As a makeup aficionado, I cannot resist a “beat” face. I love the feeling I get when I have pampered myself into looking and feeling fabulous. As an employed college student, I know that it is important to always look and feel my best. It just makes me happy and that positive energy is surely conveyed to those I with whom I come in contact. However, I do not put on a full face of makeup every day. Makeup is a gift and a curse. How, you might wonder? Well first and foremost your skin is not designed to be covered with products on a daily basis. The skin is a delicate tissue that needs to breathe. When wearing an abundance of makeup, your pores can be clogged with product residue. This can cause breakouts. The face needs to breathe, so it can replenish and rejuvenate cells. If you wear makeup often, your natural skin tone and color will appear dull, lacking its natural luster and shine. Trust me on this ladies, I have been there and done that! The best way to avoid this issue is to give your skin a break, 2 to 3 days each week … meaning no makeup. I know that for some, this will be difficult to do because you want to look and feel your best at all times. However, by giving your face a chance to breathe on a regular basis your skin will look more radiant than ever. Learn to love your natural beauty, and take care of the skin that you’re in. It will love and thank you back!
Cut Crease to Enhance Small Eyes
As women of every hue, shape, and size our differences number as vast as sand on a shore. It’s important to find products that enhance our appearance. Have you thought about what kind of eye shadow techniques can be best used for different eye shapes? Well, for all my women with beautiful small eyes, this one is for you! The cut crease is a perfect idea for those women who feel as if their eyes are too small for a dramatic look. This technique allows you to shape your eyes into appearing bigger and wider. How, do you ask?
1. First grab a liquid or gel eyeliner in a light color, such as a soft brown.
2. Take a small eyeliner brush or an angled brush to draw a faint but noticeable line right above your eyelid crease. The eyelid crease is where the skin just below the brow and the skin on your eyelid meet. Remember, you want to draw slightly above that area. This will make your eyelids appear bigger.
3. After you have drawn the line, begin to blend that product upward. Remember, the key to having amazing eye makeup is to blend, blend, and blend!
4. Once you are done blending upward from the line you drew, it is time to put on your eye makeup as normal. Place the eye shadow color of choice on your lid, and use a transitional color that is close to your skin tone to help blend out the rest of the product that you used from blending out that line.
The key component to achieving this look is to not lose the line you’ve drawn above your crease. You want the line to stand out and to be noticeable, but not too harsh. Remember practice makes perfect. Good luck!
–Iman Hamilton is a native of New Orleans, a university student, model and makeup artist. She is a self-taught entrepreneur with innate talent and a bright future. Photo credit: Beverli Alford.
