Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: For Everyone from Beginner to Pro (30 page)

Step 1

Corrector/Concealer

First, neutralize darkness
with a pink- or peach-toned corrector. Apply with a brush to the deepest or darkest area to prepare for concealer. (Sometimes you can stop here if the coverage is enough.)

Next, choose yellow-based shades
of concealer and layer them over the corrector underneath the eye. Using a concealer brush, apply underneath the eye up to the lash line and on the innermost corner of the eye. Blend by patting with your fingers.

Last, apply pale yellow or white powder
with a brush or puff to set the concealer in place. Also apply powder onto the eyelid to take away shine or darkness.

Under-eye concealer should be one to two shades lighter than your skin tone. If the concealer looks ashy, it is too light. If it looks very yellow, it is too dark.

Applying concealer on the spot next to the inner corner of the eye will open up your eyes and give you a fresh, bright-eyed look.

Step 2

Foundation

To find the perfect foundation shade
, swatch a few shades on the side of the face and forehead, and check the colors in natural light. The shade that disappears is the right one.

Use a brush, sponge, or fingers
to apply foundation where the skin needs to be evened out—around the nose and mouth where there is often redness. For full, all-over coverage, use a brush, sponge, or fingers to apply and blend foundation to the outer edge of the face.

To cover blemishes
, spot-apply foundation stick or blemish cover stick in a shade that matches the skin tone exactly. Pat with your finger to blend. Repeat if necessary.

It’s a good idea to have two shades of foundation—one for the winter months and a slightly darker one for the summer, when skin color tends to be darker. You can blend the two for spring and fall.

For a sheer, casual alternative to foundation, use tinted moisturizer to even out skin tone.

Step 3

Powder

For crease-free, long wear,
apply loose powder in a pale yellow tone (or white, if you are very fair) over concealer using an eye blender brush or a mini powder puff.

Apply powder in the correct shade
for your skin tone to the rest of the face using a powder puff or powder brush.

If skin feels dry, dust powder only around the nose and forehead.

Step 4

Blush

Smile and apply a natural shade of blush
on the apples of cheeks. Blend up toward the hairline, then downward to soften the color.

For long-lasting results,
layer a pop of brighter blush on top.

For an extra glow,
dust a shimmer powder on the cheekbones with a face blender brush, or use a creamy formula applied with your fingers.

Tap or blow off excess powder blush from your blush brush before applying. It is easier to build color in a few light layers than to remove excess color and start over.

Pot rouge or cream blush is a good option for dry skin.

To add a warm tint to skin, use a bronzer on areas where the sun normally hits the face—cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin.

Step 5

Lipstick

Start with clean, smooth lips.

Neutral lipstick shades and sheer formulas
can be applied directly from the tube. Use a lip brush to apply darker or brighter colors, which require precise application.

Use the natural color of your lips as a guide when choosing a lipstick shade. The most flattering shade will either match or be slightly darker than your lips.

If you have thin lips, choose light to medium lip color shades, as dark shades have a minimizing effect.

Step 6

Lip Liner

To achieve natural-looking definition
and to keep color from feathering, line lips with a lip liner after applying lip color. Use a lip brush to soften and blend any hard edges.

To make your lipstick or gloss longer lasting, line and fill in lips with lip liner before applying color.

Step 7

Brows

Define brows
using shadow or pencil in the color of your eyebrows and hair.

To apply shadow,
begin at the inner corner of the brow, and follow its natural shape using light, feathery strokes.

Set unruly brows in place
with a brow shaper.

Fill in sparse areas or holes in the brow with an eye pencil. For the most natural look, layer powder shadow on top.

Soften too-harsh brow color by pressing loose powder onto the brows with a powder puff.

Step 8

Eye Shadow

Sweep a light eye shadow color
from the lash line to the brow bone.

Dust a medium eye shadow color
on the lower lid, up to the crease.

Apply contour color if needed
to fleshy part of lid as a correction and to add depth to eye.

Face powder on bare lids helps create a smoother-looking surface for eye makeup and keeps shadow from creasing.

For a longer-lasting look, use a long-wearing cream shadow.

Step 9

Eyeliner

Line the upper lash line
with a dark shadow color. Apply damp or dry.

After lining the upper lash line,
look straight ahead to see if there are any gaps that need to be filled in. If you also line the lower lash line, make sure the top and bottom lines meet at the outer corner of the eye and that the lower line is softer.

Black eyeliner is the secret to gorgeous, sexy eyes. Layer black liner on top of your normal liner (just on the upper lash line).