The Wedding Season

Every bride deserves to be the very special lady of the day and look her best. And why not? Its the most important day of her life. The hairdo, the makeup, the bridal trousseau and how the bride conducts herself is the focus of everybody's attention on this day and you will certainly feel much more comfortable, if you have already done the dress rehearsal first.

Here are some useful tips for the bride:

• To cover the reddish skin, use sheer color corrector and apply tinted moisturizer of yellowish green or olive green shade to neutralize it.
• Pink color blush is not for the wedding day, generally speaking. Try bronzer under cheekbones instead.
• Bright lip colors may be warm such as orange-red, orange-gold, copper and warm beiges, creams and caramels or cool such as fuchsia, magenta, blue-reds, shades of lilac and pink and make lips look plusher and fuller.
• Deep warm lip colors such as yellowish and orangish browns; mahogany, deep warm reds and chocolate and deep cool shades such as cool brown, taupe, deep purple, plum and blue-toned burgundy underplay too much thickness of lips.
• The subtle look can be achieved by using the air-brush a lot and sticking to light shades such as cream, gold, lime green and brown for warm skin undertones and lilac, plums and soft pink for cool skin undertones.
• Neutrals are the safest choice to make you seem a bride endowed with natural beauty.
• Be sure to coordinate you overall look: all the colors should have either warm or cool tone while your hair, make-up, jewelry and gown should correspond to the carefully chosen theme.
• Hairstyle is usually chosen, after completing the makeup to suit the looks of the bride.
• If you are not used to wearing heavy makeup, keep your hands away from blue and green eye shadows.
• For olive and dusky skinned ladies, maroons and brown lip colors are the safest bet as well as the golden tones.
• Hairstyles are often adorned with pearls, rhinestones, flower buds, golden lace, satin ribbons, jeweled hair bands and tiaras among other hair ornaments and may range from the simplest French braid or bud to complex and elaborate hairdos.
• Bridal makeup includes all the attention to the minutest of details. Don't overlook them for the finished look.
• A timeless makeup look will keep your wedding snaps fresher forever, so try not to give in to the fads of the day.
• Foundation with a high pigment level is recommended. Though a high definition full coverage base would work wonders due to very heavy lights used during photography.
• Don't forget to cover your neck, chest, area behind your ears with foundation and makeup too.
• Morning weddings need natural look makeup while evening weddings need more formally adorned brides with darker makeup shades.
• Lighting also determines your makeup. A well-lit area uses lighter colors while deeper tones are good for darker areas. Fluorescent lighting will add a greenish tinge to everything so avoid green shades.
• Try not to be too dramatic but there is a secret seldom revealed: red lipstick makes teeth appear whiter!

Me in Action

Face Contouring Makeup Tips

How to contour your face with makeup

You can give your face a mini makeover without resorting to plastic surgery. With the right contouring makeup tricks, create the illusion of a slender nose, sleeker jawline and all-over slimmer face. Here's how...

How to contour your nose to make it look slimmer

To contour a wide nose to slimming effect, apply the darkest color to the outside of the bridge and keep the center lighter. You can use makeup to achieve a slimmer-looking nose by using two shades of foundation or one bronzer—simply sweep bronzer along the sides of the nose, leaving the front of the bridge bare.

How to contour your jawline to recede a double chin

To diminish a double chin, use this contouring makeup trick: sweep bronzer under your jawline to make the area appear to recede. As a general rule, light makeup colors highlight an area, calling attention to it and making it appear more prominent (good for brow bones and cheekbones). Dark shadows create the illusion of a shadow and make areas of the face appear to recede (good for droopy lids and puffy undereyes).

Prep & Prime

1

Its most important to Cleanse. Wash your face, with a formula designed for your skin type if possible. Examples include oil-free for skin that is oily or moisturizing for skin that is dry or more mature. If you are still wearing eye makeup from a previous application, be sure to remove it with an oil-free eye makeup remover solution prior to washing your face with cleanser so oil will not interfere with your new eye makeup.

