We asked make-up artist Viorela Coman to give us her top tips for men who are just starting out with their exploration of make-up, and to write a glossary of terms that they'll need to know if they're looking to succeed in such a complicated world of beauty! Here's what she had to say...
Fashion and Beauty on Female First
Exfoliating is your best friend when it comes to fresh skin – do it twice a week with a gentle product like Peel & Polish Exfoliating Enzyme to resurface your skin for a brighter and smoother complexion.
Cleansing your skin is a stepping stone for looking great so use a gel cleanser like the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish to kick start your routine in the morning.
You can also start with micellar water to cleanse your skin and prep up for make-up. (B. Pure Micellar Water is great!)
Use cotton pads and make sure you remove any trace of dirt/pollution/make-up to allow fresh skin to breathe and be able to absorb all the moisture in.
If you have normal to dry skin use a lightweight moisturiser (Embryolisse Lait Creme Fluide) and if you have combination skin feel free to consider a gel-based mattyfing texture. Try Bioderma Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF30 Matifying Fluid 40ml or Sukin Oil Balancing Mattifying Facial Moisturiser.
Let that sink in completely and then feel free to add in the much-needed sunscreen on top since sun is the number one concern in skin aging, a SPF 30 is the common choice to make if you do care about your skin on the short and long term (La Roche Posay Antehelios Ultra Light Fluid).
Now your skin is all prepped up and ready to get to the next phase of transformation: make-up!
For grooming, you need a great base that looks as close to natural as possible.
The way to choose your foundation colour is to try two of the closest shades to your skin on your jaw line and see which of the two blends in completely. That is your colour! You also need to try out different textures and see which ones agree with your skin type – if your skin is dry, go for hydrating and soothing textures and if your skin is combination to oily go for mattifying foundations.
Choose a high coverage concealer to use under your eyes and on the areas that need perfecting like spots and dark spots areas (Bare Minerals Complete Coverage Serum Concealer). If you are a recovering perfectionist, that would be enough to get you out the door. If you want the full look, do use two drops of foundation and buff them in with a damp sponge or synthetic hair brush. I also use fingers to dab the foundation in so feel free to experiment which way you like most. Go over with a bit of concealer where you feel like you need extra coverage.
Set your base with a touch of powder, focusing on your T-Zone which usually gets shiny. I always recommend IT Cosmetics Pores Loose Powder, it adaps to any skin tone.
Brush up your eyebrows with a clear mascara wand for an overall lifting effect of the face.
Use a few spritzes of spray that is lightweight to set your make-up in place and add some extra hydration. (Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist is one of my faves)
Glossary
Serum: Serum is a skincare product to be applied after cleansing but before moisturising. Due to its active ingredients and tiny molecules it can penetrate deeply into the skin tissue.
Moisturiser: Face lotions and creams rich in texture that hold water in the outer layer of your skin. The ingredients are attract water into the skin and also smooth the skin, preventing thus the skin from drying. Moisturisers are a barrier created on top of the skin to keep all moisture in and nourish your skin.
Micellar Water: Make-up remover that make make-up residues, impurities or pollution vanish without leaving traces of oil behind like most makeup cleansers.
Base: Make-up of the face including foundation and concealer, except eye and lip make-up.
SPF: Sun protection factor is an ingredient that has the ability to block the harming effect of the sun on skin (ultraviolet radiation of the sun). Sunblock is recommended to be applied ideally every two hours and comes either added in moisturisers or separately – SPF 30 or SPF 50 are the best to go for in terms of protecting your skin from its number one aging factor.
Concealer: Also known as corrector is used to cover dark circles, spots, blemishes or other imperfections visible on the skin. It is more pigmented than foundation and has a higher coverage when applied on skin.
Foundation: liquid or powder makeup applied to achieve an even complexion and covers flaws.
Powder: Cosmetic used to set foundation that minimises shine caused by excess sebum. Can be translucent, in which case it adapts to any skin tone or it can have colour in which case you need to choose a similar one to your skin tone. Can be either pressed or loose.
Buffing: Applying your foundation in circular motions all over the skin, perfecting it as you go along.
Exfoliating: The process of removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin using a chemical peel, scrub or grainy product. Skin naturally renews itself every 30 days and by using exfoliators you help the natural process, preserving a youthful and fresh effect of your skin.
Hyper pigmentation: The darkening of an area of skin as a result of abnormal excessive production of melanin (the pigment that contributes to skin colouring)
Primer: A cosmetic product that preps the skin (can be a cream, gel or liquid) used before applying foundation. The purpose is to smooth out pores and fine lines, as well as mattifying the skin. This way the make-up will be long-lasting.
Baking: Make-up technique where translucent powder is generously applied over your make-up base while allowing the heat from your skin to set it. After a few minutes, remove the excess for the final, flawless result.
Tagged in makeup