Makeup - $125 - Education vs. Product?
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Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:03 am

What would you rather spend money on? A makeup class or makeup products? Just curious.

I just want to learn how to do my own makeup very very well. I don't have much makeup either, so I have to invest in that. As far as the class, it seemed more geared towards makeup artists, and the whole hands on factor kind of made me nervous. I can't even do my own makeup well. I also don't know how much there is to really learn, is it just about practice? Most makeup tips on application always seem to be the same. What is the best way to learn how to do your own makeup to look professional and flawless? Are videos and books enough?

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:45 am

I learned by doing. I wasn't big into makeup until I got into my 20s. You try some things, sometimes it doesn't work out, try some other things. I learn a lot of tips from Allure magazine, from application to new products to try. If I were you, I'd buy products rather than going to a class. You could even go to a makeup counter in a department store-- they'll help you pick out colors and show you how to use them. And they won't charge you $125. Seriously, you could get a great makeup wardrobe for that amount of money.

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:18 am

One thing to be cautious of when you go to a makeup counter -- their job is to sell you as many products as possible. I don't like to look like I am wearing a lot of makeup and even if I tell them this over and over, there have many sales people who still want to pile it on! If you can filter out the nonsense for you, you can often find a few jewels of knowledge or product that make it worth the effort.

Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:52 am

I do wear makeup already, I just don't know how to do it so it looks pro. and sophisticated. It looks ok, I just don't know like how to best conceal things, how to best wear blush, how to do different looks for my eyes and shadows especially.

I don't really want to go to a makeup counter. I was planning on just getting the Jane Iredale line and adding to it. I don't even know what essentials I should start with, since it is expensive. I know I need base and finishing powder, but do I really need a primer? And a primer for eyeshadow? How many eye shadows do you need for a good amount of looks? Things like that.

As far as education, the class was for 6-7 hours. I still kind of regret not going to it, but I will spend the money on product now instead.

I still want to get some books and videos though. Any recommendations?

free skin care · Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:46 pm

As someone who has taken makeup classes as part of my esthetic certificate; everyone has different ideas on makeup. Personally, my instructor was more into colour than I would be.

I have done makeup in a skincare/makeup place (Carol Baker Visage). We were really sales people first of all. Our manager wanted us to sell product (preferably skincare). The idea of makeup was so women would not be walking out of the store with no makeup. We did sell makeup; but the emphasis was to sell skin care. BTW the skincare is really average.

So if our manager was not around, we were more willing to talk about makeup and spend more time on application.

If you go to a counter, check out how their makeup is done. I also want someone closer to my age (I am mid forties), preferably 30 something or older.

I would go to the library and get as many books as possible.

Some possible books:

Anything by Kevin Aucion - beautiful makeup, very artistic

Bobbie Brown (natural & she is 50!)

5 minute face by Carmindy - basic

Allure - Confessions of a magazine editor

There is others but those are what I am thinking of right now.

free skin care · Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:29 am

I would also recommend kevyn aucoin's books. very good. and if you decide to go to a makeup counter, avoid lines that specialize in color (like MAC) and go to a counter like Laura Mercier, where they specialize in a natural look (the 'flawless face').

and remember -- counters will always try and talk you into primers, sealants, extra brushes, etc, but all you really need is a great concealer, tinted moisturizer, translucent powder, great lipstick/gloss and a couple of shadows and a natural blush to have a complete makeup wardrobe.

free skin care · Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:42 am

I would spend my money on makeup rather than the class hands down, but then I'm very comfortable with the entire process and try new things so I don't get stuck in a rut. It really depends upon where you're at. I tend to apply makeup in much the same way I would paint a portrait [only the colors I use on my face are much more realistic than my impressionistic paintings Laughing

]

Any structure, be it your face or anything else needs definition and modeling to bring out the best. The trick is to determine where it works on YOU. Any area you would like to "pull forward" should receive a little highlight or warm color. Any area you would like to recede or "push back" should be darkened or toned down with cool colors. . It's the contrast between light and dark, warm and cool that creates definition rather than the color aspect of applying makeup.