2

Next Exfoliate. Use a product designated as a "scrub" to remove dead skin cells and flaky skin. Wet your face, rub the product all over your face and neck and rinse off. Thorough rinsing is an absolute must, so you may want to do this while you are showering.

3

Apply eye cream and sunscreen if necessary. The experts will tell you to apply sunscreen daily, and it has been shown to prevent skin cancer and premature aging, so it is extremely important. However, the truth is that even oil-free sunscreens can prevent your makeup from being as long-lasting as it might have been, and they often make skin look shiny or give it a white cast. If your skin is oily, you might want to skip the sunscreen and instead find an oil-free foundation that has sunscreen included, usually marked "SPF 15." If your skin is not oily, apply an oil-free sunscreen. And whether you are applying suscreen at this stage or not, you will still need to apply a moisturizing eye cream at this stage. This will help your undereye concealer go on smooth.

4

Apply foundation primer. Foundation primers used to be a high-end makeup product that could be difficult to locate and expensive. A lot of cosmetic companies like MAC, Kryolan are now offering primers that feel good on your skin, create a smooth surface, and prolong the life or your makeup application. Certain primers also claim to smooth fine lines. Apply a dime-sized amount of primer to the back of your hand and then apply to the face with your fingers. Start with your nose and the skin around your nose because this area tends to have the most pores and possibly some oversized pores that need to be filled in. Then work on your chin and forehead, and then your cheeks. Do not forget to apply a little to your neck.

5

Apply eyelid and lip primer if desired. Many brands are now starting to offer eyelid and lip primers, though they are not as easy to find as foundation primers. Some of the most popular are made by MAC Cosmetics. They can be found online or in major department stores. If you spend a lot of time on eye or lip makeup and you need this makeup to last into the evening or through the night, these products are worth the expense. Eyelid primer can conceal redness or blue tones around the eye and prevent eye makeup from creasing. Lip primers prevent lipstick, gloss, or pencil from "bleeding," or migrating away from the lip.

LASH UPPPPP

Mascara gives a finishing touch to your eye makeup, opens up your eyes. While applying mascara you must cover the lashes from roots to the tips. Deposit the color on the mascara wand by twirling it in the pack and then cover the upper lashes from their base to the tips in full strokes to make the lashes look thicker, longer, well defined and separated. Mascara is applied from the underside by holding the wand horizontally parallel to the eyelid and the brush is rolled slowly in the upward stroke. For lower lashes, one has to be more careful so as not to smudge the under eye area and the wand is to be held vertically and mascara is applied from side to side. Less mascara is used on the lower lashes and extra color should be blotted off using the tissue paper. It is best to use more than one coat of the mascara, which combs the lashes too so that they do not look stuck together.

Various colors of mascara such as brown, navy and green are available and can make you look funky instantly. Incase you wish to use the same mascara on more than one person, its best to use disposable wands to safeguard from any infections. Wiggle the brush a little at the roots of the lashes as it allows the bristles to move between the eyelashes, combing them and separating them. Let mascara dry between any of the two coats and comb the eyelashes to separate the wet lashes. Do not rub eyes to remove the mascara but use the eye makeup solvent instead. Before applying mascara, use an eyelash comb or damp toothbrush to comb your lashes. Always use a clean and fresh mascara wand on damp lashes.

Black mascara can be used by anybody at anytime though blondes should only use it for bright night makeup. Thin and short brush is best as it is easier to control and gets to the corner of the eye easily. It is also advisable to powder the under-eye area before applying mascara to avoid smudging. Curl the lashes before applying with a lash curler and then use the wand in a zigzag fashion to make the lashes look wider and brighter. Applying mascara only on the upper lashes lend them a dramatic touch, while applying it lightly on the upper and lower lashes, make the eyes seem wider. A gel-based mascara enhances the lashes while thickening mascara looks more dramatic and adds volume to your lashes. Brown, navy and aubergine shades add subtle and sophisticated touch to your eyes while redheads can use burgundy shades. Women with strawberry-blonde hair may try different shades of brown. Be sure not to match your mascara color with your eye color.

