Makeup Artist tricks

Making up my sister for her birthday party;photo courtesy of Kurt Gonsalves, KMG Design

I had a recent opportunity to work a charity fashion show event this past week. It was fast paced and a lot of fun. Granted it was by no means runway work but you do have to be fast and able to transition from one client to the next. This means having plenty of clean brushes, and multiple products on hand for every skin tone shade and skin type. It can be challenging to address the client in the chair in a matter of minutes but it's the part I love the most. The clean slate that lies before me is like a canvas to an artist.

Some of the tricks and tips I use when making up a face are ones I have learned from other artists and some I have created along the way. As Plato said.."Necessity is the mother of invention." 

Foundation woes...Blend multiple foundations together for the perfect match. If you have a couple of shades that work well with your complexion but just aren't perfect on their own then blend to get your true match. Some foundations have more yellow undertones or pink undertones. Blend a couple and test it on your jawline to find your perfect fit. You can blend using a painters palette or on the back of your hand. When you pat in makeup with your fingers the oils in your skin help to set the make up. I often use the back of my hand to mix eye shadow shades or to remove some from my brush. When applying dark shadows either place a tissue under the eye to catch the fallout or add some translucent powder under the eye. It can be brushed away with a face brush once the eye makeup is complete.

Lip gloss or lipstick is the right hue but too strong... You can apply the shade you like lightly and apply a clear gloss over it to set. Or you can mix a neutral shade with the color to tone it down. I have also been applying pigments over gloss shades to add a shimmer dimension. Or you can just line and fill your lips in with a lip pencil. Add clear or tinted gloss and your lip color is complete.

Cream eyeshadows make a wonderful base... You can use them alone for a quick look or add powder shadow and enhance the look in a more multi dimensional way.  Also MAC Cosmetics makes an amazing clear gloss coat that can be applied to bare or made up skin. This can be applied to the eyes without stickiness to give your shadow a wet or patent like shine. Works great with smokey eyes! I love using large palettes and blending and mixing depending on tones. Such as cool and warm. The result is muti tonal and it adds depth to the eye area.

Highlight & Contrast... Highlighting with pigments or creams is a great way to bring parts of the face forward or back. Back by minimizing them such as contouring the jawline and nose or highlighting by bringing the cheekbones forward. The play with light and dark really adds depth to your look and can slim your face and add interest.

Most importantly...Keeping brushes clean. I always always always wash all my brushes before any session. For stubborn dark shadows and liners on brushes use a little olive oil to break down the product. Pour the oil on a paper towel and swirl the brush around. Then follow with dish detergent and warm water. Make sure you do not get the brush handles wet as they can corrode and separate over time. Lay the brushes flat to dry and once dry you can squirt the handles with Rubbing Alcohol. If I need to do a quick clean in between I use Sephora's anti bacterial brush cleaning spray and 91% rubbing alcohol. I hope you have enjoyed these tips and trick and I have more to share.