Monsoon is all about clammy weather and it is really difficult to pick up the right makeup and even difficult is maintaining the same. Your makeup has much to do with your mood. So, careful selection of makeup is absolutely necessary. Here are 10 makeup tips for monsoon that you will find handy in case you don’t know where to start:

1. The first and foremost thing to do is to keep your skin clean. During monsoon oily skins have a tendency of creating a fuss. So, an astringent application is a must for those who have oily skin and for normal skin types, a toner is a must.

2. If you have a tendency of sweating during the monsoons, it is very important to take care of that to make your makeup last. Rubbing your face with an ice cube for 10 minutes is a good thing to start with after you wash your face properly.

3. If you are eyeing towards creamy foundations, it is a strict no-no for those with oily skins! These creamy foundations will make your skin look oily and creamy. It is important to make your face look fresh and this can be achieved only when you get rid of excess greasiness. Applying powder will take care of the greasy nature of your skin and make it look vibrant. Or, you can alternately go for a matte finish. If however you have a normal skin can always use some cream-based primer as an under-base for your makeup.

4. If you have spots or acne marks on your face, you can hide them using a concealer. You can also use a thin foundation layer and then seal it using a powder.

5. Moving to your eyes, it is important that you apply concealer followed by makeup powder on your eyelids. Once done, using a nude eye shadow will work best but you can always opt for hues of lavender, pink, champagne, blue or brown. These hues will brighten up your face. Make sure to blend the hues towards the socket line.

6. For your eyebrows, you can pick up any dark shade. A dark brown hue will work great. Always remember to apply the shadow using an angular brush.

7. Now it is time you take care of your eyelashes. For this, you can either use kajal or mascara both on your bottom and top lashes. Do not over do. Also, because it is raining outside, you may be caught up with dripping kajal or mascara once you get wet. Using the waterproof versions is always suggested.

8. Instead of using an eyebrow pencil, consider using an eyebrow gel for a better, fresh and lasting makeup.

9. Move down to your cheeks and you can liven them up using any soft bronzer.

10. Finally, your lips should be lively enough to complete your makeup.  Avoid using dual-tone lipsticks. Neon pink will be a great choice but the color you want to use should go well with your rest of the makeup.

Monsoon inspires romanticism. It is the time when you will want to be in the arms of your beloved and want your beauty and aura to mesmerize his senses! Easier said than done! Looking gorgeous in rainy season is not easy. Selecting the right makeup is crucial and this is where most women make a disaster.

What type of makeup works best in monsoon?

Shimmer, sheen and glossy are the types that do not go well with rainy season. It is therefore advised to avoid these. The one that works best is the matte makeup. Matte makeup tends to settle down quickly and gradually, a beautiful glow appears on the face without any extra effort. A primer with matte finish must be selected for providing a good base for the foundation of your choice. This primer will prevent the makeup from getting spoiled easily because of excess humidity in air and excess oil on your face.

What makes the duo a preferred choice?

A foundation along with matte finish primer is particularly suggested during the rainy season because they can help to retain the complexion of the skin which is otherwise oxidized quickly by the excessive oil secreted by the skin during monsoon.

How to make the makeup last long?

Now this is a big concern. A matte skin can be ensured for a longer period by using a mattifying powder that can give a perfect finish to your base. A mattifying powder such as compact power works pretty well.

What to do in case your skin is too oily?

Excess oil production is a characteristic feature of the skin during the monsoon. However, the problem is worsened if you already have an oily skin. The sebum production can be too much and it can easily destroy your makeup. This can be prevented by carrying some bloating paper. Bloating paper can soak up excess oil on your face without tampering your makeup.

What to use for your eyes?

For your eyes, you can always go for waterproof cosmetic products. Whether you are going for a mascara or eye kohl or an eyeliner, unless they are waterproof, they will have a tendency of smudging and dripping off.

What products should be avoided?

Any glitter and shimmer applied on your face will only make your face too shiny because you will already face excess sebum production. Also remember to discard any cream-based cosmetic product during the rainy season because they lead to increased sweating. Increased sweating will not only make your face look too shiny but will also destroy your makeup in no time.

Also Read – 10 Makeup Tips for Monsoon

Carry out a survey and you’ll find that more than 90% women hate to be out of their house without a patch of makeup. This is the charm of makeup! But do you know that many of these charismatic makeup products are packed with highly toxic ingredients? Know about those formidable ingredients which hide hazards beneath the attractive cover of beauty enhancer.

