Insider Beauty Tips and Secrets

Cristina Masci – September 10 2005

  • Prepare, prepare, prepare.
    Want your makeup to go on flawless? Well, the canvas has to be prepared then. And that means moisturizer. The easiest way to get just the right amount on, is by applying it with a makeup sponge. The perfect amount will be evenly applied over the entire face.
  • Define your features:
    Soften the harshness of a sharp cheekbone, by applying blush in circular motions on the apples of the cheeks. Make eyes sharper by straightening a round eye by applying liner only on the top eyelashes to give the appearance of a more horizontal line.
  • The eyes have it.
    Want eye shadow to be picture perfect all day? Get in the habit of applying foundation on your eyelids only first. Then apply your eye shadows. When done, lightly mist water or your Evian bottle mister over eyes to set. Let dry. Then apply the rest of your foundation and makeup as usual. By doing eyes first, you save precious minutes by not having to clean up your fly away eye shadow powders.
  • Let’s Cover Up.
    Want perfect coverage? Apply foundation first and then your concealer. Foundation will hide about 75% of all the discolorations you see on a bare face. Then just go in with concealers on the most obvious. You save time and product this way.
  • Blushing
    Blush is a sure fire way to look 5 years younger, instantly. How? With the right color. Look for the most natural flush color you can find. Trick: Apply blush on the inside of your wrist. If it looks natural here, it will look natural on your cheeks.
  • Eyebrows give expression.
    Make sure yours say the right thing. Eyebrow powder should be 1-2 shades lighter than your hair color. The same color can look too overpowering on a face and darker than your hair color is just too severe.
  • Lash Curling – make it an essential.
    Nothing opens up eyes more than curling the eyelashes. Make it easy by curling at the base of the lashes, hold for 10 seconds, walk 1/2 way out, and then curl for 10 seconds more. Always curl on clean lashes. Heated lash curlers have a longer lasting effect, but you also have to be a lot more careful when using them.
  • Mascara Basics
    Want model length lashes? Do what the pros do. Apply mascara to the tops of the lashes as well as the underneath. Look down into your mirror, and brush your mascara wand on the upper side of your lashes…then look up and brush through again on the bottom side.
  • Lips 101
    Want a perfect lip line? Use your light brown eye pencil to line lips. Apply a bit more on the inside corners of the lip on both top and bottom to create a depth on the outside of the lips. Apply your lipstick or gloss over. You’ve just created a 3-d effect lip. Larger, brighter, fuller.

Cristina Masci is a make up artist who loves sharing tricks and secrets of the trade. Her online beauty boutique Absolutely Gorgeous is filled with unique and beautifully packaged beauty brands for all to share.