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This section is dedicated to the selection and aquisition of make-up and beauty products for CDs. If you're looking for application tips, check out my articles

Let's face it, the cosmetics aisles are so big and confusing that if you don't know what you're doing, you'll never find what you need. And most CDs don't like to spend more time browsing the make-up counters than they have to.

FOUNDATION

This skin colored substance comes in liquid, powders and concealer sticks used to make the skin appear smooth and to cover imperfections.

TYPES and TECHNIQUES

Stick foundation -Glide on the foundation straight from the stick; blend with fingertips or a dry, clean makeup sponge.

Liquid foundation - Shake bottle well. Dot on, then blend with your fingertips; oils from your fingertips will help spread the foundation evenly.

Powder foundation - Apply with a dry sponge; wet sponges can streak.

Concealers come in sticks, pots, cremes, and pencils. Any type will do. It's okay to use your fingertips to apply. Just make sure you dab or pat it on -- never wipe or rub. For the most covert application, use a concealer brush. It helps you to be subtle and precise, especially when you're working on small areas like blemishes. Even when you're blemish-free, there are places where concealer works miracles: under the eyes to cover dark circles, on the outer corners of the eyes (where it's often reddish or dark), around the nostrils, and in the dark bluish spots where each eye meets the bridge of the nose. A dot on either side keeps the eyes looking brighter.

Basically, concealer is a slightly heavier version of foundation. If you're using concealer with foundation, go with a color that's one shade lighter than the foundation. These two products work in tandem to bring your face to one tone.

Apply concealer first, to cover dark spots or blemishes, then go over the concealed areas with foundation. If the spots are still dark, you can go back and apply more concealer on top of the foundation.

If you're using just concealer without foundation over it, make sure the concealer matches your skin tone. This can be tricky, since it's offered in far fewer shades than foundation. If the color's too light, you'll actually draw more attention to the problem you're covering. But if you get a great match, you can get by with spot concealer and nothing else on the face -- even with blemishes.

Sometimes foundation alone can take the place of concealer; although it's a lighter formula, you can use it in the same areas and it often does the trick. It's really your choice: foundation alone, concealer alone, or a combination of the two.

The objective of foundation is to smooth and blend skin tone and color differences to a natural healthy look of natural skin. If it looks like a mask, or feels that way, then too much has been applied. If you see no difference, you have applied too little.

Application for taking photos differs from preparing for a normal day out. Using a thicker application can reduce the appearance of stubble and blemishes without looking unnatural in a photograph or movie. Applying more than one coat or using concealer on the entire face will give you this thicker coverage.

All foundation will blend more easily if the skin is hydrated, so use a face friendly lotion before applying if your skin is dry. It also helps to apply a thin base coat immediately after showering. Allow the base coat to dry before applying the rest of your makeup.

* Apply foundation in center of forehead; blend across, then down.
* For cheeks, blend in toward nose, then out toward hairline.
* Dot foundation on tip of nose; blend with upward, then outward strokes.
* On your chin, blend foundation across, then up.

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COLOR

Color can be tricky. Most people tend to mistakenly buy foundation that is a shade too light for them. It will make you look washed out, won’t match your neck and chest, and will not cover as well. Matching color is important for a natural and smooth look. Notice what tones show in your skin – red/yellow/pink/brown/even blue. The best place to test match your skin tone is on the chin and lower jaw area. Expect that the foundation chosen in mid-summer may be too dark in mid-winter. Without actually testing colors in the store, the best thing to do is look at the following color swatches, find a color that you think matches your skin tone, and buy a foundation that is a shade darker. Be aware that the names for the colors will differ between brands, but they are all generally the same.

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EYES

EYE SHADOW

The skin on eyelids is naturally darker than the skin on the rest of your face. Apply a layer of bone-colored shadow over lids to even their tone.

To identify colors that work for you, use your hair as a guide. Blondes look good in creams and taupes, while mochas and chocolate browns flatter brunettes. If you are auburn or redhead, go with coppers, peaches, and reddish browns or cool tones like pink and lavenders. Gray hair is gorgeous with grays, soft purples, and blues.

If your eyes are blue, try brown and rose. Warm shades contrast the coolness of blue eyes, making them stand out. Apply from lashlines to creases and top with black mascara.

If your eyes are brown, try green and gold. Both shades will pick up the colored flecks found in brown eyes. Choose a slightly shimmery texture, and apply from lashlines to browbones, blending well.

If your eyes are green, try lavender and mocha. Purple shades contrast your color, making eyes look dramatic; warmer shades of mocha complement green, giving a natural effect. Wear mocha for day, lavender for night, and top both with brown mascara.

