Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: For Everyone from Beginner to Pro (8 page)

TREATMENT MASKS
provide intensive supplements to the regular cleansing regimen. Oily and blemish-prone skin will benefit from the application of a clay mask, which helps to draw out impurities, reduce blackheads, and dry up excess oil. Dry skin, or any skin type that’s been exposed to strong sun or wind, can be rejuvenated with a creamy hydrating mask. Masks containing cucumber, chamomile, aloe, or calendula are naturally soothing and good for irritated skin.

STEAMING THE SKIN
helps remove impurities, stimulates circulation, and opens the pores. Herbs, such as lavender or thyme, added to a steam treatment stimulate the skin. Steaming can be helpful for all skin types.

MASSAGE
stimulates circulation and helps to relax the facial muscles, giving the face a smooth and lifted look.

Toners

Toners stimulate circulation in the skin, remove any remaining dead skin cells or greasiness, and give the skin a smooth texture. Toners can be helpful for those who have very oily skin or who wear lots of makeup. Use a toner after cleaning the skin or as an interim cleaner to remove dirt and oil. During the summer, toners can be especially useful, as the skin is more oily and tends to attract more dirt and bacteria. Toners also help to restore the skin’s natural pH balance.

While no cosmetic product can change the size of your pores, toners and astringents can make them appear smaller. These products work by very slightly irritating the skin, causing it to swell, making pores less noticeable.

To apply toner, pat the skin with a cotton ball soaked in the product of choice. You can also spray toner onto the face. Of course, cold water can just be splashed on the face instead.

Toner Options

Alcohol and water are the major ingredients in many skin fresheners, astringents, and toners. Other ingredients can include witch hazel, glycerin, rose water, vinegar, alum, boric acid, menthol, camphor, and other herbs. The major difference in the products is the amount of alcohol they contain. Alcohol strips the naturally occurring oils skin needs to be healthy, so look for a product without alcohol, especially if you have dry skin.

COLD TREATMENT
with a splash of cold water is the best toner and can be used by those with any skin type. It closes the pores and improves the skin’s texture.

SKIN FRESHENERS
are very mild and contain water, such humectants as glycerin or rose water, and very little alcohol (less than 10 percent). Humectants help prevent the evaporation of moisture from the skin. These products are very gentle and are especially good for sensitive, dry, and normal skin.

SKIN TONICS
are stronger, containing water, humectants, and up to 20 percent alcohol. Tonics are for normal, combination, or oily skin.

ASTRINGENTS
contain water, humectants, up to 60 percent alcohol, and antiseptics. These are drying and only suitable for very oily skin or for application to specific problem areas. Witch hazel is an astringent.

Removing Makeup & Cleansing the Skin

Secure hair off the face
with a headband or elastic.

When wearing makeup, it is often necessary to cleanse using a multistep process.
Start with a makeup remover or tissue-off cream to dissolve much of the makeup, avoiding the eye area.

The skin around the eyes is especially delicate
and can be easily irritated. There are makeup removers specifically formulated for this area. Take a cotton pad dampened with the product, and rest or press it gently around the closed eye. Wipe lightly. Do not tug or pull on the eye or surrounding skin.

Apply cleanser to the entire face.
With a cleanser appropriate to your skin type, massage the product into your skin with an upward circular motion. Include the neck, under the ear lobes, and the chin.

Rinse the entire face, including the eye area, with warm
—not hot—water.

Dry the face
with the softest natural-fiber towels you can find. Pat the face dry. Rubbing or hard wiping creates small abrasions on the skin surface, causing irritation, redness, and even swelling.

MOISTURIZERS & SUN PROTECTION

Hydration

The most important skincare step is ensuring hydration. Skin’s tone and flexibility depends on the presence of water in the underlying tissues—water drawn from humidity in the air and moisture added to the skin’s surface. Oil is the skin’s natural protectant, preventing moisture from leaving the skin. Oil in the skin functions as a defensive barrier. It smoothes the texture and helps to maintain skin-cell health. When oil glands overproduce, the skin appears greasy, and when the glands underproduce, the skin becomes dehydrated and flaky. Adding moisture to the skin helps maintain skin firmness, smoothness, softness, and luminosity.

Facial Moisturizers

Moisturizer is the true fountain of youth. Moisturizers form a barrier between the skin and the environment that holds water in the epidermis. They hydrate and plump up the skin so that it looks smooth and bright. The right moisturizer will enhance the look, feel, and health of the skin and can even help temporarily eliminate fine lines and wrinkles. Moisturizers can also protect the skin from pollution, debris, and weather. The right skincare products help makeup go on smoothly, properly adhere to the skin, and last longer.

There are two types of facial moisturizers. Oil-in-water emulsions usually contain humectants, such as glycerin, which attract water. Added water from the environment is wonderful for the skin. The second category of moisturizer is the water-in-oil emulsion. These creams and lotions work by forming a water-trapping barrier on the skin surface. Look for the ingredient sodium hyaluronate, which locks in moisture and prevents it from leaving the skin. Humectants are often added to these products as well.

The major difference between moisturizing products is the ratio of water to oil. Even products labeled oil-free sometimes have small amounts of oil in them. You can sometimes find the ratio of water to oil on the label of a moisturizer.

