Words by Micah Avry Guiao
Photos by Gabi Fresnido
While formal events can be enjoyable, I sometimes dread them. Not because of the expensive gowns or how brain dead I can get when picking out a gift, but because I had to learn makeup by myself since going to salons every other week to have my makeup done wasn’t a viable option for me.
Time and time again, I would make do with what I thought I knew how to do. I’ve watched a couple of makeup tutorials on YouTube, but it was difficult considering they didn’t have the same face shape, skin type, and features as I did.
“Fake it ’til you make it” was my motto, and only recently did I realize that despite this motto’s success in most parts, this wasn’t to be used for the art of makeup. That was past me. Today, I feel like a makeup god. This is because I recently added a makeup workshop hosted by Props Tools & Cosmetics. And like the title suggests, here are some tips, tricks, and techniques that particularly stuck with me:
First and foremost, it’s essential to know that skin care and tools come first. Invest in those before anything else–even before you purchase make-up. This is the one fact that I wish I’ve known before I started harboring all kinds of makeup I didn’t really know how to use. Frankly enough, you wouldn’t even see the need to use makeup once your skin thanks you for the special attention you give it. You will be rewarded with clean, smooth skin that no amount of foundation can attain.
Another thing is to clean our tools regularly. That go-to foundation powder you use daily because you’re too lazy to spend time looking decent? The sponge needs to be cleaned once a week, if not everyday. This is because we apply the sponge on mornings, then retouch on afternoons, leaving all the sweat and bacteria to accumulate on the sponge. (I have been personally victimized by this. I never bothered to clean my sponge at all.)
Foundation: In order to find your right shade, avoid swatching the test products on your hand. This is because our hand is almost never the same shade as our face. Instead, what you can do is apply the foundation near the jaw, then blend all the way down to where your face meets your neck. If the foundation starts to become undetectable, then you’ve found your shade.
Eyebrows: I’m fairly familiar with eyebrows since I attend to the shaping and filling of mine every day. However, it’s good to remember that eyebrows don’t just form a curve similar to that of a circle’s. The brow should go straight, then the arch comes in later. The eyebrow should also start light then followed by darker filling as it reaches its end.
Contour: Let me say this once: it is significant for you to contour according to your face shape (this you can learn immediately with a few Google searches). Â Not only does contour give a pop of color to your face, but it also accentuates your face definition. There are three common places to contour: On the forehead, on the cheekbone, and on the chin.
Eyeshadow: This is especially intimidating to most since the eyelid is a small and somewhat irritable area to work with. No matter what kind of look you’re going for, one tip I’ve found to be very helpful is to always pat off excess eyeshadow after you dip the brush into the palette. This prevents the makeup from looking dirty or all over the place.
Of course, these are just a few things on the basics of makeup application. What I’ve learned and shared here probably only comprise a tenth of what Props Tools & Cosmetics’ workshop taught me. I had expected a lecture when I walked in the door but surprisingly, the whole experience was very hands-on–props to Props!
Related: Beyond Basic: This Makeup Studio Teaches You How To Do Makeup That Suits Your Face!
Although most of the participants were beginners, they were more than successful in accomplishing a full face of makeup. At the end of the day, we were confident and animated–and isn’t that whatmakeupp is all about?
What I’ve come to realize is that make-up isn’t as intimidating as it looks and, really, anyone is capable of putting on some themselves.
Props Tools & Cosmetics
5/F RFM Corporate Center, Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City
propstoolsandcosmetics@gmail.com
0917 119 9737
Facebook: propstoolsandcosmetics
Instagram: @propstoolsandcosmetics
