Make Up Q and A

Q. I am very pale. How can I get a little color without looking like a clown?

A. Try using a powder bronzer in a light shade. Dust a little on your cheeks, forehead, nose, or anywhere else the sun may have kissed you. But make sure to use a light touch and blow or tap the excess off the make up brush before applying. That way you're more likely to avoid blotchiness.

Q. Is there really a difference between daytime and evening make up?

A.The lines between daytime and evening make up are becoming blurred, that's for sure. But daytime make up is more natural and subtle looking, and probably too light to make much of a statement in moonlight or candlelight. The dramatic lines and colors of evening make up, on the other hand, would look a little strange in stark bright sunlight.

Q. How do you properly use an eyelash curler?

A. Eyelash curlers are probably the most misused make up tool. Most people squeeze their eyelash curlers way too hard, which can potentially damage eyelashes. Proper usage involves quick light squeezes, which not only save the eyelashes from potential damage, also actually curl the lashes much better!

Q. Is it true that you should never wear the same color eye shadow as your eyes?

A. "Always" and "never" make up rules are becoming a thing of the past. If you have blue eyes, there are other make up colors that will bring out the color of your eyes much better than blue. But if you like the look of blue eye shadow, go for it. As with any dramatic make up look, it's best used sparingly, rather than for everyday use.

Q. Is there anything I can do to make my eyes look bigger and brighter?

A. Yes! Make sure to curl your eyelashes, wear one or two coats of dark mascara. One helpful tip is to line the inside of your lower lid with a white pencil to make eyes look both bigger and brighter.

Q. How do I keep my Lipstick from bleeding?

A. Lipsticks and other lip make up do have a tendency to bleed, accentuating any wrinkles you may have around your mouth. A tip to prevent this: apply make up foundation over your lips before applying lip make up. Then line the lips with a Lip Liner, and fill in with Lipstick. Make sure to blot when done and dust lightly with a translucent Face Powder to set the look.

Q. How can I make my Lipstick last longer?

A. To make lip color last longer, try using a Lip Liner to color your whole lips. You can either use the Lip Liner as the lip color on its own, or apply Lipstick on top. Dusting your lips with translucent Face Powder will also help to set the color.

Q. What can I do for dark circles?

A. Use a yellow-toned concealer make up under the eyes to cancel out the blue undertones that cause dark circles. After blending, apply your regular foundation as usual.

Q. How can I minimize a feature I don't like?

A. There's a lot of talk about using make up to contour or make shadows to minimize a too prominent feature, such as a nose. This works fairly well in photographs, but not so well in real life. The best tip is to maximize and accentuate your other features to draw attention away from the feature you don't like.

Q. How long does make up last? Does it spoil?

A. Make up does spoil. To avoid bacteria growth and contamination, never share your make up, especially eye make up, replace liquids (like mascaras and Eye Liners) every 3 months, and replace powders (like eye shadows and Blush) every six months to 1 year.

Make Up As Art

Make up artists, performers and many others consider make up as a form of art. Although some make up artists weren't professionally trained at Make Up Schools, many of today's professionals in the film, TV and fashion world are schooled at professional Make Up Schools, where they can learn traditional make up artistry as well as special effects or SPFX Make Up artistry. The Famous Make Up Artists outlined here have gone on to reach greatness in the art of make up.