When Lancôme Middle East visited Savoir Flair HQ laden with bags brimming with products, our editors were in for a very big beautifying treat. Guided by Lancôme’s amazing makeup artist, Dania Bawab, we were taken through the entire makeup application process, from how to create a beautiful base to how to pick the perfect eyeshadow shade. We learned some amazing makeup tips and tricks that will forever change our beauty routines, and we’ve shared them with you so you too can become your own product pro. Click through the gallery to discover the 14 best beauty tips we picked up at our magical makeup art class.
Shop the key products below.
Skin Prep
To avoid that cakey, cracked look when you apply makeup, start by toning your face with the ‘Tonique Douceur’ to condition and neutralize your skin’s natural PH level. Then apply the ‘Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate’ to keep your skin moisturized and radiant.
The Perfect Base
The products you use for the perfect base depend on your skin type. The ‘La Base Pro Pore Eraser’ is perfect for tightening pores and to mattify skin, so it’s best for people with oily or combination skin. The ‘La Base Pro Hydra Glow’ is ideal for those lacking a bit of luster and who experience dry, flaky skin. Two pumps of primer is plenty, and apply from the center of your face moving outwards (like with your skincare application).
Matching Foundation
To find your perfect shade of foundation, apply it to your jaw-line. This is the middle ground between your neck and face, so it is the best place to test shades. Blend it in, and once the shade disappears you’ll know if it’s the right color for you.
Applying Foundation
Apply your foundation to your forehead first, and to control the amount you use, start with less because you can always build up as opposed to taking some off. Using a fluid foundation brush, take the desired amount (remember, less is more!) of foundation and start from the center of your forehead, blending outwards towards your temples. With the same movement, keep moving down to your checks and chin, continuously moving outward, and repeat on the other side. Make sure you blend in with your hairline and towards your neck to create an even, natural look. Build up if necessary. ‘Miracle Cushion’ is the perfect buildable foundation to blend seamlessly into the skin.
Concealing Under the Eyes
Concealer is usually a shade lighter than your foundation. Take a drop on your ring finger and dab lightly under the eyes. Do not rub it in, as this can cause premature wrinkling. Apply all the way up to the waterline and dab until the concealer disappears into the skin.
Finishing Powder
When using a finishing powder, most women tend to dust or blow on their brushes after applying the powder, which actually gets rid of the product. Instead, push the brush at an angle on the back of your hand before applying it, as this keeps the powder in the brush instead of it falling on your clothes.
Contouring
Your contour should be three shades darker than your foundation. Starting from the center of your ear, apply the bronzer with a flat brush in a circular motion just below your cheekbones, towards the center of your cheeks. Two mistakes that women make are 1) they apply their contour too low which doesn’t give a lifting effect, and 2) they go too far towards the lips which cuts the face. The easiest way to contour your nose is simply by drawing a line on either side of the bridge starting from the brow bone to the tip of your nose. Be sure to blend any harsh lines. This is not to be confused with painting the entire sides of your nose!
Applying Blush
Blush should be applied above the contour, starting in the outer corner using a circular motion to blend with the contour, and finishing with the apples of your cheeks. Then highlight your face with a highlighter on top of your cheekbones. The ‘Blush Subtil Palette’ is perfect as it’s a trio with a blush, contour, and highlighter.
Defining Brows
To see where your eyebrows should start and end, place the tip of your eyebrow pencil at the end of your nostril and measure straight up to the inner corner of your eye for the starting point. For the end, line your pencil up from the tip of your nostril to the outer corner of your eye. For the arch (pictured), place the pencil at the tip of your nose and align it with your pupil. Once this is measured, use the ‘Sourcil Definis’, which is a powdery finish pen, to draw in your eyebrows with light strokes in an upward motion. Blend using the brush at the end of the pencil.
Eyeshadow
Eyeshadow colors should be complimentary to eye color, so this is where we can go back to the elementary color wheel. Blue eyes are enhanced with light corals and faint gold, a muted mauve looks great on green eyes and will instantly make them look greener, and brown eyes can really play around with different colors but earthy bronzes accentuate them the most.
Eye Makeup Trick
Highlight the inner corner of your eyelid using a frosted light-colored eyeshadow. This instantly makes you look wide awake!
Applying Mascara
This amazing technique we learned from Lancôme will forever change the way you apply your mascara! All you need to do is simply look down and sweep your mascara wand down along your lashes before applying your mascara upwards from the roots, as usual. This downward trick ensures every part of your lash is covered and it helps make your lashes longer and thicker.
Lipstick
While eyeshadow shades vary with eye color, the right lipstick shade depends on your skin tone and what you’re wearing. Warm skin tones (those that have more yellow) look great in light and bright pinks, nudes, and red lipsticks with an orange base. Cooler skin tones (pink undertones) are best suited to colors with a blue base, so a deeper red and berry hued colors, for example. Light lipstick colors are easiest applied directly on the lips, however to really create bold lips, use a lip brush for extra precision and dab lightly any extra pigment off with a tissue.
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Photographer Anna Shtraus Photo Editor Maya Itani Beauty Editor Frankie Rozwadowska