by Margaret Butterfield

Created on: October 06, 2010

Makeup is a large pillar of the art of beauty. When paired with fashion, and considered fashion itself, it can work many wonders for face shapes and features that a woman may not notice on an everyday basis. Makeup’s golden rule is: less is more. Is this really true? Most certainly. Makeup is an enhancer of natural beauty. It is not used to create beauty, since it would be nothing without the face it graces!

My makeup process is very easy, but involved. It is not something to be slapped on, but also not to be a painstaking process. Here are some of the best tips and tricks for selection and application.

Before the Makeup Even Begins

Buying the right type: Less is more, so in determining your makeup supply, it’s important not to over-buy. This wastes money, space, and product since it will most likely go bad before you can use it all. Yes, all makeup has an expiration date!

When buying makeup, ask a beautician or rep at the counter for advice on tones. Many places will give you a free sample application in order to determine your tones. They will take into account your defining features, face shape, skin tone and type, and coloration. Pick tones that accent your skin, eyes, and mouth, not mask them!

So now you are back home in front of your bathroom mirror, but foundation and shadow isn’t your first step. In any great makeup kit is also your skin care products.

Taking care of your skin: It is preached everywhere. The reason for this is that many simple practices can help reduce the sagging, wrinkling, drying, and infection that may happen later in life, and will help reduce acne, redness, and swelling in youth. The best idea is to get into a skin routine. Wash your face every morning and night, cleanse with an astringent pad, and apply moisturizer. My favorite and trusted line of products is Neutrogena—I use their stress relief scrub every day, and their acne cleansing pads as well. My moisturizer is Oil of Olay for sensitive skin, as it contains UVA and B protection and has no fragrance.

This process removes all dead skin cells and old makeup, and freshens the new skin, whether or not you are putting on new makeup.

Mascara and liner time? Not yet! There is one last step before applying makeup. Think about the rest of your face being part of the canvas. This means eyebrows, upper lip, chin, teeth, and hair. What I mean is, you’ll want to tweeze and brush those brows upward to create shape, wax or shave any unwanted facial hair,

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