Five words - throw away the blue stuff. Far too many people wreck a face by overdoing the eyes.
After cover, this is the single most important part of putting on a face. Done right, it makes you
done wrong, it unmasks you. It takes alot of practice. Believe me - I'm still practicing myself.
But here are the things that work for me.
First, a few things to pick up:
-Eyeliner - also called kolb. Get a brown and a black shade.
-Mascara - I stay away from the liquid, using the regular Bobbie Brown stick. Waterproof is
helpful, but not necessary.
-Eyeshadow. Getting some professional help here is good. It's important to match up your colors
with your complexion and foundation you have selected. One thing you CAN do is to try out the
colors first on a paper. Estheticians use a face ouline and then apply the colors, checking
their patch on paper first. I do this before I try a new look, you miight consider it.
DO stay away from really garish stuff if you are trying to pass. The softer pastels work
best, trust me. You ideally want three shades of light here - same color or matching. This
for me is where the fun is
-Tweezers. You need this for those eyebrows - plucking will become a hobby.
-Eyebrow bleach. Use this sparingly before major plucking begins. If you screw up, it will
grow out. And you can carefully die it back. Not so if you rip it out.
-Go to Michaels' Craft store - or any art supply - and buy a package of those small little
artists brushes in bubble pack with the different colored handles.
(Notice that an eyebrow pencil is not mentioned - more on that later.)
First, let's shape those eyebrows. I recommend you have this done professionally the first
time and then maintain it. It's far easier, and you will be less likely to wind up with a mess.
However, if you can't, then proceed as follows (but carefully!):
Do this over the course of a few days the first time so co-workers or the unsuspecting don't
pick up on it. If you have any hair between the brows, out it comes. This is slow work - don't
rush. When you are done, there should be two distinct eyebrows staring at you. Have a damp
cool cloth nearby to help ease any pain.
The next step is to create an arch. The trick is to take out hairs at the halfway point from the
underside, creating a rounded area that becomes the arch. Ideally, the line of hair should taper
to a point at the end. Thicker towards the nose, thinner towards the eyes.
Again, go carefully. It's always best to take too little as opposed to more than you should.
The first time I did this, I wound up with so little hair that I had to draw on my eyebrows for nearly a year.
When finished, you should have two nice, clean, eyelines with no shaginess at the edges. And there should
be a thicker portion towards the nose, tapering and sloping upward towards the edge of the eye as a
thin line. T
Now for the eyes in four steps:
1) Using your mascara applicator, gently rub it across the lower lashes back and forth across your
eye. Don't touch to your skin - but if you do, use a kleenix to clean it up. Next do the same to
your upper eyelashes, but in addition draw the applicator along the lashes as well as across them.
This will prevent the mascara from gobbing up. This cross-motion will apply the mascara evenly
and won't require the tough of Michaelangelo to avoid getting the mascara all over your face
and everything. Also, a word to the wise. Replenish your mascara supply on a regular basis. If it's
over a couple of months, it's time for a fresh supply.
2) Now to curl the lashes. Take your curler, open wide, squeeze on the ends, and hold for
15-30 seconds. Repeat with the other eye. This gets easier with practice - and no, you CANNOT
accidently yank your eye out of the socket....
3) Take up the eyeliner pencil. WIth your free hand, take a hold of the upper lid, pull out and
down, then line the edge of the lid with the flat of the pencil. If your eyes are large,
(and mens tend to be) line the entire eye. Repeat this step for the bottom lid. Remember, you
want this on the lids where it will be seen, not the inside of the eye where infections may
develop. IF YOU HAVE SMALLER eyes, then only outline three-quaters or half. This will bring
your eyes out (by making them lighter - remember?).
4) On to eye shadow. Take one of those art store brushes - the small ones - dab some shadow, and
begin applying to the area beneath your brow down to and through your lid area. Apply evenly,
don't cake or slather it on. Next, take another blush, dab some of the in-between shade, and apply
to the eyelid area ONLY. AFter finishing, then take still a third brush, dab the darkest shade, and
apply to the outer area in a flaring arch shape on the outer eye edge. Now, with your CLEAN and DRY finger tips, blend
the areas so they flow into one another. Esthetitcians will cringe at the use of fingertips, and
rightly so, for health laws prevent them from doing so. WHen it's just you, it's OK. If you
are doing someone else use a sponge (no, their makeup silly!)
Don't be afraid to experiment. You will find a few combinations that work well, and will
want to stick with them. This is the one part of my face that I ALWAYS do completely - even
in daytime if I'm just hanging around the house.
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