Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: For Everyone from Beginner to Pro (14 page)

2
Check the color to be sure it matches the forehead.

3
Begin applying a small amount of foundation around the nose.

4
Blend the foundation upward into the hairline. Apply foundation all over or only to the parts that need it. Use your fingers to press the foundation into the skin to fully blend.

5
Use a blemish stick after the foundation to cover red spots or blemishes.

THE BEAUTY OF DIVERSITY

Through my work as a makeup artist I’ve had the good fortune to travel around the world and meet women of diverse backgrounds. Through these travels I’ve learned that women of all ethnicities—from Asian to Middle Eastern and Latina—want the same thing when it comes to their skin. They want their skin to look smooth, even, and flawless. Each ethnicity has its own unique (and beautiful) traits and I believe in using makeup that enhances, rather than masks, these traits.

Asian Skin

“Isn’t yellow foundation going to make my skin look more yellow?” is a question that I often hear from my Asian customers when I recommend foundations with yellow undertones. I’ve experimented with countless foundations over the years and I’ve found that yellow-toned foundations always look the most natural—especially on Asian skins.

Many Asian women are prone to and concerned about sunspots, which are the result of sun damage. Aside from wearing sun protection every day, the best way to deal with sunspots is with corrective peach- and pink-toned concealers. Some women have skin with yellow undertones and yellow surface tones. For them, I suggest covering the sunspots with a medium-toned peach corrector. If the concealer is too light in tone it will look gray on the sunspot, so you may have to try a few different tones to find the right one. Other women have skin with yellow undertones and pink surface tones (often the result of skin irritation due to using bleaching agents). The best way to cover their sunspots is with a medium-toned pink bisque corrector. As I mentioned earlier, you’ll know the concealer is too light if it turns ashy when it’s applied on the sunspot. After applying the corrector, gently smooth on a yellow-toned foundation in a shade that matches your skin perfectly.

Black Skin

There are many variations in skin tone among black women, so consider the following advice as general guidelines rather than hard and fast rules. Black skin tends to be darker across the forehead and perimeter of the face, and lighter on the middle parts of the face, including the cheeks. The trick when applying foundation is to create a seamless look between the light/golden and dark/warmer parts of the face. Some women like enhancing the golden tones in their skin, and other women like playing up the warmer tones in their skin. It’s a matter of personal preference and it’s important—whether you are doing your own makeup or you are a makeup artist working with a customer—to know which tones you’re going to focus on.

If you want to go golden, choose a tinted moisturizer or sheer foundation that matches the skin on the center of your face. Apply the tinted moisturizer/sheer foundation just on this area, then use a coppery bronzer on the other parts of the face to diffuse the transition between the lighter and darker areas.

If you want to go warm, choose a tinted moisturizer or sheer foundation in a shade that falls between the lighter and darker parts of the face. Applying a dark shade of foundation all over the face will look unnatural so the idea here is to tone down the difference between the light and dark areas. Look for a yellow-based foundation that has a bit of orange, red, or blue to it, depending on how deep the color of the skin is. Lighter black skin looks most natural with yellow-based foundation that has a touch of golden orange. Very dark skin looks best with yellow-based foundation that has warm cinnamon tones. In all instances, if the foundation looks ashy or gray on the skin, it’s not the right shade.

Latin Skin

Latin women generally have golden skin with olive undertones. Some women have pink surface tones (around the nose and mouth, and on the cheeks) due to skin irritation and sensitivity. Latin skin tans very easily, turning a golden cinnamon during summer months. Alternately, in the winter months, skin tends to take on a yellow-green cast.

Bronzer is a great year-round beauty staple for Latin skin because it can be used in the summer to add warmth to your foundation, and in the winter to counteract sallow coloring. Latinas range in coloring from fair to dark so one shade of bronzer does not fit all. If you are fair, choose a bronzer that has pinky-red tones to it. If you are darker, choose a brownish-red bronzer. When shopping for foundation, look for a yellow-based golden shade to complement the natural tones in your skin. Be careful not to go too golden with your foundation, however, because skin will start to look orange.

Middle Eastern Skin

Middle Eastern skin is very similar to Latin skin in that it is golden with olive undertones. Many women complain of extreme darkness under the eyes. The best way to cover their purplish-green and brownish-green under-eye circles is with corrective peach- and pink-toned concealers. If you have golden surface tones, use a peach-toned concealer one shade lighter than your foundation to cover your dark circles. If you have pink surface tones (due to sensitivity), start with a peach-toned concealer to cancel out the darkness, then layer on a pink-toned concealer to brighten the under-eye area and make it similar in tone to the rest of the face. In most instances this combination of concealers will offer enough coverage. If you still see under-eye darkness, you may have to layer on a third concealer—a yellow-toned one in a skin-tone-correct shade

Multiethnic Skin

Many beautiful mixed-race women need to be open and observant about what makeup looks natural. Basic rules apply, but sometimes these women need multiple products or bronzers as mix-ins to make foundation look great.

MULTICOLOR FOUNDATION & POWDER APPLICATION

Some dark skins need two colors of foundation and two powders to create the perfect foundation to even out skin tone.