Makeup Tips/How To

Girls, can I get a woot? I love it when we share our collective makeup knowledge to help each other out. Reader Jess could use a little of our makeup TLC.

Hi Karen,

I always read your blog and love how interactive you are with your posts.

I had a question. Do you have any advice on what type of makeup to wear to graduate school? I am a vet student and have to look professional and not done up since I will probably be doing some nongraceful work with animals.

Also nothing too smudgeable… wrangling cats is harder than it appears. I need to do something new with my makeup routine, which now consists of powder, mascara and chapstick.

Thank you,

Jess

Hey there, Jess! Congrats on grad school. Even though Tabs detests trips to the vet, I appreciate everything they do to keep him healthy and happy.

How Tabs looks when I tell him he’s going to the vet…

When it comes to conservative, workplace-friendly makeup, my rule of thumb is to stick to subtle colors, finishes and textures — nothing too bright, glittery or glossy. The idea is to look pulled together (as opposed to flashy) and to wear makeup that lasts.

Here are a couple quick ideas…

Face

Powder to cut down the shine. You mentioned that you already wear powder. That’s great. If your skin’s in good shape, and you’re happy with your powder, then stick with it. Powder evens out your skin tone and cuts down on shine.

Now, if you have any red patches on your skin and would like something you can also wear to dinners or professional events, consider picking up a tube of tinted moisturizer to wear beneath your powder.

I really like Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer ($42) because it provides light-to-medium coverage and builds easily. Stila’s Sheer Tinted Moisturizer With SPF 30 ($36) and Becca Luminous Skin Colour ($42) are good, too.

Eyes

First, add some color. Clinique makes a fab long-wearing cream shadow called Quick Eyes Cream Shadow ($15) that’s easy to apply and lasts all day long. I’m a big fan.

From top to bottom: Sparkling Nude, Lucky Penny

I like Sparkling Nude (a shimmery pinkish champagne) and Lucky Penny (a shimmery bronze). Both can brighten up tired eyes in a pinch.

The ladies love Heather!

Other cream shadows I like: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Heather ($22) and Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit ($19).

Next, define your eyes with a long-wearing gel eyeliner. When I need liner that lasts, I turn to MAC Fluidline ($15) and Laura Mercier’s Flat Eye Liner brush ($25).

Fluidline can look intimidating in her pot, but she’s actually really easy to use once you get the hang of it.

For work, I like either Blacktrack (a matte black) or Dip Down (a matte brown) in either a crisp line along the upper lash line or smudged around both the upper and lower lashes.

Finally, curl and add mascara. Consider splurging for the legendary Shu Uemura Lash Curler ($15). I think it really is worth all the hype it gets.

One last thing — get your brows in gear. Good brows can make a huge difference by helping to frame your face. Consider getting them waxed or plucked by a professional, or have a trusted friend help out.

Fill in the sparse parts with a powder shadow like MAC Concrete, Cork or Omega using a MAC 266 Small Angled Brush ($18.50).

Cheeks

Color your cheeks with cream blush. I love The Multiple Orgasm ($37; I know… The name is totally funny) cream blush by NARS.

It’s a shimmery peachy pink that many people consider universally flattering. I like to apply it with the Sonia Kashuk Flat Top Blush Brush ($15), but fingers work great, too.
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Hey, girls. Raise your hands if you’ve ever had trubs with mascara smudging at the end of the night. Yes, I’ve been there, done that, too. MBB Babe Amanda recently sent an email asking what she could do to avoid the dreaded end-of-the-night (or day) mascara smudge, and I thought ya’ll might be able to help.

Amanda would like to know…

Mascara application seems to be easy, but at the end of the night (after the party), I can see smudges below my eye (right on the eye circles). I believe these are mascara smudges because they’re black … and they don’t look really pretty. 🙁

Can you give me advice and some techniques on how to apply mascara PROPERLY, so I can avoid these smudges in the future?

Heya, Amanda. I’ve noticed three things when it comes to avoiding the dreaded mascara smudge at the end of the night.

First, waterproof doesn’t necessarily mean smudge-proof. Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara, for example, tends to smudge on me, so it’s not a given that waterproof products won’t ever smudge.

Second, I always make sure I’ve removed any excess mascara from the wand before I use it. Before I apply mascara, I’ll gently swipe the brush head against a clean paper towel. Just one quick swipe is fine. It removes any extra mascara from the brush and seems to make a big difference in terms of reducing smudging for me.

Third, no two mascaras are alike when it comes to smudging. You might need to try a few before you find one that won’t smudge on you, but two mascaras I DON’T recommend are Maybelline Great Lash ($5) and Givenchy Phenom Eyes ($28). They tend to smudge like mad on me, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll smudge on you. To a degree, it boils down to trial and error and personal preference.

Here are a few mascaras that I’ve had good luck with: Stila Lash Visor ($12.50), Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara ($14), Chanel Exceptionnel Mascara ($30), MAC Mascara X ($12.50) and L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black ($8).

If you end up trying any of these, purchase your tube from a store with a good return policy (like Sephora or Rite Aid), and save your receipt. That way, you can return it if it doesn’t work out. 🙂

MBB gals, do you have any other advice for Amanda? Are you, too, plagued by smudgy mascara?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen