Basic Day Makeup

Something smells like Christmas today! I hope you’re enjoying the holidays. Anyway, a lot of readers have been asking me how to do basic makeup so I made this video to help them along. If you have more requests or feedback, please do email me or leave a comment.

Pre-Foundation

Good skin precedes good makeup. Make sure that your face is properly cleansed. Use a toner that has no alcohol and then pat on a moisturizer with SPF. You should try using tinted moisturizer since it acts as a primer, making your makeup last longer. 

Foundation

For beginners, I suggest using powder foundation. It’s fool-proof, convenient and (for my oily skin) is the best foundation type. Blend the foundation all over your face in downward strokes. Pat a little on your eyebags to serve as base for concealer. I used the Shiseido Supplist in this video.

Concealer

Dot concealer on problem areas first and then blend using your ring finger. The ring finger is the weakest so using it to blend out concealer means that you won’t be able to exert too much force. Use a concealer shade that is close to your skin tone or at least one shade lighter. For eyebags, yellow or salmon concealer is best since these shades cancel out their purplish undertone.

More application tips after the jump!

Finishing Powder

This is optional, but I highly recommend it. It will set your concealer, control oilies, even out your skin, improve your skin’s texture and (if it has subtle shimmers) give a nice glow. I prefer mineral finishing powders because of the light, translucent effect. Buff it in with a kabuki or powder brush.

Eyebrows

Well-shaped eyebrows can do so much for your face! This is an important step in my routine. I use the In2It eyebrow kit. Apply the powder with an angled brush from the tip of your brows closest to the nose, then blend out. I have a detailed tutorial here.

Eyeshadows

You don’t really need to stress yourself out with complex eyeshadow application techniques. If your goal is to simply emphasize and prettify your eyes, two eyeshadow shades will do: a shimmery champagne and a dark brown. The shimmery champagne serves as base so apply it all over your lid and browbone. The dark brown serves to darken your lid and crease, to make your eyes look deeper. If you want something smokier but still wearable, I made a simple smoky eye tutorial here.

Eyeliner

Invest in a good, long-lasting pencil eyeliner. This is the easiest to use out of all eyeliner types. Start by lining your eyes from the middle, going out. Then start again from your tear duct moving to the middle of your lid.

Mascara

Curl your lashes then apply mascara. Place the mascara wand on the base of your eye then comb up. Pro tip: focus on the base of your lashes instead of the tips. Your curl will last longer and the mascara won’t clump too much. Two coats should be enough to give you dazzling lashes!

Blush

Smile and pat the brush, moving towards your hairline. Start with a little blush first, then layer on if you want it to look more vibrant. 

Lips

Lip balm is indispensable. Balms moisturize your lips and serve as base for lipstick or gloss. Make sure to get one with SPF! It will protect your sensitive lips from sun damage and keep it from darkening. Pick a lipstick/gloss that flatters your skin tone. For starters, a lip color that’s close to your own lip color is always flattering, as well as peachy pinks (especially for Asian skin).

PS, the eyeliner is so messy right? I haven’t sharpened my Urban Decay pencil yet so it was kind of hard to get a nice line. Moving on. I plan to post about suggested makeup brands soon, for anyone who’s wondering what to get for their basic makeup kit.

Stay tuned!