Get to bases !!

Applying Foundation

Choosing the right foundation is the first step to a successful makeup result. Perfect matching foundation can only be assessed by correct estimation of skin type, natural color and skin tone. Since most Caucasian, Latin, African and Asian women have yellow-based skin, they must buy foundation with a yellow base too so that it doesn't look like a mask. However, Asian women from the south-Asian region have skin with a yellow-greenish undertone and thus, need a foundation that has same color of pigment as the base. Experts often use two or more shades of foundation to highlight the best features of the face and underplay the low points. To master those skills, need a lot of practice and study. Yet, there are a few points that we can keep in mind while using the foundation at home to give the best possible results, for daily purposes:

• Blend the cream foundation smoothly using a cosmetic sponge /brush in long sweeping motions.
• Cosmetic sponge helps you to manage and apply foundation more easily and gives a better and smoother result. A brush would also give you similar results.
• For perfect matching, foundations should not be tested on hands or insides of your wrist as the color of your face definitely differs from the color of these areas of your body. The best way is to test the foundation on your jaw line and see whether it matches the natural color of your neck or not. Matching under different light settings gives you a better idea about the correct foundation for your skin.
• Foundation needs to be blended, properly, especially under the jaw line, into the hairline, on the ear lobes, corners of the nose and mouth and over and under the eyes, so that they don't let on the difference that the foundation makes to your skin to the viewer.
• To retouch a particular spot, reapply the foundation there lightly and blend it with the rest of the face. Then powder it lightly with the translucent powder to let it set properly.
• Touchup with dual active powder foundations can easily help you to change your look from day makeup to night makeup as it works as foundation as well as powder. For sheer finish using this foundation, you just have to dampen your cosmetic sponge a little.
• While applying liquid foundation, it is better to put small points of foundation at different parts of your face such as forehead, nose tip, chin and cheek bones and then blend a little at a time on the face to give a more finished look.
• You can use powder foundation just like the normal compact powder.

Talking EYES !!!

creating  a simple yet sophisticated look
1. Apply a light eyeshadow over your entire eyelid from lash line to eyebrow bone, but not beyond.2. Define the crease of your eyelid using a medium or dark shade. The deeper the shade, the more dramatic look.
3. Line your eyes with a black eye liner. This can be gel, pencil or liquid eye liner
4. To open up your eyes so that they appear livelier, place a dot of a light shade in the inner corner of each eye. Use the same shade to highlight the brow bone.

 Tip: When choosing an eyeshadow shade, keep in mind that a pastel shade will look softer while a darker shade will appear more dramatic when applied.

Highlighting your lips

Lip Makeup

Getting ready for a party or an outing with your friends or even for work? Make an impression on the people around you- Colouryour lips up !!!! An attractive pair of lips has a vital role in making you look smart and beautiful. Colors used for lip makeup needs to be chosen with great care. 

Lip Cosmetics

Lip liner: When you are concentrating on lip makeup, you have to choose a good lip liner. Drawing the outline perfectly, you can offer a good shape to your lips. It promotes you fuller or thinner lips. Most of the women prefer lip liner for giving their lip a good feature. 



Lip plumper : For enjoying a fuller lip, select lip plumper. It is a wonderful cosmetic for your lip. Translucent, tinted, opaque, these are the types of lip plumpers available in cosmetic world. If you are searching for a sexy pout, buy this product. It is composed of menthol, camphor, etc. The product also encourages collagen production and moisturizes your lips. For enjoying the stylish effect on your lips throughout the whole day, apply lip plumper again and again. A must keep in your purse girlie!!!. 