Human mind always craves for perfection. Thus, it keeps inventing machines which could bring the perfect result. It goes in the makeup industry too. The perfection seeking mind of makeup maestros paved way for airbrush. Defying the conventional method of sponge, hand and brush makeup, airbrush sprays makeup to make the person look perfect. If you too want to get hooked to the smarter way of makeup and looking for some easy tips, read on… This article comprises all the tricks and tips which would simplify the use of airbrush makeup for you.

Although, airbrush makeup is often considered as a professional’s art but with these tips, you can include this state of the art makeup in your regular beauty regime too.

Mineral makeup is a hot fashion trend these days. This type of makeup will give you a remarkable natural beauty. However, application of this type of makeup is a bit difficult compared to ordinary makeup. This article sums up the steps of applying mineral makeup.

What will you need?

–       Mineral Foundation.

–       Mineral veil.

–       Bronzer or warming color and blush.

–       Concealer brush.

–       All-purpose brush.

–       Kabuki brush.

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Mineral Foundation Application

Step 1

Add a pinch or two of foundation on the lid of your foundation container. This quantity will generally work but you may add a little more as per your needs.

Step 2

Take your concealer brush and using swirling motions pick up some foundation on the brush. Now gently tap off excess foundation from the brush. Now apply the foundation on the areas that require extra coverage. For example, dark spots, under eye areas, nose base etc. Remember to use even and smooth strokes.

Step 3

Take your all-purpose brush and pick up foundation from the lid in same way you did using your concealer brush. Gently tap the brush to remove excess foundation. Now using swirling motions, start applying the foundation on the rest of your face. Start from outer jaw area and gradually move inside. You may add some more mineral foundation if needed.

Step 4

Now take your kabuki brush and pick up foundation in the same way as described above. This time start applying the foundation from your inner cheeks and nose and move outwards using buffing motion. You can use the same motion while working around your eyes but remember to be as light-handed as possible.

Step 5

Once you finish working on your face, turn your attention to your jaw and neckline. There should not be any visible demarcation line. If you see one, use the kabuki brush and using a buffing motion, flatten any visible demarcation. For this, start from your jawline and work your way downwards towards your neck.

Color Application

Step 6

You need to add color using a bronzer, a blush or warming color. You can also select to use both blush and warming color. Take a pinch or two of the preferred color on the lid of the container containing the color.

Step 7

Grab your all-purpose brush if you want to apply blush. Using swirling motion pick up some blush and then tap off any excess blush. Imagine a straight line running down on your cheek from the middle of your eye. Place the brush on that line on your cheek. This is generally the apple of the cheek. Use sweeping motion to apply the blush. You move outwards from the point where you placed the brush but never go past the outer corner of the eye. Be light-handed while doing this. Now do the same on the other side of your face.

Step 8

Now you need to apply the warming color or the bronzer. The process of application is identically the same as mentioned in steps 6 and 7. But, remember to wipe-off your all-purpose brush using a paper towel or a dry towel or you can simply use a new all-purpose brush.

Step 9

Once you finish working on your cheeks, you need to take care of other areas of the face including your nose, forehead, ears and chin. Pick up bronzer or warming color using the all-purpose brush as described before. Use gentle sweeping motions to apply the bronzer or the warming color to these areas.

Step 10

Take care of the demarcating line at your jawline and your neck. Use gentle downwards sweeping movements to flatten out the demarcation line completely.

Finishing Mineral Veil Application

Step 11

The mineral veil is a separate container. Take a pinch of the veil on the lid and using your all-purpose brush, swirl up some finishing veil powder. Tap gently to get rid of excess powder. Use gentle sweeping movements to apply it on your forehead, chin, cheeks and nose. Close one eye and apply on eye lid. Repeat for the other eye.

Final Step

Your mineral makeup is completed once your finish applying the mineral veil powder. Now you need to apply mascara, eye shadow (if you want) and your lip gloss to get the complete look.

Oily skin is entirely different from normal and dry skin. This skin type faces more oil secretion than other skin categories which makes it more prone to acne and pimples, people with oily skin need a lot of care. And when it comes to makeup, it becomes difficult for them to do with common foundations, as an ordinary makeup base leaves them with patchy and flaky makeup.

To cope up with this issue of oily skin, cosmetics companies have introduced a range of foundations which are specially designed to suit oily skin texture. Know about top 10 of them –

My Pick

If you want an oil free makeup for party purpose, M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid is the best to choose for, as it makes your skin shine without making it oily while Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup from Clinique is best for a matte look.

