Is there an order to put on your makeup?

The other day I was watching as a unknowing woman was putting on her makeup. As she was putting it on, I noticed, why did she put on her eye liner then her eye shadow... It got me thinking, is there a proper order to put on your makeup?

I honestly think so, I think if you put it on in a certain order it will have better "staying power" so to speak. For example you wouldn't put on your blush before your foundation, would you? So, on that note, I will offer up the order in which I believe you should put your make up on.

First always start with your moisturizer, always!
Then put on your foundation, since you just applied your moisturizer your skin is nice and slightly moist to help spread the foundation. Warm the foundation up in your hands before placing it onto your face. Then start in the middle of the face and work your way outward. Working from the middle outward will help prevent any foundation lines.

Next, I apply my cheeks, I use a cream blush. I prefer cream because it is easily controlled and lasts longer than a powder.

From my cheeks I work my way up to my eyes. First things first (for me) I apply a light shimmery cream over my eyelid, just to open up the eye and brighten it. Then I use a cream eye liner right along the lash line, I personally don't care for a hard, bold, line. I think on some people it looks very classic but on myself, it just looks like too much. Then I apply my mascara working from the outer lashes inward.

If I had eyes that did not hold makeup well (oily eye lashes), the eye liner is always smearing, the eye shadow NEVER stays, this is what I would do. I first use a eye base. Clinique has one called Canvas touch base. They have it in multiple shades for almost any skin color once it is blended it. Placing this on the eye works as a "gripper" for the makeup. This is a cream blend so it also has much better staying power. Then apply your eye shadow, if you must be stubborn and buy the cheap stuff it will last much longer when applied over the base. However, if you will buy eye shadow made for women with oily eye lashes you will need to buy a better quality eye shadow. Look for creams, or waterproof eye shadows. There are lots of manufactures out there with lots of colors to choose from. We all have different skin types so why use an eye shadow made for someone else. After you have applied your eye shadow and created the eye you like, then put on your eye liner. Again, use eye liner made for your eye. Waterproof and smudge proof. Test it out on your hand when you buy it, stroke the eyeliner across the back of your hand, let it set (about 60 seconds) then try smudging. If it does not smudge this is the eye liner for you. Last apply mascara, working from the outer lashes inward.

After my eyes, I like to move to my lips, for me usually I like to play up my eyes, so the lips get a lip gloss. They aren't my best feature, so I don't want them to have the attention. If you want your lips to have the attention then down play your eyes.

Finally always set your makeup with a powder. This will help set the makeup and it will help it stay longer.

I hope these tips help you apply your makeup and help it stay on all day long!

Smokey Eyes

Today from the request of a dear friend I am going to talk about Smokey eyes! Every woman wants them.. But how do we achieve the perfect smokey eye without looking like we have a black eye, are a porn star or even worse weird lady with WAY too much makeup on…

First things first; put on your foundation make sure you have it seem-less. Then place a little uplighting under your eye (at the top of the cheekbone and inward). If you have dark circles naturally, try adding uplighting to the interior of the corner of the eye. This will lighten the eye area. Next, pick your colors. If you are light skinned try for browns, peaches, Burgundy's. If you are medium tones, you have the whole world to play with, but if this is your first time, try greys, purples, dark greens or blues. Stay away from BLACK! This will do what we talked about above... We don't want a black eye, so don't put it on, at least while you are still new to this.

Now that you have selected your color add your lightest color from the base of the lid up to the eyebrow. Come over next with your next darkest color in the picture it would be the peach color. Place that in the crease of your eye. Go below the bottom lashes smudge a bit down there. Q-tips work great for this, or a small eye liner bush, one of my favorite make-up brushes! If you don't have one; you need to invest! Next come over the base of lid with your darkest color. Don't be afraid that it looks to dark at this point. It is will look slightly awkward until we complete the process. Remember to smudge it to the outside corner of the eye. Add a small line below the bottom lashes with your eye liner brush (or Q-tip).

Next, using the eye liner. This is the crucial point. If you are to complete the smokey eye look you can't be afraid of the eye liner... In the picture she used a deep brown black. Compliment the colors you have used on your eyes. If you used browns stick with a brown. If you used Greens go with a dark green. Line your lashes with a bold yet fine line of liner. On the top go completely from corner to corner. DON'T STOP HALFWAY! On the bottom half do the same corner to corner. Use your liner brush and smudge the liner before it sets. If you are using cream liner you have an advantage, you can smudge as your are placing the liner. I recommend cream liner, it sets quickly usually in 30-45 seconds and it wears all day long. I use Clinique cream liner in Black Honey, daily.

Now that you have your eye make up almost done lets talk about the rest of your face. If you have smokey eyes, your lips need to be nude and your cheeks bare. So choose colors accordingly. You need a little something there so you don't look like Casper but only play up one feature at a time. A nice nude gloss like the one pictured goes a long way on the lips. Set your makeup with your loose powder using a powder brush.

Finally, come over the lashes with a mascara. In the picture they used a black brown. My recommendation, unless your hair is dark brown or black, don't use black mascara. Do your bottom lashes first. Apply to the ends first then work your way into the eye. That goes for both the top and bottom lashes. After your first coat of mascara dries apply your second coat.

Now your look should be complete without making your look over done. If it isn't just perfect keep practicing, work at making the perfect smudge transition to the outside corners of the eyes. Also, play with the colors that you use. Don't be afraid of color, Just remember to avoid looking like that girl who wears too much makeup, only play up one feature on your face at a time. If you remember that rule you should be rockin' your smokey eyed self!