Furless Makeup Tips and Tricks:

Have you ever wondered how to go about creating a certain makeup look? Or thought "what on earth is THAT brush for?" Well we have put together a Furless Guide to Makeup Application to help you discover the answers to some of those questions.

First, we don't believe in hard and fast makeup rules - too many rules stifle creativity. If you want to use a mascara brush to apply your lipstick, go right ahead! Once you know the basic rules, please break them!

Makeup is best applied to clean skin. Before you start creating your look, wash your face, and, if needed, moisturise to get rid of any dryness. If you have oily skin, then skip the moisturiser.

Make sure all your moisturiser has been absorbed before you start your makeup - especially if you are going to start by dusting your face and neck with powder - this helps to avoid streaking and dragging makeup over your skin.

Always apply liquids first to the skin, then your powders - putting a liquid over a powder creates an uneven application, and the colour tends to clump together.

SHADING:

Shading can create some amazing results if you know what to do. Taking some basic colour theory, we know that darker colours absorb light, and make the subject recede. With this in mind, we can lessen the look of a double chin, accentuate your six pack, or make a big forehead look smaller.

Shading can be achieved with many types of makeup brushes. For creating hollow cheek bones, use a pointed blush brush, or an angled shading brush. Start in the middle of your cheek, and sweep up towards your hairline, following the contours of your face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To create the appearance of a thinner nose, apply a matte brown eyeshadow or cream to the side of your nose and blend well. To help make this look more natural, apply your foundation or powder over the top of your shading - remember to apply powders over liquids and creams. You can use a foundation brush, an eyeshadow brush or a blending brush to achieve this look.

Using a bronzer, a matte eyeshadow, or blush, run your powder brush through the contours of your abs to accentuate them, and create more depth. You can also choose to use a kabuki brush, a blush brush, or a blending brush - experiment with different brushes and colours to find your perfect match.

 

Try using an angled shading brush or a blush brush on a larger forehead. Remember to shade and blend well into the hairline - If you use bronzer, this can be done whilst applying your bronzer to keep a more natural feel to your shading.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using one of your blush or shading brushes, apply your bronzer or shadow to your double chin area, remembering to blend well into the neck to avoid any obvious lines. If you are going to be photographed, then you can afford to be heavy handed with your shading - for everyday wear, less is more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HIGHLIGHTING:

Highlighting can be a lot of fun! White and light colours reflect light and make the subject advance (come forward). So when you apply a lighter shade to an area of your face or body, you are making it appear bigger than what it really is.

 

 

Try using your eyeshadow brush to apply some white shimmer eyeshadow to your cheekbones, just under your eye. Or, use a smaller eyeshadow brush and highlight your brow bone (just under the corner of your eyebrow) with a matte cream or a shimmer eyeshadow that matches your look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just like shading, highlighting can help create the illusion of size and shape. Using a foundation brush, or a small powder brush, run your highlighter over your collar bones to "bring them forward". You can also apply the same effect to your shoulders by using a kabuki brush, or a large powder brush.

 

 

 

The possibilities are endless with highlighting and shading. If you have a weak chin, use a small powder brush, or an angled brush to add some cream or shimmer eyeshadow. If you have a small or flat nose and you want to make it look bigger, apply some matte cream eyeshadow with a foundation or eyeshadow brush, about one shade lighter than your foundation, to create a larger or wider looking nose.

 

 

 

 

FOUNDATION:

Foundation is the base to most makeup looks. It evens out skin tones, and creates a base for other colours to be applied to evenly. Using a foundation brush to apply your foundation has the advantage of better hygiene than using your fingers. Your fingers are the dirtiest part of your body, if you have acne-prone skin, using your fingers can cause spots.

Start with a small amount of foundation on your brush in the middle of the face and blend outwards in small strokes. Continue applying and blending with your brush till you reach your hairline and neck - blend into the neck to avoid the ‘mask' look. Use a concealer brush, or an eyeshadow brush to get into those hard to reach places, and blend well.

If you know you are going to be photographed be sure to apply your foundation evenly over your whole face - not just the areas you think need evening out, as the camera tends to show an uneven application as light and dark patches. For underwater photography, make sure you use an oil based cream foundation - this ensures your foundation stays put during the shoot.

 

CONCEALER:

When using a concealer brush to hide dark circles under the eyes, apply a small amount in one corner closest to your nose, follow the line of the dark circle and blend outwards. If you have smile lines or crows feet on the outer edges of your eye, try to keep these areas free of heavy makeup as it will tend to sit in these lines and emphasise them!

