K.I.S.S. my face

Rows and rows of brilliant colors, perfumes, skincare products displayed on fresh, white surfaces in acrylic display cases, fancy boxes, and tantalizing bottles shimmering, shining, calling my name. "You need me," they say. "You could be a whole new woman," they taunt. This sounds like a dream, but it was my visit to Ulta with my boyfriend yesterday. I had a $25 gift card to spend that was sitting in my wallet since Christmas. We fingered the expensive scents, and pointed out the luscious lip colors, but I couldn't justify spending money on things I would probably leave in a drawer because they were just too pretty to use. So, I went for my mainstream cosmetic buys and picked out the stuff I actually use. Concealer. A bunch. On sale. And mascara. Two things you can't have too much of. It has taken years to get it down: the magic cosmetic combo that doesn't make me look like a clown and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. Every product I use is from a different brand. I promote every mainstream cosmetic brand out there when I step out the door each day. I was feeling good about my conservative approach in a place I could lose my senses over, and BF secured us a place in line. I stepped to the next available cash register when called, handed the hand basket over...and, Ka-POW! There she was. The textbook definition of what I was not aiming for on my quest for cosmetics. My cashier was the poster child for putting makeup in the hands of a Las Vegas showgirl (or a drag queen). Orange of face, black wax of brow, black dye of hair, glitter of lid she rang up my items and signed me up as a member whilst I concentrated hard on not staring. The entire eyeshadow cake had to have been removed from its casing and placed directly on the lid and molded into place to get that lunar-landing-powder thickness. How the eyeliner, false eyelashes, and twenty-five coats of mascara were applied is a mystery that goes beyond anything I've seen Chris Angel do. To top it off the nose piercing with a stone the size of Neptune was the only accessory fitting to complete the array of color applied in mosaic fashion. It was not until the very end of the transaction that I noticed she was expecting. Motherhood is so beautiful, and this paint job only detracted from the baby bump. Ulta met...its match.

While cosmetics can be fun, I learned at an early age that they are only tools. I was not blessed with perfect skin and makeup became a necessary part of helping me fit in during adolescence. After time it became a chore. The mask I had to wear just to be "normal" was becoming a burden. I just wanted to look like all the other fresh-faced, rosy-cheeked sixteen year old girls. I didn't want to play dress up. Makeup is there to conceal and enhance. Yes, it's fun to play with color, and paint away, but for everyday use it is a tool that is to be wielded with precision and speed to conceal your flaws, reveal your best attributes, and not take up your entire day.

Everything needs a good foundation. Buildings, principles, faith, relationships; they all need a solid foundation. The same is true of makeup. I am not going to claim to be an esthetician, because, well, I'm not, so I will just say, start with a clean slate. Find a cleanser that works for you, and keep your skin clean. It's best not to sleep with your makeup on. I have not heeded my own advice of late, and have paid dearly. At night I like to use a makeup remover cleansing wipe, usually store brand, and then wash thoroughly with warm water and a gentle cleanser with all natural ingredients. Having sensitive skin, I find organic cleansers, as well as moisturizers, to be less irritating and prevent breakouts. I then splash with cool water and apply a light moisturizer, even dabbing a little under the eyes now that I have turned thirty. In the morning I cleanse again, rinse with cold water, and apply the same light moisturizer which keeps my skin moist, and is a nice base for the foundation.

When thinking about foundation and even skin tone, I like to think, "Conceal and reveal." Conceal the bad to reveal the good. Every woman has her own unique bone structure, skin type, and beauty. All we have to do is bring it to light by getting all the distractions out of the way. My first step is to quickly go over blemishes and under eyes with a concealer stick, and with moistened finger gently pat and smooth to prep for the liquid foundation. I prefer to use liquid because it applies better with a finger and lasts longer during the day. I find the Loreal True Match foundations to cover well without being too thick, and has a great range of tones to match any skin type. I apply it quickly and evenly, making sure to cover jawline and blend into my neck so there is no harsh line creating the look of wearing a mask. Using a matching foundation also prevents the dreaded orange face. I then like to seal everything with a loose powder and a powder puff. It sets everything in place and gives me that feeling of an oil painter standing in front of a blank canvas with a fresh coat of Gesso, ready to add color and create.

Picture the Disney princess in front of her mirror, brushing her silken locks, fresh of face, birds dressing her... Where is the color on her face?  Cheeks, eyes, and lips, right?  For a daytime look, you want to look like the Disney princess who flips her hair, pinches her cheeks to a natural blush, licks her lips to a rosy bloom, and has those "maybe she's born with it" darkened, defined lids and lashes.  There are so many skin tone color matching systems out there, that, by now, you should know what tones complement your own skin.  This would encompass blushes, shadows, and lip colors. 

My next step is to grab my colors and brushes, keeping my choices down to a minimum, thereby creating less confusion on those days when I've already changed my outfit five times.  So, with tools in hand, ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom, I swirl a complementing color of blush powder onto a large blush brush, tap off excess, make a smirky grin, and swoosh and swirl from the apple of my cheek up toward my ear.  leaving me with a light, rosy glow (preferably not a brush-shaped streak).

For the eyes, I try to remember:  light widens, dark closes.  I have eyes that are somewhat close together, so my goal is to make them appear further apart, naturally.  I usually wear cool, brown shadows, and start with the darkest color, applying from the outer corner of the crease of my eyelid to about the middle of the crease.  I then take a mid-tone and fill in the lid to the lash line, lastly, taking the lightest shade (sometimes white or skin tone) and filling the area from the bridge of my nose to just inside the inside corner of my eye as well as sweeping over my brow bone to give continuity of color.  Keeping my brows well shaped and full also adds to the enhancement of the eye.  If I'm in a hurry I will apply black waterproof Loreal Voluminous mascara to the top lashes only, as my eyes are smaller and leaving the bottom free of color opens the eye.  If I want a more open-eyed look I apply black eyeliner with a pencil starting above the inside of the iris, moving up and away to give a more open, wide-eyed look.  Then I will curl my lashes an apply two coats to the top set only.  It's all about knowing your own face, and what you would like to enhance without detracting from what's really there. 

I love to save my lips for last.  There is something luscious about it.  First applying a stain lip color, like a long lasting lipstick is key to long lasting color.  I usually apply something darker and berry-colored.  I then line the lips in a similar tone to set the parameters as well and the color.  For a final touch, I sweep on something more beige and lighter in tone with a nice glossy sheen to give it a milder daytime look that is moist and juicy.  Last, but not least, a trick I learned from Cindy Crawford years ago:  close lips around the base of index finger and pull outward, thereby removing any possibility of someone telling you that you have lipstick on your teeth. 

Know when it's time to play with makeup, and have fun with it! Then you don't have to worry about looking like a clown when you're not wanting to draw negative attention to yourself. Wait for a fun event or a photo session to really go wild. Become a wood nymph for a day. Pull a Sophia Loren for an evening. Pop some color for a live show or an event. Play up your eyes or your lips for a retro look at a funky art show. It's always more fun when you save the facial accessorizing for something special, and can set aside that extra time to color outside the lines. For the most part you want people to compliment your face, not your makeup. Just think of all the time you'll save removing unnecessary stuff from your face each day. Just keep it simple, sillies.