571 A Few Makeup Questions

Today’s post is a little different compared, I would like to share some of the questions I get asked when people find out I am a makeup artist. In any profession, you are going to get people asking you about the industry in normal conversation. Doctors get it daily as soon as they start training everyone wants to ask them questions.

It is hard to answer some questions as you don’t know anything about the person. Something that works for me may not work on you and vice versa so makeup is mostly about trial and error. I try to answer the best I can but for most of them, I try to recommend a couple of things to experiment with. Shall we get on with the questions?

What is the best foundation?

These are possibly the worse questions to ask and answer. The answer is that there is no best foundation. There are typically better foundations but only you can find the best foundation for you. There are so many different skin types and formulas that one foundation can’t be the best for every person. I try to ask about the person’s skin, and I then try to recommend what to look for in a foundation that would work best for them. I look at their complexion, some foundation caters for a wide range of complexions and others don’t so, I also try to point them in a direction they would likely find a colour match.

I am yet to find a foundation that I love, I have liked quite a few but there hasn’t been one that I always revert to.

How do I find the best foundation shade?

The best way to find your colour is to seek natural light, and three shades close to your skin colour. Put a swatch of each starting on your cheek down to your jawline. You will then see the one that matches your skin tone the best. Another tip that I am going to drop in here is that you may need to mix a couple of shades to get your colour. If you imagine how many people there are in the world, there is only one way to match 7 billion people’s complexions in a foundation and that is to make one for everyone. Everyone’s skin is unique so there is no guarantee of buying a shade from a brand is going to find you your colour.

Are you a makeup artist?

Many people seem to be very shocked when they find out I am a makeup artist. My usual line is “Not that you can tell” because in general I don’t put on a full face of makeup daily and that is usually when I run into people. I often get makeup better when applying to someone else because I need to wear glasses, I can’t see very well to put mine on but when I am applying to others, I can wear my glasses and see much better.

How do I contour?

In recent years people are going overboard with contouring because it is very trendy now. Now, I do think contouring is an everyday need. As a makeup artist, I see contouring as quite glam and luxurious. It takes a bit of practice and playing around with different products and colours. A good place to start is the Benefit Hula bronzer, it is said to be the best for working with all sorts of skin tones.

To contour is just like shading when you are drawing a picture. You must think naturally about where the sun would hit your face and where the sun would create shade.

What is the best way to do my makeup if I only have 5 minutes?

My main tip for this is to stick to the staples and use the items that will add the most to your face. I would do your eyebrows, and mascara because eyebrows frame your face and instantly make you look put together. Mascara is great for any look so it is a must, it makes you appear awake and alive. Once this is done if you have spare time, try a bit of blush, and stick a clear gloss in your bag.

What is the most memorable job you’ve done?

Hmm, my most memorable job, maybe the wedding fashion show. I didn’t do much I was more of an assistant to the makeup artist, but it was still cool to watch and be a part of. It was fun, it was different. It was an early day, I had to be there at 7 am but that is the nature of this type of job, your call time can be super early or super late. You could be doing a job at any time of the day.

How can I make my lipstick last longer?

This is tricky because it depends on the brand, the formula, the colour etc, typically lipstick will need to be reapplied. You can try using a lip liner, this will keep it neat and improve its staying power. If you are like me and can’t be bothered with reapplying the lipstick throughout the day (most of the time I forget to apply it) then I recommend getting a lip stain instead.

How can I do winged eyeliner?

The million-dollar (pounds) questions. There is no trick that I can tell you, so you can do a winged eyeliner the first time and get it perfect. It is pretty much trial and error. You must experiment with different products and methods. My favourite method is to use an eyeliner brush with a gel liner because it is easier to manipulate, you don’t have a difficult nib, and it doesn’t dry straight away. Also, with gel, if it doesn’t work out, you can smoke it out and make it look cool.

Do you have any tips on concealing acne?

This is an interesting one. Many people when trying to cover a blemish will get the product and try to pack as much product as possible on top of the blemish. This is going to draw attention to it, what you are trying to do is blend it into the surroundings. The best way is to put a light layer on top, but they work around the blemish, too much action is going to aggravate and make it worse.

In your everyday life, it would be much better to leave the acne alone. It can be embarrassing but it is part of life. Don’t be afraid to wear it loud and proud. I was also insecure about it.

How do you clean your makeup brushes?

Hmm, there are a million and one different products you can get for this. You can pay ridiculous amounts of money for this type of product, anything from between £2 to £20 per shot. I used to use any baby shampoo because it is gentle for your skin (fewer chemicals than the makeup brush cleaner and regular shampoo). Recently I have been using The Body Shop shower gel which is amazing. It lathers so well and works so quickly might be illegal not to use it. With the baby shampoo it took 2-3 times of lathering and rinsing but with The Body Shop, once and you are good to go unless the brush is particularly disgusting. I would never go back to baby shampoo. Honestly, give it a go, it comes in different scents, so you can find your favourite. The scent lingers as well so they smell clean for days.

How long does it take you to apply your makeup?

If I am doing a proper full face between 30 and 60 minutes. If everything goes to plan, I can get it done in 30 minutes but if corrections are needed or I am having a particularly bad skin day my base can take some time. I also don’t rush if I am doing a full face, I like to relax and kind of play it by ear. I also tend to try out the products that aren’t in my everyday makeup, so it is a bit of experimenting and fixing.

My everyday makeup, anything for 5 to 20 minutes. Again, it depends on how I am feeling, if I just do a basic look, then five minutes, if I want to do a bit of contour, eyeliner, or lipstick it takes me a bit longer. Right now, I am keeping it super simple so the most it takes me is 10 minutes.

How long should you keep a product?

There is no way I can advise on this without looking at the product. If you look at the back of the packaging, there will be an image of a pot with a time on it. If the lid is open on the image with 6 months written on it. Then once you have opened the product you should replace it. If it is a closed lid in the image with 6 months written on it, you should replace it after 6 months opened or not. I like to keep my product in use order (you can write in marker the month you bought it). If you use an out-of-date product, you may experience breakouts or a bad reaction.