Using Make-Up to Highlight Your Favorable Features

Make-up can give your face a smooth finish, protect the skin, conceal flaws and blemishes and add expression and color.

Choose the best make-up for YOU, never borrow someone else's cosmetics. If you have dry skin, use an oil or cream base foundation. For an oily skin choose a water based or oil free foundation.

Before buying a foundation cream, test the shade by dabbing a little on your face and neck, in natural daylight if possible, or on the inside of your wrist. The right shade will almost disappear as it blends with your skin. If you use a concealer to hide blemishes choose one that is slightly lighter than the foundation.

Cheek color, or blusher, need not match your lipstick exactly but should be in the same color range. An orange pink cheek color, for example, should not be used with a bluish-pink lipstick. A powder blusher is best for oily skin and a cream rouge for a dry skin.

Preparing your skin Before applying cosmetics, wash your hands, pin back your hair and clean your face and neck with cleansing cream or a cleansing lotion. Then tone, using a proprietary toner or rosewater diluted with distilled water - 1 part to 3 parts. Dab small spots or pimples with cotton wool balls dipped in witch hazel or another astringent lotion. Blot the skin dry using a soft tissue.

Next apply a moisturizer. Use a concealer stick or cream cover to cover blemishes and blend it with the surrounding skin. Use the concealer to minimize any dark circles there may be under your eyes. Pat it in gently with fingertips on the delicate skin around the eyes.

Applying foundation and powder To give your face an even color, smooth on a little foundation cream with your fingers or use a slightly damp sponge. Apply it with upward and outward strokes to avoid dragging the skin down. Blend the foundation up to your hairline and down to just under your jaw.

Powder type blusher and eye shadow work best if you powder your face first. If you use a cream based rouge and eye shadow, apply them first and powder afterwards. Apply loose, translucent powder with a powder brush. Use a powder puff or cotton wool for pressed powder, brushing off any excess with a large, soft powder brush.