PETROLEUM-BASED MOISTURIZERS
are very effective at locking in moisture. They can, however, block pores and feel sticky.

VEGETABLE OILS
are sometimes used as the base for moisturizers but in general are not as effective as mineral oils or animal fats.

INGREDIENTS SUCH AS VITAMIN E, COLLAGEN, PROTEINS, HORMONES, PLACENTAL EXTRACTS, AND AMINO ACIDS
are sometimes added to moisturizing products.

VITAMIN A DERIVATIVES
are added to anti-aging products.

CHEMICALLY ENHANCED
products contain agents such as urea, glycolic acid, or lactic acid. They are formulated to improve the moisture-retaining ability of the moisturizer and are often recommended for dry skin.

FRAGRANCES
are added to products to provide a pleasant aroma and to mask the odor of other ingredients.

All skin types benefit from the use of some type of moisturizer.

DRY SKIN
needs a heavier, oil-based moisturizer that will absorb completely into the skin, leaving it feeling soft and supple. Oils are more effective than creams at preventing water evaporation. Look for the ingredients urea or propylene glycol, chemicals that keep skin moist.

NORMAL SKIN
has a healthy moisture balance. Water-based moisturizers containing lightweight oils, such as acetyl alcohol, or silicone-derived ingredients, will help maintain healthy, normal skin.

OILY AND COMBINATION SKIN
types benefit most from an oil-free, water-based moisturizer. Oil-free products are made from synthetic chemicals and contain little to no oils or animal fat. If you have oily skin, use all moisturizers sparingly. Look for products labeled “noncomedogenic,” which means they are formulated to prevent clogged pores. Test moisturizers to find one that leaves a matte finish on the skin. This will minimize shine and the appearance of large pores.

Tips for Moisturizing

Use a fast-absorbing eye cream
under concealer to help skin look smooth, not crepey. The skin around the eyes is more delicate than the rest of the face. For puffiness and wrinkles under the eye, try using a richer formula containing shea butter or beeswax at night.

If your skin is very dry and dehydrated,
use a super-rich moisturizing balm with ingredients like petrolatum, glycerin, or shea butter for better texture and for smoother application of foundation. Warm the balm in your palms before applying it to your face.

Layer different textures
of moisturizers to achieve maximum results. For instance, use an absorbing cream with balms or oils.

If you have oily skin,
try using an oil-control lotion on the forehead and nose to tone down shine. Oil-free formulas hydrate while helping to control overactive oil glands. Foundation applied over the lotion will hold better, too.

For dry, chapped, or cracked lips,
apply a balm formulated specifically for lips.

Try patting a moisturizing balm
onto your cheeks after completing your makeup. It will give a glow to your face and help the foundation look natural.

To create your own sheer, tinted moisturizer,
mix face lotion with foundation.

These tests will help you to determine the ratio of oil to water in a moisturizing product.

Apply moisturizer to your skin. If the skin under the moisturizer is warm, there is a greater percentage of oil in the product. If the area is cool, there is a greater percentage of water. The science behind this is that evaporation cools, and water evaporates. Oil does not evaporate and therefore traps heat in the body.

Put a small amount of moisturizer on a tissue, and hold it over a lightbulb. Products with higher oil content will melt. The wider the area of melted oil, the greater the percentage of oil in the moisturizer.

SENSITIVE SKIN
needs a moisturizer that does not contain fragrances or dyes and is designed for this skin type.

EXTRA DRY AND MATURE SKIN
requires more moisture. Nourishing oils, dense creams, and balms are formulated specifically for both these skin types. These products help to temporarily plump up the skin, making it appear smoother and reducing the appearance of fine lines. Look for petrolatum-based moisturizers that also contain ingredients such as lactic acid or alpha hydroxy acids, which help to prevent dry skin.

Specially formulated moisturizers are needed for the area under and around the eye. The skin surrounding the eyes has smaller pores, is thinner than the rest of the facial skin, and is more sensitive. It is important to keep this area as hydrated as possible. Products on the market target specific problems. Before you go shopping for an eye cream, decide whether you want an eye cream that hydrates and prepares for concealer, or an overnight cream that is rich and emollient. Anti-wrinkle or anti-aging creams contain caffeine, retinol, alpha hydroxy acids, or vitamin C. Anti-darkening creams contain vitamin K or hydroquinone. Also decide if you want two different creams, one for night and the other for day. To avoid possible irritation of the eye, look for an eye cream that does not contain fragrance and has a pH close to that of tears (about 7.5).

Lips are often the first area of the face to wrinkle. Dry and chapped lips are a clear sign that you need to drink more water. While hydrating the body is the first step toward beautiful lips, there are many products that help keep them plump and smooth.

For personal use, have on hand two facial moisturizers, one lighter than the other. On those days when the skin needs more moisture, apply the lighter product first, and then layer the heavier moisturizer over that. Also find a moisturizing product formulated specifically for the under-eye area, lip balm, body moisturizer, and sunscreen. As your skin changes in response to lifestyle, season, or climate, you can treat it with the right hydrating product. Makeup artists carry a full range of moisturizers in their kits.