TIPS FOR BETTER BLUSHING
by Jennifer Kalman, Founder, QDazzle.com
#1: A good rule to follow for most makeup purposes: POWDER CLINGS BEST TO POWDER….so for long-lasting blush results, brush a bit of translucent face powder (or a powder foundation) on cheeks before applying your high pigment powder blush.
#2: Touch your brush tip lightly over your powder blush product, then tap to remove any excess powder - this will help you control the amount of color going onto your skin.
#3: Apply sparingly to cheeks - it’s much easier to add more color a little at a time, than trying to clean up after using too much.
#4: If you accidentally apply too much, simply tone down the color with any translucent skin-toned loose powder - don’t try to use your fingers or hands to rub off the blush (the natural oils on your fingers will only make a dark, uneven mess on your cheeks and nobody wants that!).
#5: And now, the most often asked question: EXACTLY WHERE DO APPLY MY BLUSH? Look straight into your mirror and give a big smile. On your cheek, align your blush brush with the outer edge of the iris of your eye and no lower than the tip of the nose. You are locating the fullest (the ‘apple’) part of the cheek. Starting there begin a sweep of blush color, softly applying the color back toward the mid-to-upper ear area (this is the area slightly underneath your cheekbone). For most natural results, place the most concentrated amount of blush color on the fullest part of the cheek. The drawing below will help.
OTHER HINTS:
- DO use similar tones when selecting blush and lip colors (for example, avoid using a pink blush with a coral lip color).
- With or without a tan, all year long you can create a pretty glow with your makeup - it’s easy! Select a powder blush or blush glow in a pretty coral or pink, sweep it across cheekbones; then sweep a very small amount in the crease of your eyelid. Add shine to your lips with a matching coral or pink gloss, brush on black mascara and you’ve got a natural, glowing look!
WHY select highly-pigmented makeup colors? Makeup colors that look best for photography and stage are usually highly-pigmented, meaning they contain strong color pigments and are not sheer. A highly-pigmented makeup color product will allow the user to apply a small amount to achieve a bit of color or it can provide darker, dramatic color when applied more heavily. This allows flexibility for the user to achieve her preferred look. Along with being longer-lasting, the strong color pigment in highly-pigmented makeup colors will hold up against the harsh lighting from cameras and stage lights (no washed-out, ghostly makeup looks).
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Question: What is 'age-appropriate' makeup for a Teen Pageant vs. a Miss Pageant? I want to 'wow' the judges...so how do I select and apply the proper makeup tones that will look good onstage and in my photos?
Answer: Makeup is key to a flawless photo as well as looking your best on stage!
Makeup colors that look best for stage, photography and video are highly-pigmented, meaning they contain strong color pigments and are not sheer. A highly-pigmented makeup color product will allow the user to apply a small amount to achieve a hint of color or it can provide darker, dramatic color when applied more heavily. This allows flexibility for the user to achieve her preferred look. Also, the strong color pigment in highly-pigmented makeup colors will hold up against the harsh lighting from cameras (no washed-out, ghostly makeup looks) and is longer lasting.
The purpose of makeup is to enhance and showcase your beauty, not cover it up! Here are the basics...
FOUNDATION, CONCEALER & POWDER: To provide a smooth canvas for lip, eye and cheek colors, a foundation that is perfectly-matched to your skin color is essential. The purpose of a perfectly-matched foundation is to simply ‘even out’ the facial skintone, not to add color to the face. A perfectly-matched foundation color will match your neck as well, so that there is no tonal difference between the face and neck (no mismatched colors at the jawline and no applying foundation to the neck). Use a creamy, opaque concealer to cover any dark undereye circles (these are very unflattering in photos, and can make the eyes look ‘tired’). Concealer can also be dotted carefully onto any untimely breakouts. Seal both foundation and concealer with a loose powder (applied with a soft large powder brush) for a smooth, matte finish. Do make sure that these three items - foundation, concealer and loose powder - are a perfect match to your skintone (no pinkish or peach-undertoned loose powders applied on top of your carefully matched foundation!).
Foundation Shade Selection Tip: To select a foundation shade that is an exact match to your skin, use natural (outdoor) light and a mirror. Stripe several different sample shades from your jawline down onto your upper neck. Look in the mirror while in outdoor light. The shade that disappears onto your neck is the shade you want. Your foundation shade can now be used as a guideline color to carefully match your concealer and loose powder. Using natural (outdoor) lighting for this process ensures there are no hidden undertones (pink, orange or red) in your foundations, concealers and powders. Indoor lighting can hide undertones and distort some colors during the critical shade selection process.
