Grooming:Don’t be a slave of your make-up kit

By The Standard | Jul. 1, 2012

by Heather R That make-up makes one beautiful is a misconception of the purpose of make-up. Make-up should be worn to enhance one’s best features, create the illusion of something, for instance, high cheekbones, or concealing a blemish and simply because getting dolled up is fun.

There are a good number of women who:a) Do not feel beautiful unless they are wearing make-upb) Look unattractive without make-up because people have become used to seeing them with it. To the women who wear make-up because they believe it beautifies them, yes, make-up can make you look more attractive, especially if you know how to apply it correctly.

The right foundation can make your skin look flawless and give you a perfect canvas to work with. However, you should not become dependent on it that it defines your appearance. I used to wear my super-3 (mascara, blush and gloss) every single day but I realised that without it I felt unattractive. I no longer felt comfortable in my natural state and believed that in order to look my best I needed some assistance from the world of make-up, so I began what I called “make-up free Mondays”. Those days were difficult but soon enough I got used to my one make-up free day each week and now I have more make-up free days and it feels absolutely normal. I still feel beautiful.

Make-up cannot give you a narrower forehead, higher cheekbones, fuller lips or a fairer complexion. What you were born with is what you have, so get used to it. Check your relationship with your make-up kit and ensure it is healthy. After all, it is true what they say, true beauty is skin deep.

I have come across make-up application techniques that will give you a fresh, dewy and somewhat flushed face, causing you to look as though you have just come back from a run. Once again, the application is key. If you do not know how to do it properly, ask someone who does know or better yet, use the internet, which is filled with a plethora of techniques. Even beauty magazines have tips that a lady can follow.

A fairer skin complexion cannot be achieved by wearing a lighter shade of foundation; it just looks like you are wearing a mask, totally defeating the purpose of the make-up. You are better off going for the foundation that matches you skin perfectly, it will create a smooth base for anything else you decide to apply on top, eg, eye shadow.

To the women who want to hide their skin imperfections, I will reiterate that correct application is critical otherwise you end up highlighting the imperfections instead of concealing or camouflaging them. The women who are usually number one culprits in this category are the lighter-skinned women who suffer from acne that leaves blemishes on the skin.

I can relate to the insecurities and lack of confidence that comes with having lighter skin with black spots on it.

However, caking on layer upon layer of foundation looks horrendous. The foundation is usually the wrong shade and looks yellowish.

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The blemishes are still as visible as ever. If you want to hide a blemish, buy concealer, in the right shade and apply that before you apply a normal and appropriate amount of foundation. Also, if your skin is breaking out, using oil based, liquid foundation only exacerbates the situation. Instead of trying to conceal blemishes, take care of your skin from the inside out. Eat well, drink your eight glasses of water a day, exercise and find out what it is that is causing the break out or whatever it is you are trying to hide. It is wiser to deal with the cause than treat or camouflage the symptoms.