Makeup Tips for 8 Common Problems

Eight women, eight common makeup issues—well, nine, if you take into account that the women had all invested in makeup that ended up frustrating them to the point that they rarely used it. What they wanted: easy cosmetics routines, new tricks, and solutions to their particular makeup problems.

Enter makeup artists Melissa Silver and Tanya Rae, who were given two directives: Each routine they created could take no more than 15 minutes—enough time for a finished look, but not so long that the women couldn’t do the routine before dashing to work. And the two artists should use the readers’ own makeup, supplementing it only when necessary.

1. How to wear makeup naturally.

An accountant and mother of two from New Jersey, Anu kept her makeup minimal (“Literally a quick smear of lipstick and then the same lipstick as blush”) because she feels that she doesn’t apply cosmetics well. “Most of the time I don’t know what colors work,” she says. Her goal: a makeup routine that allows her to look like she’s put-together but “not trying too hard.” (American Apparel T-shirt.)

What Rae used of Anu’s:Maybelline EyeStudio Color Plus Eye Shadow Green With Envy 40 palette ($10,walgreens.com). The Color Workshop palette ($33,amazon.com). Maybelline Volum’ Express the Falsies Mascara in Blackest Black ($7,ulta.com).

What she added:MAC Face and Body Foundation in C6 ($35,maccosmetics.com). MAC Select Moisturecover concealer in NW30 ($18,maccosmetics.com). Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder ($35,lauramercier.com).

 

For someone who would rarely wear makeup—never mind experiment with it—Anu fully embraced the addition of foundation and eye shadow, happy to learn how to play up her eyes with warm browns and ready to dive back into her makeup palette to try other tones. Her new strategy adds about 10 minutes to her morning routine: “This definitely takes more effort and time but nothing that can’t be possible with a little planning and, of course, practice,” says Anu, who adds: “I love the results. Definitely makes me look more pulled-together.”

2. Anu Menon

For someone who would rarely wear makeup—never mind experiment with it—Anu fully embraced the addition of foundation and eye shadow, happy to learn how to play up her eyes with warm browns and ready to dive back into her makeup palette to try other tones. Her new strategy adds about 10 minutes to her morning routine: “This definitely takes more effort and time but nothing that can’t be possible with a little planning and, of course, practice,” says Anu, who adds: “I love the results. Definitely makes me look more pulled-together.”

How-Tos:

1. Using fingers, apply foundation, then blend with a damp makeup sponge.2. Brush on taupe shadow from the Maybelline palette. 3. Using an angled brush, line the upper lids with the dark green color from the palette, “smooshing” the color, says Rae, into the top lash line. 4. To warm up the eyes and create definition, apply slightly shimmery bronze color from the Color Workshop palette in the creases of the eyelids. 5. Curl lashes, then brush mascara on the top lashes.(Skipping the lower lashes will look more natural, less “done.”) 6.Lightly line the outer halves of the bottom lids with the dark green shadow. 7. Dab concealer under the eyes. 8. Apply shimmery pink blush from the Color Workshop palette. 9.Brush loose powder over the face to set the look.

3. How to look more professional

What does Elizabeth think of her new pumped-up but professional look? “I feel natural but more put-together,” she says. “[Melissa] gave me the confidence to try more looks and step out of my comfort zone.” Two key tips she picked up: to use primer on her eyelids (it works not only as a base shadow but to brighten the eyes and help eye makeup stay on longer; it can also act as a shadow on days when Elizabeth wants to keep her routine pared-down but polished) and to use a small makeup brush to soften the color under her eyes. “I was lining my eyes straight,” says Elizabeth. “But smudging the shadow a bit makes my eyes look bigger.” Though she tends to reserve eyeliner for evenings out, her new lipstick is a daily must, she says: “Two Ton Tomato has become my favorite go-to lip color.”

How-Tos:

1. Brush primer over the lids. 2. Apply eye shadow in Ivory Slipper just under the brows and at the inner corners of the eyes to brighten the skin, act as a highlighter, and add some dimension to the eyes. 3. Line the upper lids as close as possible to the lashes with pencil. Using a small brush, smudge the liner a bit at the corners of the eyes, extending the natural line of the eyes to add drama. 4. Apply tinted moisturizer.5.Dab highlighter under the eyes, down the bridge of the nose, in the cleft of the chin, and above the brows.6. Using a big, fluffy brush, dust pressed powder over the face. 7.Fill in brows with pencil. 8. Under the eyes, use a small brush to apply Smoky Ember eye shadow; the line should be thick but diffused and soft.9. Curl lashes; coat with mascara. 10. Apply blush. 11. Color in lips.

Watch out for the rest of these makeup solutions that you can use to solve every woman’s makeup problems. Click the title for the tutorial: Makeup Tips for 8 Common Problems