[LiteraryLark]

I can see a lot of potential with this thread as a guide of sorts for girls who need makeup and hair advice, but lets start with my issue.

I have no knowledge of how to wear makeup. I remember as a little girl I put on so much blush my mom had to wipe it all off before I went outside. Then in middle school, the only makeup I wore was gold eyeshadow that I wore every day until I was bullied so much for it that I stopped wearing any makeup. This was a blessing, as I became so used to not wearing makeup that I feel "naturally" beautiful. I remember that there was a Full House episode when one of the girls was interested in makeup and was told that the best way to wear makeup is to look like you're not wearing any makeup. In that case, I decided to stick to being naturally beautiful...until now.

Within a few weeks I am planning a major makeover. My job allows me to cut and color my hair however I'd like, wear any style makeup, and have any kind of colored nails. Once I have the makeover I am having my photographer friend stage a photoshoot and prepare myself to walk into work a bolder, edgier, more confident me.

This is the style of haircut I am getting:



And I am getting this color with streaks of pastels blue and purple:



And I will be picking out a pair of square "hipster" glasses (I have an eye exam coming up and get to pick new lenses), likely black or maybe brown calico-colored glasses.

Now onto the makeup portion.

I really don't know anything about makeup, what I need, or how to apply it. I know the basics of what the lid, brow, and crease eyeshadow is and how its used. I did a bit of quick research on how to where makeup while having glasses, but I'm still not sure what cosmetics I'll need (since in the article it's $20+ each). I definitely do not want to spend more than $20 for everything, so I'll also need help on which brand to get.

This is the most current photo of me:


This is a much older photo of me with makeup on, a closer picture so you can see my eyes and features better.



I don't think I need to do anything with my eyebrows except to tweeze them and shape them a little better (I know the basics on how to do that).

I'm debating which color lipstick or lip gloss to use. Since my work allows any kind of makeup, I want to be bold and edgy, but still professional. I usually work in the daytime.

This is the style I'd like for my eyeshadow in gold, but I don't know what to buy or how to apply it to get that look:



In one of the articles it said that for eyeliner it must be one or two shades lighter than the color of my frames. What color should I get if I get black or calico brown?

They also said to use foundation/concealer, but that's way over my head. I have no idea what I need. And I'd probably have to get blush or bronzer, which is also something I am clueless about.

Any other suggestions or advice or things I need to complete my new look? Thank you so much!

[~Christina]

Less is more... That to me is Key.. If your doing lots of lining and color on your eyes then lips cheeks more neutral..

The cost of makeup in general is outragious to be honest, everyone says they have the best this and that.. I use to invest a lot of money on products.. My make up is now simple..

I use a lightweight foundation that is also for skin care ( BB creme) , So its gentle. I use a brown or black eyeliner I have both soft pencil type and liguid, that I can go easy on or do dramatic lines. I have palette of 4 brown eyes shadows, Dark to very light.. I don't use blush, never found any I like to be honest. I have about 8 lipsticks all kinds of colors.

I mostly play up my eyes. I seldom do up my whole face.

I think your hair cut and color is going to be amazing. Start out simple Dont go all all super " Kardashian" trippy overly made up plastic look.. Ick just ick.

Eyebrow shaping can make a huge change. If I had to choose to give up having my eye brows waxed or make up? I would ditch the makeup in a heart beat.

Regardless of what makeup(s) you decide on , please do your skin a favor and have a good cleanser and moisturizer... and always always take it all off before you go to bed.

Just have fun and dont go broke buying a whole lotta stuff that you could easily wear once and decide its dreadful. LOL... YouTube is a wealth of info on how to get "the look" without breaking the bank

[Vossie42]

I can't wait to see your new look! It sounds fabulous! As for makeup, since you're so young and have such good skin, that I don't think you need heavy foundation or concealer. If I were you, I would go with a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturizer. Your photos don't show dark circles under your eyes, so you don't need much concealer there. Since your hairstyle and glasses will be bold, I would go with simple eye makeup. I like the photo you posted of what you like. Take it to a makeup counter at a department store or makeup store and ask them how to do it. I think you would really look good with the cat-eye style eyeliner. That does take practice to do well. There are plenty of video tutorials on that. Lastly, I would opt for bold lips to balance out the bold hair and glasses. It doesn't matter what color. Just whatever you feel like and looks good on you.

