purnimacollections
I m always dumbfounded by women who're able to transform themselves into entirely new people with a little (or, more appropriately, a lot) of makeup. More specifically, over the years
young Asian women who’ve managed to alter every aspect of their faces, from the shape of their eyes to the color of their complexion, just with makeup—so much so, there's hardly an ounce of who they are naturally beneath the black liner and liquid foundation. And it seems they do it all in the name of being more “beautiful.” But who's to say what beauty is? Is not looking like yourself beautiful?
I learned these tricks—none of which require fake lashes, gel liner, and skin glue:
Tip 1: Don’t default to black liner. Many women, regardless of their skin tone and hair color, believe a black eye is perfectly acceptable—not to mention sultry and "mysterious" even. I used to be guilty of this, though, as my friends even called me the raccoon in high school. But over the years, I’ve come to realize that black liner can, in fact, be too harsh for most women. If not applied judiciously and strategically, it can make your eyes appear smaller, and you could end up looking ghoulish. Yikes.
Tip 2: "Tightline" your top lash lines with brown. Tightlining is one of the easiest ways to make your eyes appear naturally bigger. For this, you'll have to draw beneath your lash line along that sensitive, fleshy part of your lid that you’re probably terrified of touching. But with enough practice, it'll become second nature. And with tightlining, I've found that you only need to bother with your top lash line, since some of the residue from the liner will imprint on your lower lash line (from all that blinking we humans do), giving you a more natural look – as opposed to what it would be if you were to draw it on yourself. And of course, staying true to my aversion to black liner, pick a brown hue instead. If you have a tanner complexion, try a chocolate color. If you’re a bit fairer, try a taupe.
Tip 3: Enhance your eyes with neutral shadows. Learn to love the colors already on your face and play them up with complementary shadows. You should definitely try the Naked and Naked2 palettes by Urban Decay—their assortment of 12 neutral shades are great for making you look good without having to try too hard. A wash of one color does wonders, but you can use two to get that “sultry” eye other women attempt with layers of black liner. Here's how: Using a shadow brush, apply a dark bronze shadow to the outer corners of your eyes (just beneath the brow bones). Next, take a shimmery ivory or pearl and sweep it across your lids from the inner corners outward. This has a brightening effect that balances out the bronze. Combined, the two shades add dimension that makes your eyes pop, without looking too dramatic or too contrived.
Tip 4: Skip the fake lashes and curl instead. If long lashes aren't part of your genetic code, chances are you’ll end up looking nothing like yourself if you try to fashion the look with falsies—and where’s the good in that? As someone who wasn't blessed with the longest, fullest fringe, I like to keep it simple. My trick? Use a curler and clamp it down tight right at the lash line to give your lashes an almost-perfect fan shape. If you want to add a bit more length, clamp the curler again at the tip of your lashes; that’ll give them a bit more lift, making your eyes instantly bigger and brighter—in a natural way.
Tip 5: Use mascara sparingly. Mascara can be a must or a bust if not applied properly. For the best results that look natural and not clumpy, start with the wand at the lash line and wriggle it at the base first and then sweep it upward. Also, try applying mascara to your bottom lashes so as to open your eyes up even more, but do this with extreme caution. You don't want to end up looking like a 1960s go-go dancer. If your lashes aren’t black like mine, try a brown mascara. This tip goes along with my eyeliner philosophy: Use colors that mimic the hues that appear naturally in your hair and skin.
Tip 6: Experiment. I’ve learned most of my makeup routine from trial and error, and I encourage you to do the same! Only you know what’s best for you, so take the time to play around with different colors and techniques. Just remember, less is more.
purnimacollections
0 comments: