Make-up – keeps you looking right all times

Make-up, the most important thing in the modern day woman’s life, that makes her day when from start to finish she is the cynosure of most eyes, that gives her the mental agony of being stared at when it  spreads and ruins her near perfect face to her chagrin.

No wonder that it is a ritual that is undergone by one and all with time-consuming care before starting out and given the subtle undivided attention while the event lasts to ensure that nothing is left to chance to mar the mood nor spoil the day.

Weddings, festivals, social functions, parties, outings to public places especially are occasions when the facial enhancement is put to the test, but the risk also lies in attending events where there could be motion and movement, crowds and confined spaces.

Here are some tips on handling situations like these for avoiding embarrassments and minimizing the risk.

Preparing the face correctly

• Make - up sits on the face correctly on a clean surface. Make sure the face is washed and dried every time you put on make-up.
• The skin of the face is a tender covering and should be protected from harsh cleansers. Use a mild face cleanser or soft soap to get the face clean.
• Dead cells are a natural phenomenon, replenished by new cells regularly, the frequency increasing with age. Exfoliate the dead cells a few times a week by using a soft face brush to rub around in gentle circles, (not hard or pressing the skin). A homemade sugar scrub would do nicely. Areas like forehead, just above the eyes, the skin between eyebrows and eyelashes, the nose, the lips, chin should be done with extra care leaving no signs of rubbing. Look after your face well and it will reflect in the smoothness and shine.
• Moisturizing is a good way of protecting the sensitive skin of the face. For oily skin, an oil free or gel moisturizer would be fine. For dry skin SP15 or SP45 would be perfect to prevent skin darkening or sunburn. For those middle-aged or older, a moisturizer with anti-wrinkle properties would be just fine. When moving out in the sun, a mild moisturizer would do, not the rich creamy type that could play havoc with your make-up.
• Nowadays the trick for getting make-up to stay longer lies in using a primer. Apply the face primer on the skin evenly more so on already exposed areas like red or oily areas and blemishes to offset visible signs.
• For the eyes, using a primer makes the eye shadows last longer and prevents creasing signs on the lid. The colors if used would show vibrant, the eyeliner would also stay in place. Generally eye primers are not used if there is not much color involved for the eye portion.

Choosing the right Make-up

• A good matte foundation helps greatly. Either a liquid or powder-form foundation would do, but a powder foundation while lighter than liquid, ensures lesser bacteria to be trapped giving breathing space for the facial skin.
• Getting the right foundation – cream or powder would be tricky initially, but parlours or knowing friends could help in choosing.
• A translucent matte setting powder that is a clear or lightly tinted face powder would do nicely and no other powder would be required then.
• The lips could take up long wear lip color that stays long without spreading. If a lipliner is used around it the shape of the lips stays firm throughout the day. Remember to make the lips moist properly before applying the lip color.
• Using powdered eye shadow helps keeping the eye primer in place all day long since creams have a tendency to run after a while. Apply the powder to the primer using an eye shadow brush and let it set.
• Waterproof mascaras or smudge-proof mascaras are now available that keep the eyes glowing and seeming fresh all day. Also tears won’t disturb the waterproof mascara in case they fall for any reason. Only clean immediately when back home before going to sleep or the lashes could come off. Mascara primer is not required here.

Keeping the Make-up intact.

Once the Make-up is applied, if applied properly will keep it in place and the wearer looking fresh and fine from start to end.

This is what must be done while applying the make-up.                                                                                             

• Never be in a hurry over doing make-up. Be the slow and steady one. Take five minutes at each step to allow drying and setting, before proceeding to the next step in the make-up process. This ensures the perfect setting and a confident YOU who can strut about confidently without a care.
• While not allowing others to touch your face, do not touch your face yourself. Especially not without a mirror in front and not with the fingers to the extent possible. You could end up damaging what you set out to prevent.
• Heat causes sweat, sweat would loosen and cause make-up to spread. In hot weather and sultry conditions, light, essential makeup should be resorted to. Foundation could be very light, no mascara, and the eyes could be done with the waterproof eye make-up. You would look and stay nice for a long time that way.

Additional tips to remain confident

• If wearing an eyeliner, dab some transparent brown eye shadow on it to keep it in place. this can be done with any shadow / pencil liner.
• Use a foundation brush or a sponge to apply the moisturiser followed by the foundation with the same brush. This will stop big streaky-looking marks around the edges of your face and jawbone from appearing. Remember to apply consistently and especially over areas you seek to offset. The moisture helps in not allowing the foundation to suck up your face, and leaving it visible for longer. When applying with sponge wet it mildly,and apply in downward strokes and evenly all over the face.
• Sprinkle water on the eye shadow brush with a spray bottle and then use the eye shadow. This gets the eye shadow just about wet to get the eyes looking glowing. More water can cause the eye shadow to run or stick improperly.
• Use eye primer. Alternatively you can just use a skin colored cream shadow. Apply it all over your lids before you apply your eye shadow to improve staying power.
• Use primer and foundation, however less or more, but do use.
• If eye primers seem expensive, use a clear, flavorless lip balm / chap stick and swipe it on the lid. It is a good substitute.
• When removing mascara do not peel off, the lashes would come off with it. Use a cleanser or make-up wipes instead.
• Don't apply the eye shadow to plain dry lids. The eye shadow may not stay much long.
• Use a lip primer before applying lipstick to prevent smudging and improve the finish.

Looking attractive to gorgeous is how much beauty nature has endowed one with and how much in addition has to be compensated with make-up. But it is every woman’s right to look attractive and feel confident. So if attention were to be paid while doing the make-up one can reap rich dividends that could improve the quality of life itself.

In passing, the festival of Navratri or the nine nights is when the Garba or Ras Dandiya is played especially in India. Well-decked women in traditional costumes, and make-up, would be part of the long dance routines, there would be plenty of vim and vigour and large crowds present would generate a lot of heat and enthusiasm. This is when these tips would serve best and make the Navaratri festival memorable for them.