Drug store makeup is fine to use. It can loop just as good as the expensive stuff. It's all in the application, and practice makes perfect. I like to shop in discount stores like Big Lots, TJ Maxx, etc. for makeup. More bang for my buck. If I don't like something I bought, then I haven't wasted much money on it.

I also like to buy face wipes from Big Lots. A whole pack of 30 costs only a few dollars. It doesn't get all of my makeup off, but it does get most of it. That way I use less of the somewhat expensive cleanser that I have. (I'm 47 and use an anti-aging formulation.) As Christina said, you really need to wash the makeup off completely every night before bed, or you could wake up with a very pimply face the next morning. A good cleanser to use is Cetaphil or a store brand equivalent. Very good for sensitive skin and relatively inexpensive. If you have large pores, you may want to use one of those battery-operated spinning brushes to help remove the foundation. It's gentle enough to use every day and doesn't have to cost much. You can buy expensive systems for $100+ or you can buy the cheapest thing on the market. I think both will give you the same result. Wal-Mart online has one for $27. From your photos, it doesn't look like you have large pores, so I don't think you need to worry about it.

Have fun and post pictures!

[HALLIEBETH87]

There are tons of videos in YouTube about applying makeup. Might be fun to watch some and get ideas. Good luck!! Your hair is gonna rock!

[marmaduke]

You look good, a pretty girl. Have you considered growing your hair tho?

[MiddayNap]

Originally Posted by LiteraryLark

I can see a lot of potential with this thread as a guide of sorts for girls who need makeup and hair advice, but lets start with my issue.

I have no knowledge of how to wear makeup. I remember as a little girl I put on so much blush my mom had to wipe it all off before I went outside. Then in middle school, the only makeup I wore was gold eyeshadow that I wore every day until I was bullied so much for it that I stopped wearing any makeup. This was a blessing, as I became so used to not wearing makeup that I feel "naturally" beautiful. I remember that there was a Full House episode when one of the girls was interested in makeup and was told that the best way to wear makeup is to look like you're not wearing any makeup. In that case, I decided to stick to being naturally beautiful...until now.

Within a few weeks I am planning a major makeover. My job allows me to cut and color my hair however I'd like, wear any style makeup, and have any kind of colored nails. Once I have the makeover I am having my photographer friend stage a photoshoot and prepare myself to walk into work a bolder, edgier, more confident me.

This is the style of haircut I am getting:



And I am getting this color with streaks of pastels blue and purple:



And I will be picking out a pair of square "hipster" glasses (I have an eye exam coming up and get to pick new lenses), likely black or maybe brown calico-colored glasses.

Now onto the makeup portion.

I really don't know anything about makeup, what I need, or how to apply it. I know the basics of what the lid, brow, and crease eyeshadow is and how its used. I did a bit of quick research on how to where makeup while having glasses, but I'm still not sure what cosmetics I'll need (since in the article it's $20+ each). I definitely do not want to spend more than $20 for everything, so I'll also need help on which brand to get.

This is the most current photo of me:


This is a much older photo of me with makeup on, a closer picture so you can see my eyes and features better.



I don't think I need to do anything with my eyebrows except to tweeze them and shape them a little better (I know the basics on how to do that).

I'm debating which color lipstick or lip gloss to use. Since my work allows any kind of makeup, I want to be bold and edgy, but still professional. I usually work in the daytime.

This is the style I'd like for my eyeshadow in gold, but I don't know what to buy or how to apply it to get that look:



In one of the articles it said that for eyeliner it must be one or two shades lighter than the color of my frames. What color should I get if I get black or calico brown?

They also said to use foundation/concealer, but that's way over my head. I have no idea what I need. And I'd probably have to get blush or bronzer, which is also something I am clueless about.

Any other suggestions or advice or things I need to complete my new look? Thank you so much!