I have a longish oval face with a high forehead; cheekbones aren't quite as prominent as I would like, nose needs slight sculpting and the vast expanse that is my forehead Very Happy

can use a little playing down.

I use Dr. Hauschka pressed bronzer [this shade may not be right for everyone] to push back areas I want to recede, then follow up with pulling forward to make them pop. To sculpt my cheekbones, I apply a tiny bit of bronzer directly below the bone [suck in your cheeks and create fish lips to find them]. Then apply the bronzer on the sides of my nose to narrow it a bit and right below the orbital bone on my eyes to make that area recede. I'll apply a bit of the bronzer on my temples as well, then blend the edges in well so I'm not appearing to wear "stripes" on my face lol!

To highlight and add the "pop"; alongside every place where I darkened slightly with the bronzer, I apply a highlight to create the contrast. A very light pink goes directly on top of my checkbones and center of my forehead. blend. A light shadow is applied directly underneath my eyebrow just above the dark shade and a very light pink is applied to the tip of my nose to push it out and contrast with shading on the sides.

If you don't know where to pull forward and push back according to your own structure, then I probably would go ahead and invest in a makeup course. You'll be able to apply these principles for the rest of your life.

HTH,

athena

free skin care · Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:49 pm

autumn95 wrote:

As someone who has taken makeup classes as part of my esthetic certificate; everyone has different ideas on makeup. Personally, my instructor was more into colour than I would be.

I have done makeup in a skincare/makeup place (Carol Baker Visage). We were really sales people first of all. Our manager wanted us to sell product (preferably skincare). The idea of makeup was so women would not be walking out of the store with no makeup. We did sell makeup; but the emphasis was to sell skin care. BTW the skincare is really average.

So if our manager was not around, we were more willing to talk about makeup and spend more time on application.

If you go to a counter, check out how their makeup is done. I also want someone closer to my age (I am mid forties), preferably 30 something or older.

I would go to the library and get as many books as possible.

Some possible books:

Anything by Kevin Aucion - beautiful makeup, very artistic

Bobbie Brown (natural & she is 50!)

5 minute face by Carmindy - basic

Allure - Confessions of a magazine editor

There is others but those are what I am thinking of right now.

I love Caryl Baker Visage Waterproof Khol Eyeline in Charcoal green #3 - I used it for yrs.

I have never been able to get the eye liner again as they closed the store in Winnipeg many yrs ago. Sad

Sat Oct 20, 2007 4:52 pm

Thanks. As I said, I'm not going to buy conventional makeup though.

Thanks athena123. That's exactly the kind of advanced stuff I want to know and learn how to do, I just really think I need to see it done, rather then read about it. Maybe I'll look for some videos.

free skin care · Sun Oct 21, 2007 5:26 am

I love Caryl Baker Visage Waterproof Khol Eyeline in Charcoal green #3 - I used it for yrs.

I have never been able to get the eye liner again as they closed the store in Winnipeg many yrs ago Quote

Northerngirl:

There is still Caryl Baker stores open. The Head Office is in Toronto. Maybe if you email head office and tell them you would like one shipped (providing it is a stock item) I am sure that could accommodate you.

free skin care · Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:06 am

I started looking for a tutorial of how to use certain makeup brushes on YouTube, and I gotta tell ya, there are a LOT of other makeup tutorial videos you can access there, for free! I too recommend going for product rather than training. Even though I too have trouble with certain makeup looks that I'd like to learn better.

I know I'll get them down better with practice, and I also know that having the right brushes really helps. But I'd sooooo spend the money on goodies -- I like my $$ to go to products rather than services. Smile

Try YouTube and just search for the particular looks you're after -- and let us know the results! Good luck!

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