Fashion Blogs

The look of simple makeup, achieved with a light powder base, a powder which matches the skin, a discreet touch of lipstick - and a delicate bloom of rouge in the evening if you're really so pale that you need it - is enough coverage for a pretty face.

Here are makeup tips to look pretty:

Fortunately, almost any girl can learn to do a smooth makeup job on herself if she keeps in mind that the object is to build up, not cover up, and is willing to practice patiently, striving for natural effects.

FOUNDATION or POWDER-BASE goes on first, and it goes on a freshly cleaned face. Be realistic about your own coloring when choosing a foundation; nothing contributes more to the success of your final appearance than a base which "does something'' for skin tone as well as texture.

If your skin is clear and your coloring good, you can use a colorless base. For pale and sallow skin choose a slightly warmer, darker base. Foundation with a beige cast can tone down skin that tends to get red.

To put it on: With fingertips, stipple foundation lightly on forehead, nose, cheeks, chin, then blend it in all over, carrying it right up to the hairline, if it's to look natural, and fading it off at the base of the throat.

People in the know about cosmetics keep an extra foundation for feature-improving tricks, too. Dark foundation makes prominent features recede, a pale one will show them up. So dark shades are used on either side of a large nose to rover a prominent chin, to soften a too-square jaw, and so on.

ROUGE, if it's cream or liquid, goes on next. The whole point of rouge is to accent the upper part of the face, add sparkle to your eyes, so place it in three dots, as the girl above is doing, where your natural color appears when you are fresh, glowing, and looking your best. Blend it with a clean fingertip, out and upwards almost to the hairline. Never hurry on this part of the job.

If you are nervous of using rouge for the first time, try one of the very pale powder rouges (dry rouge goes on after powder, but looks best with another dusting of powder over it). Tip: Light pink or coral is becoming to young faces. Use pale rouge to contour plump cheeks.

FACE-POWDER puts the finishing touch to a pretty makeup. When applying loose powder, pat (don't scrub) it on generously all over your face and neck with a piece of clean cotton-wool.

When you have a complete coverage (be sure to get it well around the nose and eye areas), take a tissue, a soft powder brush, or your clean band and pat off any excess in light, downward strokes on cheeks, nose, and chin, and smooth off your forehead in side strokes.

You probably think you need no tips on using LIPSTICK, but don't forget to start by powdering your lips, then draw your outline, and fill it in smoothly with bright color.