Ah! You're so cute-like a doll! >_< You have rather nice skin as well, so foundation seems pointless. Perhaps a bb cream would be better, as it tends to be more light-weight. You could probably just wash your face, moisturize, and go to be honest. Nothing is necessary unless you wish to wear it.
The first thing to remember is that make-up is merely another medium through which we can express ourselves artistically. If it is used to conform to the societal ideal of beauty-to fix flaws, reshape facial structure-then it has no purpose that isn't damaging. With that being said, have fun experimenting and don't worry too much over what colors you are supposed to wear or how you are supposed to wear it. Everyone can pull off everything if they have the confidence to do so. Personally, I like to have a theme. Today's was Uranus because I felt like wearing blue eye-shadow. Pardon my photograph; I am not very photogenic. I realize it seems quite narcissistic, but I wanted to share how my make-up turned out-as I hope you will in the future.
Happy painting.

[WibblyWobbly]

For your blush, eyeshadow, lip, get cool colors. Warm colors will clash with your hair. When I'm wearing glasses I like to do a bold black eyeliner so you can still see my eyes behind the lenses. You can go to MAC and ask one of the girls walking around to suggest some colors for you and then go by them cheaper at the drugstore Personally, I like loreal and revlon, but I'm sure the quality of the other major brands that are in the same price range is the same.

To do your eyes like the picture, put a lot of powder on your brush and stipple (dab) it over your eye. Then you load your brush with the dark color and dab it in the corner. Don't move the brush around, just dab in one spot. Usually it will look like a mess until you put eyeliner over it, then it comes together. If you need to you can use a clean brush to gently blend the colors, moving the brush from the lighter to the darker color. You don't want to pull any more of the dark color over your lid. Hope that makes sense! There are a ton of YouTube makeup tutorials out there.

[*Laurie*]

You are so cute and you look like a cat

As Halliebeth suggested, go to youtube for make-up tutorials. There are TONS of them, you can watch for hours. For example I used a really good one once by searching youtube for How to eyebrows. Watch out, though...those videos are addictive

[12AM]

Oh, thankfully you made this thread Literary Lark, I was thinking about making it myself. I love make up soooo much. I know just a little about it though, I am still learning. I think the makeover that you did for your photo shot was beautiful. If I can give my opinion, for daily makeup maybe just switch that black eyeshadow into deep brown or deep purple. Urban decay has this naked palette with amazing color. It’s a little bit pricey but really worth it because it has so many color and long lasting. But if you are more into drugstore brand, Maybelline has a good lipstick while L’oreal and Wet n wild are my recommendation for eyeshadows. As for eyebrow, I am in a long relationship with Revlon Hope this help and I am looking forward to hear about your recommendation as well since I am still learning

[Unrigged64072835]

Have lots of fun with the makeup and haircut.

I'd like to wear makeup because my face is red all the time. However, my skin is also sensitive, and even with splurging money on hypoallergenic makeup I feel like I want to scratch my face off when I wear it.

[eskielover]

I went to a makeup party years ago when I was in college. By the time I left my eyes were almost swollen shut from an allergic reaction.

I'm at that older point in life now where I have more important places to use my money & I have more important places to spend my time than in my case...wasting it on makeup. My dogs don't care & the horses don't care. I hate creams on any part of my body,,feels smothering especially in the hot humid summer. So natural is my choice. Hair longer do I can pin it up out of the way....otherwise I get the friz..simple & easy..no fuss no muss when I'm just trying to get out the door because I'm running late anyway

[WhatDayIsItAgain]

What a great idea for a thread! Thank you! I wear wire rim glasses and use very minimal makeup (mascera and lipstick... done). I like your hair (currently) and hope you post an after shot also.

Homemade body cream:
2TBS beeswax
2TBS cocoa butter
2TBS coconut oil
2TBS shea butter
2TBS olive oil
gently warm to melt the beeswax into the oils
remove from heat and add
5-10 drops of essential oil (peppermint and orange is my favorite for my feet)
2 vit e capsules (poke with a pin and squeeze oil out)
mix well and let it cool down to thicken
(This is a thick cream... use a handblender if a lighter thinner lotion is desired)

A strong tea (brown) or strong coffee (black) or lemon juice (to lighten/add hydrogen peroxide H2O2 to bleach) in a spray bottle to apply to hair (leave on hair) can be used as homemade color tint (more than a hair dye)

RoseMountain Herbs has several colors of henna for hair/skin dyes also (semipermanent with no harsh ammonias)

[Patagonia]

I learned about makeup from watching older girls apply it on the back of the school bus!
Yup I'm that old! Lol.
I've come a long way since then & help from you tube.
I love this thread & all the info. Thank you!