Lipsticks : Lipsticks bring outstanding makeover on your face. After shaping the lips with lip liner, add an awesome shade on it. You may choose the shades according to your choice, skin complexion, etc. From matte shade to satin sheer shades, everything will be available in lipstick cosmetics. 

Lip gloss : Lip gloss offers sexy lips. If you are bored with the common texture of your lip, you may include, lip glosses. However, it also nourishes the lips adding glamor and fun. You may prefer to apply lip gloss alone or with your lipstick. 

How to apply Lip Makeup?

Make the outline with the Lip Liner – before you take this step to define the shape of your lips with the lip line, make sure that your lips are smooth, soft and free of grease. Try using a sharp lip liner, it should be a shade close to the color of your lipstick. Apply the same with a steady hand and don't make the line too dark. While making the line on your upper lips, start off with the centre portion and then come toward both the edges. In case of the lower lip, make the line from both the sides. 

Try to prime up the lips with A Lip Balancer – make the base right before applying the lipstick. It should be in a position to be seen balanced out to match the skin tone. If you see that your lips are of an even color, you can use a face powder to act as the best base. 

Fill up with the Lipstick – Use a lip brush and fill in the lip color on both the lips. Same as that of the lip liner, in case of the upper lip, you shall have to start off applying at the center and then move towards the two sides. Similarly, for the lower lip, apply it from both the sides. Don't put on too much of color. You can always try adding more color later on rather than removing the excess colors. 

Blotting Off - fold a clean tissue paper and hold it between both your lips. If there is excess color, just press your lips slowly together to do away with it. 

Apply lip gloss – Lastly, make the finishing touch by applying the lip gloss over your lipstick to make your lips gleam with shine. 

Lip sticks and lip colors usually have three different effects: matte, frosted, glossy. Ideally, those with thick lips should avoid lip gloss and glossy lip sticks or lip colors. 

Find the Perfect Lipstick Color

Choosing a suitable lipstick color is the most important part of lip makeup. Take a look at the following table to know which lip color suits you best: 

Hair color and skin tone	Lipstick Color
Cool skin type with blonde hair	Go for the bold shades of red and crimson
Blonde with warm skin	Pinky reds are the best for you. The delicate
Cool skin and dark hair	Burgundy, blood red and wines are your colors. Pale skin, dark hair and stunning pair of lips on your china doll features will make you look like an angel.
Warm skin with dark hair	Shades of brick red, ruby, softer tones like nudes and pinks and likes of it looks great on you
Cool skin brunette	Shades of orange red. Stick to the light and pale shades of orange.
Warm skin and red hair	Fiery reds and rich browns
Black hair and brown skin	All shades of burgundy reds and berry reds.

Check out some super lip makeup brands  MAC, L'Oreal, Maybelline, Chambor, Lakme, Estee Lauder and Revlon. 

Teenage Makeup

So if you are a teen (or even just new to wearing makeup), you’re probably wondering what you should buy first and where to begin.  I’ve created a list of my favorite products to start with that won’t break your wallet!

These items are in order of what to buy first based off of what is the most natural looking and easiest to apply.  Start wearing one product at a time and add others as you like until you createyour custom look.

Loreal Voluminous Mascara

Mascara is usually the makeup product that everyone starts with as it is easy to apply and makes a big impact in your look.   This Loreal mascara is my favorite for thickening the lashes and is inexpensive, which I love!

Supriti’s Tip: For the first few times of use, scrape off the excess mascara on the end of the tube- otherwise it may clump as the formula is thick.

Where to buy: Shopperstop, or any shopping mall

Wedding Makeup

The Indian wedding makeup is usually very dramatic and viabrant, it’s one of the most interesting makeup looks to create, since it has to be PERFECT. After all, it is your big day!

Makeup should last all day, through all the crying, hugging, kissing, eating and dancing.  You’ll probably want to get your mascara waterproof, lips to be kiss proof, and your skin makeup to be bombproof.  (I really recommend Model in a Bottle as it makes your makeup last several hours!)