Makeup Rant and Tips I recently learnt.

I know this post is not about skincare but makeup is and has always been a big part of my life and so naturally I wanted to write about the numerous disastrous events of my life where I looked like a grey ghost because the most famous makeup company in India called Lakme did not have a shade range for their complexion products beyond 3-4 shades of Caucasian skin tones. If you are a brown person then you will know that beauty up until a few years back was all about "looking white". I still remember the school annual days and dance class programs where the makeup artist used to have the Lakme foundation bottles and there used to be 3 lines only namely 'Fair', "Medium' and then everyone else who did not fall under the foundation skintone.

 It still baffles me how complexion was seen few years ago and I will forever be grateful for Maybelline for releasing their fit me line here as that was the first time I found a foundation which did not make me look grey. Of course the issue of beauty still being equated with looking white is still very persistent but I think we have progressed a lot from 4 foundation shade to now even drug store brands releasing at least 15 shades (not that it covers everyone but it is still better than 4). Now that you have read this long introduction let me go straight into tips which I recently learnt which has changed the way I apply makeup.

For foundation shade reference I use fit me in the shade 335 and LA girl concealer in the shade fawn. In MAC shade I guess I will be somewhere between NC 45 and 46. I mostly learnt most of these things from watching Jackie Aina's videos. She is AMAZING and her makeup tips are very useful and I would suggest you guys to start watching Black makeup artists and beauty youtubers because you not only learn how to apply makeup on dark skin but also how to apply makeup on dark skin with issues like pigmentation, acne, etc. 

    If you are like me and your makeup usually ends up looking cakey here are some mistakes that you must be making and fixing it might give you a much smoother finish. Firstly, keep in mind that makeup will not make your face look like it has a filter on. It is makeup and it will end up looking like makeup so have your expectations of how makeup will turn out realistic.

1. Pre makeup prep: While you do not need all the skincare prep you see on the internet to get your face ready for the makeup steps but a basic step of facewash, moisturizer and sunscreen in the morning is enough and in my opinion a necessity to get your base smooth. 
   
   
   
2. Primer: While I see many people say that primer is not a necessity I kid you not the perfect primer can make your base so much more smooth and not cakey. You have a variety of primers available based on finishes like matte finish which is suitable for people with oily skin and for those who like their makeup look matte, dewy finish primers and then there are also primers like pore shrinking or blurring primers which reduce the appearance of pores and textures and even colour correcting primers. They also act as a layer between your skin and the makeup so besties if you are looking for your base to sit perfectly invest in a primer according to your skin type and needs.
   
   
   
3. Do not use your base products like influencers: I am guilty of this step and learnt it the hard way that you do not need to use two pumps of foundation and the unrealistic amount of concealer to get a good coverage. The real reason why influencer's still look flawless and filtered even after using so much makeup is because they record their videos in a studio light and they also use filters and photoshop.
   
   
   
4. Colour correct before going in with base products: I was unaware of this but watching Jackie Aina's foundation tutorial she correctly pointed out that Black and POC women usually have an uneven skin tone and in order to get the base even we need to colour correct the pigmentation. For pigmentation a red toned concealer matching your skin colour or an orange colour corrector should do the trick. 
   
   
   
5. Colour Correct your under eyes before using concealer: Again a tip from Jackie's video which I did not know would affect the routine so much is colour correcting your eye area before going in with a concealer because this would mean that you are giving the concealer an even tone to work on rather than going in directly. This would also give you a better even base to highlight your undereye area. 
   
   
   
6. Use products in the correct order: This is something where I have seen so many people including me make a mistake. Most of us do our makeup as per what we see people on the internet do it and sometimes when you go wrong in the order it can really take off the base layer and make your makeup look patchy. It's always liquid based products first and powder base products after that. Mixing the two can literally lift the base and also make your makeup look weird.
   
   
   
7. Use your setting spray right: Something which I learnt very recently is how to use the setting spray in such a way where you get it to work in the way it is intended to work. This video Jackie uses the setting spray when she is done with her foundation and then dabs it with a beauty blender to set it in place. She says it makes the makeup last long and this is how setting sprays are intended to be used. She then goes onto use it after finishing up with her liquid and cream based products and then as the final step of the look. I think this is the game changing step which we all should include in our makeup routine.
   
   
   
8. Do not be afraid of translucent powders: As much as baking under the eyes is not my thing I do like using loose powder to set my face as the last step before spraying the setting spray as it makes my base stay in place all throughout the day and also keeps my t-zone less oily.
   
   
   

These are some tips I learnt during the pandemic and also wish I knew early because this would have saved me from very embarrassing makeup fails. Well anyways, I hope you guys liked this post and do let me know if you guys would be interested in reading makeup related content.