If a women feels confident about the way she looks, everything else seems more rosy and achievable.
With body image at the forefront of today’s media-dominated world, it’s no surprise that a woman’s perception of how she looks affects how she feels about other aspects of her life, says international makeup artist Jemma Kidd.
Many women make the mistake of using makeup as a mask to hide behind, yet once you understand makeup and know how it works, you can easily learn how to bring out the best in your features to reveal your natural beauty.
Makeup shouldn’t be intimidating. There are no rules, just guidelines and techniques. Here are some tips on how to look beautiful every day.
Neutral shades of beige and brown have their place, but with all the juicy colors available, you don’t want to play it so safe that you stick to just one palette.
* Use no more than two or three hues.
* Create a neutral eye with a pale shade under the brow bone and a mid color on the lid blended to just above the socket. Try a bright shade along the lash line.
* Apply a wash of color — pastels and juicy shades work well — over the whole lid, blending a little way out and over the socket line at the outer corners.
* To combat under eye circles, dab a tiny amount of creamy, white eye shadow in the inner corners of the eyelids, top and bottom. If your skin is dark, use a light-brown shade. Blend well, then apply a concealer on top and around the eyes.
* If you have thin or sparse eyelashes, use an eyeliner to fill in any gaps between the lashes and lightly dust them with powder in between coats of mascara to add volume. If you are prone to smudging mascara on your eyelids, use a drop of foundation on a Q-tip to remove it.
* Use a flesh-toned eyeliner on the inner rim of the eyes to make eyes appear wider and fresher and to neutralize any redness. Pale eyeliner inside the eye creates a more open-eye effect, while dark eyeliner inside the eye creates a more elongated focus to the width of the eye.
* As we mature, brown mascara and eyeliner is more flattering than black. Gel and liquid liners can look harsh, but damp eyes shadow used as an eyeliner will flow better over fine lines.
“Jemma Kidd Make-up Masterclass” (St. Martin’s Press, $24.99)
A new lip color is the cheapest, quickest way to update your makeup wardrobe. Buy the hottest new shade to feel on top of your game. Then use those luscious lips to speak your mind and heart.
* If you want to play with nude lip colors — a la Brigitte Bardot — make sure they contain a little hint of color. Otherwise, you’ll look sickly, not sizzling. For light skin, choose a peach or pink nudes; medium skin, choose tawny pink beiges; dark skin, go for caramels or mochas.
* To get smooth lips, buff them with a toothbrush dipped in a little water and white sugar. Don’t rub too hard. Always follow with a light balm.
“Crazy Busy Beautiful” by Carmindy on TLC’s “What Not to Wear” (Harper Collins, $12.99)
You cannot escape the signs of aging skin and loss of elasticity as you grow older, but it is possible to adapt your daily beauty regime to stay younger looking longer. Here’s how:
Cleanse: Cleansers come as creams, lotions, and wash-off formulas. Generally, if your skin is still fairly oily, you may prefer to us a wash-off cleanser, moving on to a lotion or cream cleanser as your skin becomes drier.
Tone: Always use a suitable toner for your skin type to ensure that all traces of your cleanser are removed. Any residue of the day’s grime and makeup left on your face could cause blemishes and enlarged pores. Avoid astringents, which have and alcohol base that will dry the skin.
Moisturize: Moisturizers are designed to protect the skin from loss of natural moisture in the skin cells. You need to apply moisturizer every morning after cleansing and toning — even if you do not wear makeup — and don’t forget your neck. Many moisturizers contain a sun protection factor, of SPF, but the majority do not give adequate protection. Experts say that the minimum SPF should be 30, whether you wear a foundation over it or not.
Nourish: Nourishing creams penetrate into deeper layers of the skin and help plump out the skin cells. Those of you in your 50s and 60s and beyond will need to use a richer nourishing cream as your skin dries and thins. Also, the addition of serums and balms will help improve your appearance and the visible signs of aging.
“Color Me Younger. How to Look Younger and Feel Great” by Veronique Henderson and Pat Henshaw (Hamlyn/An Imprint of Octopus Books USA, $17.99)
* Don’t schedule a facial, chemical peel, or microdermabrasion the same day as a big event. Give yourself at least a week to allow for any irritation to go away.
* Gentle exfoliation can help dry skin hold on to moisture. Never use a loofah on your face; lose the facecloth, too. Use your own hands to wash your face.
* Avoid harsh soaps. Squeaky clean often means dryness. Go for a mild, hydrating cleanser that leaves behind a layer of lipids even after you rinse. Wash just enough to remove makeup and dirt. Don’t leave the bathroom with tight-feeling skin.
* Give products up to six months to work and show results.
“The Mind-Beauty Connection, Nine Days to Reverse Stress Aging and Reveal More Youthful, Beautiful Skin” by Dr. Amy Wechsler (Free Press, $26)
The French say, “If a woman is in a bad mood, she should wash her hair.” Our hair does more than frame our beautiful faces. When we feel good about our hair we feel good about almost everything. For healthy hair, think twice about how often you shampoo.
Dry hair: Tends to have split ends and grows slowly. After washing, it’s not easy to style. If you have dry hair you should shampoo only once a week.
Normal hair: Has beautiful shine and elasticity. It’s easy to calm and maintain in any kind of weather. Shampoo every two or three days. Follow with a rinse and conditioner.
Oily hair: Shinier than the other two types. Usually you can go only two or three days without washing it, or it looks as if you’ve slicked it down with oil. To maintain a healthy look, oily hair must be washed every two to three days.
“Return to Beauty: Old World Wisdom and Recipes for Great Skin” by Narine Nikogosian (Atria, $25)
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