Makeup is truly an art form. People can contour their faces to look like someone else, apply makeup products to conceal every imperfection on the face and so much more. In short, you need skills to apply makeup as well. Skills often require knowledge and training. Chefs, hair stylists, actors, architects and more don’t suddenly adjust to their profession just because they want to. They are required to go through an extensive amount of practice to master their craft. The same goes with makeup. You cannot magically learn makeup in one day. Makeup requires mastering to improve.
The first thing to do in improving your makeup skills is to want it. Being here proves enough that you are curious about this topic and is willing to learn. We can dream of having our own makeup team every time we go out, but newsflash, we are not some famous reality star with an entourage of professionals dictating our every move. We wake up, prepare our breakfast, do our chores and apply makeup on our own. Like the examples above, we hope that mastering makeup will make it feel like a natural activity- something that you can casually do with ease and precision. Being our own makeup artist is better than having anyone else doing it for us because no one knows your face more than you do.
Below are some tips to help improve your makeup skills.
Research
The first thing you have to do to improve your skills is to do research. Research about your skin type and skin tone. Find out the best looks and products for your skin. There are a lot of resources you can use to perform your research. There are beauty blogs that test out the actual products, so you won’t have to buy it yourself. Their videos online can teach you what type of makeup can enhance your skin and what you can do to improve your skin tone. There are books that can tell you how makeup works, how the illusion of contouring is applied, how the skin reacts to certain product and so on. Researching about the right tips and techniques and jotting down the ones that you think can benefit you will help you in the long run.
Practice
Practice! Even some of the well-known artists and professionals practiced before they became great. If you really want to master your skill, then practice is your safest bet. When have free time, try the different techniques you’ve learned during your research. Try different techniques and find out what works best for you. Try using products in different ways. Practice at home in different lighting. If you don’t trust your own judgment, it’s always best to ask your friends and family about your end results.
Understand the Products
Don’t just apply one product after another. Test each one of them separately and compare the difference. Learn what it does to your skin and how it affects your other makeup. Start with your primer and foundation. Will my foundation last without primer? Thus the foundations look better when I used the primer? Will this eyebrow pencil work with my skin or does it look unnatural? Be conscious of everything you are putting in. This will give you a better perspective in makeup and how it works.
Application
Like your makeup products, you need to be conscious about your application. Will applying the foundation using my hands work better than using a brush? Should I do a circular motion when applying eyeshadow? Should I apply my mascara upward or side to side? All these little things can increase your makeup skills and your ability to criticize your work. Find out what works for you and what doesn’t.
Experiment
So what if the books tell you that dark eyeshadow doesn’t work for your skin tone? It’s not a bad thing to experiment and try out different looks. When you have extra time at home, try it. Go big, try one of those high fashion looks or go for bold and surprising colors. Experimenting will help increase your creativity and skill.
To sum it up, applying makeup is not rocket science. You can master this skill with the tips above. You just need to be patient and allow yourself to learn. Learning new things help us grow, this applies to our daily life. The more we know about things, the easier it is for us to handle it. Makeup can help accentuate your appearance and make you feel more confident. Remember, learning never ends; even with makeup.