COLOR: After applying the foundation, concealer and powder, follow with lip, eye and cheek colors. For long-lasting results under the warm stage lights, powder eye shadows and powder blushers are your best selection. Another important makeup principle: powder clings best to powder, meaning powder eye shadows and blushers will cling best to the powder you’ve used to seal your foundation, translating into longer-lasting results. Blend each color product carefully, avoiding harsh lines, and check your work under a strong light or in daylight, if possible. If you’ve applied a bit too much eye color, use cotton swabs to blend out any harsh lines or smooth away overly dark shading. Avoid attempting to correct mistakes with fingertips since the oils on the fingers can lead to messy, blotchy colors. And if your blusher needs correcting, simply brush your loose powder over the blush to tone it down - and again, for best results, no hands on the face!
IMPORTANT STAGE & PHOTOSHOOT TIP: Prior to your photo session, make sure to powder any shiny areas on your face. A matte finish to your makeup will yield the best and most flattering photos! (Avoid facial oiliness or shine by carefully blotting, not rubbing, oily areas with a tissue and lightly powdering the forehead, across nose, and chin.) A shiny face onstage or in photos will appear very unflattering, so be sure to check your face in a mirror and if needed, lightly powder right before walking onstage...and look cool and collected for those judges, not sweaty, shiny and nervous!
TEEN VS. MISS PAGEANT MAKEUP: The difference between Teen Pageant makeup and Miss Pageant makeup is the depth and brightness of makeup colors. Young skins are enhanced most beautifully with natural, softly colorful tones; while Miss Pageant contestants can experiment with more dramatic, glamorous makeup looks.
TEEN PAGEANT MAKEUP: As an example for a basic eye for a Teen Pageant, use a blend of high-pigment eye shadows in browns, beiges, or soft pink eye shadows. To add a dash sparkle, a loose Eye Shadow Dust or Frosty Eye Shadow in a soft iridescent, pink or peach tone can be added to the center of the eyelid. After finishing with the eye shadows, apply an eyeliner along the base of the upper lash line. Optional: add a very thin line of eyeliner underneath the lower lash line in the outer corners, as shown below. Mascara application is recommended when eye shadows and eyeliner are complete. For lips and cheeks, select similar tones for the most glowing results (example: choose a soft pink blush to coordinate with a shiny pink lip gloss), keeping in mind that natural tones are more age-appropriate for Teen Pageants than very bright colors (which will look harsh on young skin). Outline the natural lip line with a lip liner pencil that is similar to your shade of lip gloss, then fill in with your lip gloss. To add a healthy color to the cheeks, softly apply a high-pigment powder blush to the cheeks, adding a little at a time until the desired result is achieved.
MISS PAGEANT MAKEUP: For a basic eye for a Miss Pageant using the same browns, beiges and soft pink eye shadows shown above, add more emphasis in the crease and outer corners of the eyes with a darker brown, then highlight the lid and under the eyebrow with the beige or soft pink. Eyeliner can be used along the base of the upper lash line and the outer corners of the lower lash line as shown below. Mascara application is recommended after finishing the eye shadows and liner. For lips and cheeks, select similar tones for the most beautiful results (for example, select a soft coral blush to coordinate with a bright color lip color). Outline the natural lip line with a lip liner pencil that is similar to your shade of lip gloss, then fill in with your lip gloss. To add color to the cheeks, softly apply a high-pigment powder blush to the cheeks, adding a little at a time until the desired result is achieved.
FOR MISS PAGEANT EXTRA GLAMOUR MAKEUP: The basic dramatic eye look above can easily be further glamorized by blending a small amount of a bright eye shadow color into the darker tones OR by using a frosty eye shadow or sparkling eye shadow dust to highlight the center of the eyelid. But be careful with sparkle for photos, as too much sparkle on the eyes and cheeks can create too much reflection. For an extra glamorous eye, add a set of glamorous false eyelashes!
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: It is recommended to do a ‘practice’ makeup session at home a few times before your competition - a practice session with your makeup will be similar to a ‘dress rehearsal’ so you can see how you will look! Practicing will also allow you to refine your application techniques. If you choose to wear false eyelashes, definitely do a ‘try-on’ session at home prior to your event so you will feel comfortable applying them. Eyelashes do feel different on the eyes and if you’ve never worn them, it make take a few minutes to get accustomed to them. Plus, practicing your total makeup look will give you more confidence in your own makeup skills for your pageant and everyday!
Using the makeup techniques outlined above will help showcase your beauty while you glow with confidence!