If your eyes are hazel, try deep green and pale yellow. Depending on your mood, choose a shade that matches different flecks in your eyes. For a twist, apply shadow, then line eyes with the same color using a liner brush dipped in water.

Anyone-Can-Wear-'Em Shades: charcoal, chocolate, black. (Tip: Since they can look heavy on the lid, use these colors as liners to complement any shadow hue.)

For complete simplicity, dust the entire eyelid with a wash of one color. Cream eye shadows are great for this look -- light to medium tones work best. Add mascara and brown pencil as needed. Begin with the lightest color first. Dust a light tone over the entire eyelid with a medium eye shadow brush using the following technique: hold your brush very lightly and go from the lashline to slightly beyond the crease (where the eyelid meets the browbone). Glide up to the browbone and the brush will naturally lift off your face -- just where you want to color to end.

Then dust a medium shade in the creaseline (something with a bit more depth than what went on the eyelid), using a small to medium shadow brush. Extend slightly beyond the crease, up toward the browbone. This adds depth to the eyes. And by going slightly beyond the crease, you can create a contour that's visible even when your eyes are wide open.

You can stop here. But if you want more drama, place a medium to deep tone on the upper lashline, using an angled eye shadow or eyeliner brush. And keep this line soft and smudged. Still more drama? Brush more of this color under the lower lashline -- apply with the smudge brush in mini downward strokes (don't brush across -- that creates too strong a line).

For definition of eye shape, dust a light to medium tone over the entire eyelid at the lashline, apply a darker tone with an eyeliner brush to create a smudged, dramatic line.

When eye color is complete (you shouldn't be able to see where any of the colors begin or end) use a large eye shadow brush and dust the entire eye area with loose powder to help set and blend. Add mascara and brow pencil, as needed.

Deep Set - Dust entire eyelid with a light, pale, tone to bring the eyes forward. You can intensify color along the upper lashline with a medium tone, but it's best not to darken the crease.

Narrow Set - Keep the application on the outer edges of the eyes, extending slightly beyond the outer corners.

Wide Set - Begin the application at the inner corners of the eyes. Try to avoid going past the outer corners.

Protruding - Choose tones with warmth and depth to make the eyes recede. Dust a medium tone over the entire eyelid. You can also add a deeper tone in the crease or at the lashlines.

Small - Use shimmery tones to bring light to the eyes. Avoid black at all costs -- it confines the eyes and looks too severe.

Large - You can experiment with deep, warm tones. Keep mascara soft.

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EYE LINER

To apply pencil liner precisely, gently pull the outer corner of your eye so your lashes make a straight line. Angle the tip of the pencil toward your lashes and lightly draw from inner to outer corner.

For deep-set eyes: Keep the line very thin; use subtle lines under the eyes and
smudge.

For small eyes: Use a pale highlighter pencil at the inner and outer corners.

For droopy eyes: Widen the lines toward the outer eye and blend slightly upward; skip lining the lower lid.

For big or heavy lids: Keep the line more intense; at the outer corners, opt for a broader line.

For round eyes: Define the outer corners to elongate.

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LIPS

When using a lip pencil for shape and definition, start at the middle of the top lip. If you want to create a slightly fuller effect, this is the only place to do it. Otherwise, you should always follow your own lip line for the most natural effect.

Fat pencils have a soft formula that makes them the perfect choice for fast full-lip coverage. Penciling in the entire lip area with a rosy-brown shade is a good strategy for CDs with thin or pale lips because it lets you define the mouth without wearing a lot of color.

Used as an under-layer for lipstick, a lip pencil not only acts as a base to hold color longer, it also can transform your lipstick shade, making it browner, deeper or plummier, depending on the color of the pencil.

If you are not fortunate to have full lips, wear the lightest, frostiest lipsticks you can find. They will cause your lips to look fuller.

Red-Pink: makes the color seem warmer, but harder and deeper as well. Can also bring out all the red tones in your skin as well so be careful!

Yellow – orange makes the color warmer, and softer. Looks great on warm skin tones, but if you're really pale, can bring out the green/blue undertones in your skin. To be on the safe side, go towards the yellow side, rather than the range. Too much orange can make skin look gray and sluggish.

Green – blue is a way to make a lipstick more dramatic - deeper. Try to stay clear of these if possible, they can make you look like you're standing under fluorescent lighting.
Silver – gray adds shimmer, softness, depth, Easy to spot in those light shimmer lipsticks that are so popular now. Adds light and softness to the lipstick, just make sure that it's not too much on the blue/gray side. Can make under eye circles stand out.
Green Huh? Green? Yep, sometimes. The trendy colors have them, and it's usually paired with a yellow tone as well. You'll look cool and hip, but you'll also feel as if you need more color on your face.

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