Concealer brushes can become breeding grounds for bacteria if not kept clean. The best way to avoid this it to remove a small amount of concealer onto the back of your hand - squeeze it out, or use the other end of your brush. This way you are not cross contaminating from pimple, to brush, to concealer.

Pick up a small amount of concealer with the tip of your brush off the back of your hand, and lightly dab over the area you want to conceal. Try to avoid covering the skin around the problem spot - lightening this area will make your spot stand out!

When choosing a concealer for your pimples, try and find one that is thick in consistency - they tend to stay where you put them!

Choose a concealer that is about one to two shades lighter than your foundation or skin tone. Colour correctors are a great way to counteract redness and other discolouration due to rosacea, spider veins and birthmarks. Generally, the opposite colour on the colour wheel is going to counteract your problem area the best - so if you have redness, use a green corrector, and so on.

 

POWDER:

Powder can be used over your foundation, or on its own. Take a large powder brush and apply your colour in a circular motion, remembering to do your neck and behind your ears. Using powder is a great way to control shine and to keep your look soft and natural. Applying too many layers over wrinkles will accentuate them, so try and keep your application light and even.

You can also use powder over your body - take a powder brush or a kabuki, and bronze your arms and legs. Matte bronzers are a great way to get some colour without the shine.

 

LOOSE MINERAL MAKEUP:

Kabuki brushes have been specifically designed to be used with loose powders like mineral makeup. Mineral makeup has become extremely popular due to its ability to reflect light, its natural sunscreen and "natural" ingredients. Mineral foundation can be very heavy and give maximum coverage, or it can be light and soft, depending on the ingredients used.

The best way to apply a mineral foundation or veil is to do it in layers. Start with a light application to see if you need more coverage. It is easier to add more powder than it is to take it away!

Kabuki brushes and large powder brushes are great for applying loose powders - tap a small amount into the lid of your jar, swirl your brush through the powder and tap off the excess. Apply your powder in a circular motion, in layers, until you get the desired coverage. You can also use a buffer brush to buff your minerals into your skin for maximum staying power.

 

CHEEKS:
Applying blush to your cheeks can dramatically change your look. To apply blush to the apples of your cheek, smile to find the chubby soft area of your face, and blend your blush in a circular motion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To create more depth in your cheek, use a pointed blush brush, an angled contour brush, or a small blush brush to follow the angles and contours of your cheek. Start in the middle of your face and blend up and out into the hairline, remembering to apply in layers to avoid looking like a clown!

 

EYESHADOW:

This is where you can really get creative! There are endless possibilities when it comes to making up your eyes - your imagination is the limit. Before applying any eye colour, make sure that you have powdered the area and there is no oil for your shadow to slip and slide around in.

 

For a basic eyeshadow look, take a large eyeshadow brush and sweep one colour over the entire lid and blend well into the crease of the eye. Now take a highlighter and pat your brush just under the arch of your brow to add more dimension to your simple look. There may have been some eyeshadow fallout under your eyes and on your cheeks, so take a fan brush and gently sweep the colour away.

 

 

 

 

 

There are a few ways to deal with fallout; one is to hold a fan brush under your eye to catch any eyeshadow during application, and the other is to apply loose powder under the eye that can be swept off the face with a fan or powder brush once you have finished applying.

 

 

 

For that sexy smoky eye look, start with lining the upper and lower lids of your eye with eyeliner, blending well with a small liner brush. Now take a crease brush or an eyeshadow brush and follow the crease of your eyelid, then create a little wing at the outer corners of your eyes - this can be rounded or pointy. Now apply a light layer of eyeshadow on the upper and lower lash line - keep blending and applying till you are happy with how it looks. You should now have a fabulous looking, well blended outline that needs to be filled in for the smoky effect.

 

 

 

 

To add more definition and interest, you can take a lighter shade of eyeshadow and fill in your upper lid using a larger eyeshadow brush, sweep any excess off your face with a fan brush - now you are ready to hit the town!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wings are a great way of creating a dramatic look, or creating the illusion of wide set eyes for women whose eyes are closer together. Use an eyeshadow brush and blend your shadow upwards and out to create a winged effect, adding colour and blending as you go - you may want to use an angled liner brush to create straight lines. To soften the edges, take a blending brush and blend your colour till the edge disappears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foiling is a technique where your eyeshadow or eyeliner is applied wet. Metallics and shimmers love to be foiled - they create a more intense colour and last longer than a dry application. Foiling is also a wonderful way to save on eyeliner - mix a small amount of eyeshadow with your liner brush and apply like you would an eyeliner pencil.

