There tends to be a negative view of women admitting that makeup makes them more confident, but I never understood that. Of course, makeup makes you feel better about yourself, and it should. That’s why many women decide to invest in permanent makeup from somewhere like Girlz Ink; so that they can always look at their very best. We always feel more confident right after a new haircut, with a new outfit, or when we know our makeup looks flawless. Makeup is a tool but it’s not a solution. This is what a lot of people tend to forget. Literally, at the end of the day, anyone who wears makeup will eventually wipe it off and start again the next day. Something else that may give you a confidence boost is taking care of your skin. If you take your skincare as seriously as you do when it comes to makeup, whatever you put on your face, whether it is foundation or highlighter, it will look even better. Even if you are thinking about adding a new step in your skincare routine, like using cbd oil, it may benefit you to look into cbd dosage guide to see how much you should be using. If it works for you, then that’s even better. As long as it makes you feel good about yourself, whether it is through doing your skincare routine everyday or wearing makeup, that’s all that should matter. You might want to check out some Makeup tips for busy women if you are looking for the best ways to glow up with makeup.
Face
Foundation
Whether your problem area is red cheeks when you blush or acne scars from your teenage years, foundation creates an even skin tone that can really help fight insecurity. If you still have acne, foundation can reduce the visibility of the acne but won’t change the texture of the skin. There are, of course, products that can get rid of acne but it’s not something that’ll happen overnight. The worse thing you can do is pick or prod your acne right before you put on your foundation because the makeup can then irritate your skin even more and create more scars. If you need a little more help on this issue, you might find the advice from Renee Rouleau Blog quite helpful. As somebody who gets red at the first sip of wine or the first eyebrow wag of a cute guy, foundation is one of the only ways I can keep my appearance of being cool and collected. Nobody wants to get red and flustered at a networking event or when meeting a Tinder crush, and foundation (and color correcting) can really help there.
Concealer
I don’t get nearly enough sleep and stress causes me to have hormonal breakouts, and concealer helps cover these up. Can you imagine trying to command respect in a presentation with giant blue bags under your eyes? And how annoying is it to be 35 and still getting hormonal breakouts? Concealer is your key to hiding those signs of stress we are all prone to. Using a peach colored concealer/corrector under your eyes will hide the blue hue of under eye circles and a green toned concealer can help hide the redness of breakouts. Remember that setting your concealer with powder (banana powder or brightening for under eyes and translucent or powder foundation for acne concealing) is a must to prevent creasing of this thicker formula.
Bronzer and Blush
So you take color out of your cheeks just to add it back in? Sounds a little crazy, but if you are using foundation then you really do have to add dimension and color back onto your face. Bronzer doesn’t have to mean Kim K style contouring, it is meant to just warm up your face a little. Bronzer should be applied in a 3 shape on each side of your face- on your temples, under your cheekbones, and on your jaw line. Blush can be placed differently depending on your face shape. It can be applied to just the apples of your cheeks or can be used to ‘contour’ your cheeks with a darker color towards to the ears and a lighter shade on the apples of your cheeks. Knowing you are rocking a sexy flirty flush can add some serious swagger to your step.
Eye Makeup & Brows
I love my eyes, they’re the focal point of my face, and I’m always amazed how much better I look with some mascara, tight lining, and filled in brows. Nobody’s telling you to have ‘eyebrows on fleek’ or some makeup guru dramatic eye look, but a little bit of shadow in your crease, mascara, and some brow gel can totally transform your face.
No matter your level of experience with makeup you can rock a great eye look, I promise. Using a soft brown in your crease (cool or warm depending on your skin tone) and a nice cream or shimmer shadow on your lid will give a stunning backdrop to your lashes. Speaking of which, you need mascara! Find one (or a combo of mascaras) that you know makes your lashes look great and run with it. My personal fave is Tarte’s Lights, Camera, Lashes but I have high hopes for It Cosmetics Superhero mascara which is on it’s way to me (thanks, Ulta). Tight lining is using an eye pencil (dark brown or black preferably) to fill in your lash line by applying it to the inner rim of your upper eyelid. This makes your lashes look fuller and really frames your eyes beautifully. Try it, I promise you’ll see a world of change.
Brows can honestly make or break your whole look. I have always had very light eyebrows so filling them in is a necessity for me. I use either a pencil or a powder to run through my brows and fill in gaps or darken up my hair that does exist there and then set it with a brow gel. Not sure what your brow shape should be? I suggest heading to get them waxed or threaded by a salon you trust and then tweezing to upkeep the shape.
Highlight and Lips
The finishing touch for me on any look, and the last thing I put on, is highlighter and my lip shade. I’m addicted to Becca’s highlighters in Opal and Champagne Pop right on the tops of my cheekbones and on my cupids bow. It adds a final badass, in your face, glow to any look. With it there’s no denying you’re out to be noticed and I love that about it. Don’t be afraid to shine, babes!
When it comes to the lips there are just so many options. My current fave is liquid lipsticks but gloss, creams, and satins are all great options, too. I go for longwearing and lean towards bold, bright lips or mauve colors. I love when women rock a bold red or a brazen nude, though. Find a color and a formula that you love and make it a part of your signature look.
Get you some
You don’t need a full face of makeup every day and you don’t have to use all these products even if you decide to use makeup more, but I encourage you to play and explore. It doesn’t have to be intimidating to try new looks, colors, and techniques. I’m nobody’s makeup guru but I do love makeup, am proud to say that it helps me feel more confident. Don’t shy away from that purple lipstick you don’t think you can rock or the smoky eye you think you’ll never master because you can, and you will. Remember, it’s a confidence booster not a confidence maker. Believe you can rock a look and you just will.
If you want to have some fun playing with makeup, getting reviews and recommendations from women just like you, then head on over to Nobody’s Beauty Guru– a whole website dedicated to helping the average makeup user understand makeup more. Be sure to tag #nobodysbeautyguru in your instagram pictures of makeup faves and looks so we can like and comment.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
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- Makeup as a Confidence Booster - March 8, 2016
