Beauty And Fitness
| I Need A Makeover! Where Do I Start? |
| By : Pallavi Mathur | Previous | Next |
| Posted on : 03 Feb, 2007 | Total Views : 406 |
I NEED A MAKEOVER! WHERE DO I START?
by Shalini Vadhera
We all want to look fabulous and stay current with the latest trends, but where do we start? When you decide it's time to make over or update your look, my first piece of advice is don't panic! It can seem overwhelming at first, especially if you feel like you need to do everything at once. But with a few guidelines, your makeover can be simple and fun.
First, assess your needs and focus on one place to start. Bring in a professional to teach you what to do. Once you get help in that area, everything else will fall into place. Here are some more-specific tips to use as a roadmap to makeover perfection.
• Assess your beauty challenge.
• Don't do it alone.
• Don't spend a lot.
• Update your hair.
• Don't age yourself
• Shape your eyebrows.
• Play with colour.
• Update your makeup.
1. Assess your biggest beauty challenge.
Stand in front of the mirror and take a look at yourself. Ask yourself what you feel needs improvement or updating. Is it your skin? Or the shape of your eyes? Have you worn the same lipstick shade for the last three years? Do you look older than you are? Figure this out, and you will know where to begin your makeover.
2. Don't do it by yourself.
Bring in the professionals! Hey, that's what we're here for! Just make sure to get the most out of your time and money, and make every appointment a lesson. If makeup is your issue, schedule an appointment with a makeup artist at a department store and learn how to do it on your own. Ask for a face chart of the makeup application techniques she uses and then tape it to your mirror as a cheat sheet. If you need hair help, ask your stylist to show you what products to use and how to style your hair at home. The same goes for your wardrobe: Numerous stores offer personal shoppers who can pick clothes to suit your style and shape, plus offer advice so you can better choose ensembles yourself.
3. Don't feel like you have to spend a lot of money on new products.
Here are my rules when it comes to buying products: Invest in good skin care, so your skin is as healthy and glowing as possible. And invest in core products - the products that you wear every day to enhance your natural beauty. These are not products that you use once in a while to match a certain outfit. Your core products are those that enhance your eyes, hair and face, no matter where you go or what you wear.
4. Update your haircut and colour.
The fastest way to update your look is to get a haircut. Just cutting off split ends makes a difference. While you're at the salon, talk to a colourist. Subtle highlights or lowlights can also do wonders for your total look. You'll feel like a new person!
5. Make sure your makeup isn't aging you.
If you're stuck in a makeup rut, chances are you've been applying makeup the same way for years. If that's the case, it's time to reevaluate. Do you use black eye liner? It can age you 10 years. Switch to softer colours, like deep purple or navy. Do you cover your entire face with foundation? There's no need to with today's formulations; just apply it to the areas that need coverage. Is your lip liner darker than your lipstick? That looks heavy and dull. Your liner should match your lipstick perfectly.
6. Have your eyebrows been professionally shaped.
Getting your eyebrows shaped will instantly lift your face, draw attention to your eyes and give you polish. Once you have them shaped at a salon, they're much easier to maintain with tweezers at home. As we all know, the eyes have it - so frame them well!
7. Play with colour.
Don't be afraid to try new shades: a lighter lipstick shade, for example, or a softer, more pastel shadow. If you're on a budget, the drugstore is a great place to experiment with colour without investing a lot of money.
8. Make over your makeup bag.
Makeup doesn't last forever. In order to keep your look fresh, please discard makeup that is stale and old. Mascara should be thrown out after three months, foundation after a year and eye shadow after two years.