Never dip a wet makeup brush into your makeup - bacteria can only grow in a moist environment, so keep your powders dry, and mix your colours in the lid, or on a mixing palette.

For women with small eyes or a small upper lid, using a lighter shadow colour or a shimmer will make the area appear bigger, and opens up the eye. Mature women should avoid shimmers and metallics as these tend to sit in the wrinkles around the eye area - shimmer shows all flaws!

Whilst creating your eyeshadow masterpiece, remember to check to see if your eyes are matching. You don't want to end up with wonky looking eyes, or one heavily applied and the other not so much.

Using complementary colours when applying eyeshadow can really help to create a beautiful contrast between eye colour and pigment. Using the opposite colour to your eyes on the colour wheel is an easy way of choosing eyeshadow colours - if you have blue eyes, browns and golds really make your eyes pop!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MASCARA:

Mascara is usually the finishing touch to your makeup look, helping to define and frame the eye. Adding lashings of mascara can make a good makeup application look great! Experiment with different colours or some false lashes as an alternative to black lashes, or apply clear mascara for a more natural look.

Don't pump the wand in and out of the tube! This forces air into the tube and shortens the life of your makeup - twist the wand in and out instead.

Take your mascara brush loaded with your chosen colour and wiggle your brush from side to side at the base of your lashes, then pull the brush through to the tips of your lashes - this creates a fuller more defined lash. Blinking whilst applying your mascara can help create a curled lash.

If your lashes point forward or are short, you may choose to curl your lashes with an eyelash curler before applying your mascara - this helps to make your eyes appear bigger and wider.

Applying your mascara in layers makes your lashes look more natural, and helps to avoid clumping - wait until the first layer is dry before applying the second and third layers.

To get rid of any clumps, run your lash groomer through your lashes - this also helps to separate any that have clumped together.
A mascara brush can also be used to tame your eyebrows, or to create effects on the skin.

EYELINER:

Using a precision brush to apply your eyeliner may take some practice! Creating a perfect line on one eye is the easy part, recreating that exact same line on the other eye is the deal maker. To get up close to the lash line, take a flat liner or an angled liner and apply with a steady hand.

 

Women with smaller eyes can create the illusion of larger eyes by applying white eyeliner to the inside rim of the lower lash. Another great trick is to draw your liner just below the lower lash line, helping to create "bigger eyes". Starting your liner in the middle of your eye - not the corner - also opens up the eye area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applying your eyeliner wet can save you a ton of money on eyeliner pencils! Using your chosen eyeshadow colour, take your precision liner brush and mix your eyeliner with a drop or two of water - the less water you use the more colour payoff you get. Wet applications last a lot longer than dry applications, and you can match your liner to your eyeshadow without thinking. Once you master the art of using an eyeliner brush, you won't be able to live without it!

 

EYEBROWS:

A brow and lash groomer has many functions; one of them is to brush your eyebrows into place. This can be done alone, or with a little bit of clear mascara or hair gel.

Another function to the brow groomer is to blend your eyebrow colour into the skin. After applying your eyebrow pencil or shadow to your brows, run the brush through your application till the colour looks natural.

You can also apply your brow colour with an angled liner brush, or a flat liner. The harder the bristles are, the more control you have over where your colour goes, and the thinner your lines will be.

 

LIPS:

Line your lips with a lip liner that is a close colour match to the lipstick you are going to apply. Starting with the cupids bow, slowly outline the shape of your lips, starting in the middle and working your way to the corners of your mouth.

 

If you want a fuller look, line just outside the edge of your lip. You may choose to fill your entire lip with lip liner before you apply your lipstick - it's up to you.

 

 

Now using your lip brush, apply your lipstick starting from the inside of your lip and working your way to the corners of your mouth. Some people swear by the tapered lip brush, others like a more blunted edge brush, or an angled liner brush to achieve their look.

 

 

 

 

At this point you may choose to apply another layer or another lipstick colour over the top, or blot your lips with a tissue, or apply some lip gloss to add some shine to your pout.

 

HYGEINE:

And last but not least... Clean your brushes regularly! Clean brushes = clean skin!

Wash your brushes at least once a fortnight with warm soapy water, or a tiny bit of shampoo until no more colour comes from the brush. If you are a professional makeup artist, we recommend you wash your brushes after every face you make up.

To download FREE Furless Makeup Design Templates click here.

 

To receive a personalised online skin-tone and makeup analysis by top makeup artist Debbie Jean click here.

Debbie's clients include the following international publications: Marie Claire, Men's Health, Glamour, Shape, Cosmopolitan/Cosmo Girl, GQ, La'Official and Grazia magazines.