical, quick, natural-looking alternative to foundation that moisturizes and protects while subtly evening out skin tone; as a bonus, most formulas have an added in SPF. Laura Mercier is my hands-down favorite for both of the above, but Bobbi Brown also makes a decent tinted moisturizer whose formula is a touch thicker.
Makeup trends for fall are as diverse as they are fun. Black liner paired with red lips á la Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada is a current favorite, as is jewel-tone smoky eye shadow paired with nude lips. Thick brows are (thank God!) in style, as is looking natural, dewy, and fresh.
As a general rule, pick one feature, be it eyes, lips, or cheeks, and make it the focal point. Red lips, smoky eyes, and bright blush will make you look worse than a clown, but bright pink blush with a swipe of sheer pink lip gloss and neutral eye shadow is chic and pretty.
Finally, what makeup should you invest in, and what can you get away with buying at CVS? Anything that you want to help you look natural, such as foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, and blush, should be top quality from a department store, or it might look anything but natural.
For the fun stuff, such as different eye and lip colors, no one will really notice the difference between L'Or?©al and Lanc??me (well, except for makeup artists), so unless there's a very special color that you just can't find anywhere else (like Stila's Kitten), CVS is your friend. Mascara can also be bought cheaply because it must be replaced every six months since it harbors bacteria.
-Jyll Saskin is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major.
