by Cherelynn Baker

Created on: July 15, 2008

Applying makeup is more than just putting on foundation, then eyeshadow with eyeliner followed by mascara. There is more to creating a face than lip lining, with lipstick and a quick swish of gloss to make the mouth fuller.
Sure, everyone and anyone can put on some blush or bronzer to add warmth to the face or to create a more youthful and healthy look to the face.

Though ,what if you have some corrective areas in makeup that you could do simply at home to fix these so called flaws?

One of the main questions I get as a makeup artist is a request to make the face look thinner and the neck longer.

A face can easily be contoured and highlighted with two shades of foundation or concealer. You need one light and one a shade darker than your light. The more drastic the difference in tones of makeup the more dramatic the makeup effect will appear.

Here are some simple steps to draw on a chin if you haven't exactly lived up to your New Year's Eve resolution and lost the weight that you wanted, I have a simple fix to creating a longer, leaner looking neck while hiding the extra chin.

You will need a synthetic fiber makeup brush, and a powder brush. A shade of foundation or concealer that is one shade darker than the color you wear all over.

Along the jawline: underneath the bone, think lymph node area, draw a line from the ear area where the bone starts to round up to the tip of the chin using the darker shade of foundation.

This line should be under the jaw and not readily visible unless you lift up your chin.

Now, place the brush at the middle of the jaw bone on the horizontal line, next to the jugular vein and draw a line down about mid way of your neck.

It should look like a "T". Repeat these steps on the other side.

Use the brush to feather blend in zig zag lines the "T" that you have created. The illusion is to create depth to make the "T" on the jaw/neckline recede making the neck look longer, leaner and less chinny chin chin.

Let the product set a moment on your skin so that it can dry down. To finish the corrective makeup application, load the large dome powder brush with translucent powder. Tap off the excess powder on your hand, wrist, or counter top so that it doesn't fly off in application and get on your clothes.

Stipple the powder on, which is a straigt on pressing of the brush onto the skin. Then lightly swirl and dust the area with the brush.

This will ensure the makeup doesn't move onto your clothes or rub off. If this is for stage makeup use, seal the face using a face fixative or in a budget pinch, aerosol hairspray such as aqua net.
While you are losing weight, or have experienced some sagging in the area, this simple technique of drawing on a chin will create a more youthful appearance in your process

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