Cosmetics (Photo credit: My Sight, as You See.)

A couple of years ago, I published a post entitled, “Makeup or Mask?” I described a mini makeup party my business partner and I hosted, where we encouraged the aspiring makeup-wearers to never feel they need to cover their natural beauty. I love working with women who don’t usually wear makeup – there’s a real rush I get from teaching women to put on makeup and then see the look of surprise on their faces when they see how natural it looks! Come on, no one wants to look like a clown.

Once you learn the basic techniques, there are some other basics that are nicely outlined in an article I discovered from The Beauty Department, “To See or Not To See.” This article gives two major lists – makeup that should not be detected easily (foundation, concealer, bronzer, illuminator, eye/lip liner, blush and mascara).  and makeup that should be bold and statement-making (lipstick, bright shadow and bold liner). Read and apply these tips liberally! Wear your makeup, not a mask!

WE wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes

– Paul Lawrence Dunbar