Facing the Night :: Beauty :: Makeup

Facing the Night
by author Melanie Scott

When it comes to makeup, it’s easier than you think to transform a neutral daytime palette into something chic and sultry for a night on the town. The rules for day still apply, but with a twist.

To go from day to evening, keep your look fresh and natural–just add depth, a little shimmer, and a lot more shine.

Find Good-Quality, Portable Products.

Before you head out in the morning, along with your makeup, pack a set of professional travel brushes made with natural bristles. Not only are they handy for touch-ups but they are easier to clean and may carry fewer bacteria than sponge applicators.

Palettes and multipurpose colour sticks are also handy as they mean you don’t have to carry your entire makeup collection. Palettes contain several shades of eye or lip colour, while
multipurpose colour sticks can be used on lips, cheeks, and eyes.

Give Flaws the Slip.
To get ready for the evening, freshen your look by removing existing makeup and reapplying
foundation to a clean complexion. Apply tinted moisturizer or a light concealer on trouble spots such as blemishes or sunspots, and set with a dusting of translucent powder.

Focus on Your Eyes.

Now play up your eyes. After all, smoky eyes are a girl’s best friend. Try adding a darker taupe eyeshadow in the crease and to the outside corner of the lid, blending well. Using charcoal, chocolate brown, or deep plum eyeliner or shadow, line the eye at the lash line and smudge for instant drama.

Plump lashes with an eyelash curler; adding more mascara on top of existing mascara will cause yucky clumps to form.

Get Cheeky.

Gently highlight cheekbones with a bronzy glow. Dot a sheer powder or liquid highlighter at the tops of the cheekbones and blend. Play with light and shadows by adding highlights to the centre of the forehead, chin, neck, shoulders, and neckline.

Brush bronzer down from the temple and over the apple of the cheek, but keep blush to a minimum so focus stays on the eyes.

Make Your Lips Speak Volumes.

Neutral lipstick colours plump up lips naturally and allow smoky eyes to dominate your evening look. Apply a nude or natural shade of lipstick and layer with clear or tinted lip gloss.

A sexy, polished nighttime look can be yours–just be playful and have fun.

Melanie Scott is a Vancouver-based freelance writer who loves lip gloss.

Source: alive #301, November 2007

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