A concealer in the right shade and applied well will give your face the much desired polished look. But it is an uphill task to find a concealer that will match your skin tone, even out the imperfections and give you that flawless look. If you find a product with great coverage, it may not match your skin. The one that matches your skin tone may not suit your skin well. So if I told you that it is really easy to make your own concealer, to suit your skin tone and also give you the kind of coverage you desire, would you believe it? Read on to find out how to make concealer at home.

There are a few ways to do it.

1. Moisturizing crème and blush

Use your favourite moisturizer, preferably a cream and not a lotion. You could also use your eye cream instead. Take a clean pot or container, say an empty lip balm container and scoop out about a spoonful of the cream into it.

Now add to it shavings from your blush that matches your skin tone. Mix with a spatula or a toothpick. Whip it well so that it blends with the cream. You can keep adding the shavings until you get the color that matches your skin tone. Test it out by applying the cream under the eyes. Voila! You have your own concealer.

2. Foundation + Moisturizing crème

If you are by any chance stuck with a liquid foundation that is a shade darker than your skin tone, then this recipe is for you! In a clean container, add a spoonful of eye cream or any moisturizing cream of your choice.

Add about half a spoonful of a foundation that is a shade darker than your skin tone. Now mix well. You could add more foundation if you need to reach the color that matches your skin. Make sure to add more cream also in order to get the concealer to a creamy consistency. Keep experimenting until you get the shade closest to your skin. Now top it off with a little bit of foundation that matches your skin. Mix well.

Make sure that you prepare this in small batches since you want to keep your product fresh or make shade alterations the next time around.

3. Moisturizer and compact

If you have pressed powder with brownish or yellowish hues, then this is the easiest way to make a concealer. You can make this on the go without bothering to add the preparation into jars and storing it. Making it in bulk is also an option but why would you do it when it is so easy to make this concealer!

All you have to do is, take a pea size amount of your eye cream or moisturizer in your palm and scrape out some pressed powder into it. Mix them really well. Add a touch of foundation to this to get the colour. Dab it on under the eyes and on other marks. Blend well. Seal it with pressed powder and you are all set to head out!

Also Read –  10 Best foundations for Oily Skin Here 

Once you are done with all your makeup, brushing your lashes with some mascara adds drama to your look- makes your lashes appear thicker, darker and more defined.

However, if not done correctly, it can make your lashes look clumpy and artificial and make your eyes pop out. In this post, I tell you how to apply mascara without clumping it up.

Choose your mascara well:

First things first, invest in the right product. You don’t want clumpy looking eyelashes or your mascara bleeding out in the middle of the day. Invest in good mascara from a reputed brand that is waterproof and smudge proof. Preferably, pick one that guarantees volume addition to your lashes.

Prep your eyelashes:

Use an eyelash curler and gently work from root to tip to curl your eyelashes. If you do not have a curler, then use an eyelash brush to brush your lashes outwards.

Application:

Upper Lid:

Now open the mascara tube and remove excess mascara from the brush.

Get yourself in front of the mirror, get adequate light/ sunlight. Work the mascara wand from the root to the tip of the eyelashes. With the wand rooted in the base of your lashes, do a couple of horizontal strokes to make sure you take excess product off. Repeat this until you get the thickness that you want.

Now, with an eyelash comb, brush your lashes upwards- this will pull out excess mascara and also give your lashes a clean combed look and open your eyes out.

Lower lid:

Do not repeat the same thing on the lower lid. Strokes along the lower lashes from root to tip will cause your eyes to appear like they are bulging out. Instead, what you need is only for the roots of the lower lashes to be highlighted. Tilt your head forward to avoid the product from sticking onto your skin.

All you have to do is to keep the mascara brush parallel to your nose and run the tip of the wand along the length of the lower eyelid, ensuring that you touch the roots of the lower lashes. Next, keep the wand perpendicular to the nose and again run it along the length of the lower lid, touching upon the lashes on the lower lid. This will highlight the eyelashes.

If you have big eyes, then it is preferable to not do anything on the lower lid other than highlighting it with some kohl.

Doing this will add drama to your eyes and highlight them really well. If you want to keep it subtle, go for a single stroke of mascara on both lids.

A few things to remember:

If you are not careful, mascara can stick to your upper and lower lid while applying it. To prevent this from happening, keep a visiting card or a piece of paper beneath your lashes before you apply the mascara.

After applying mascara on both eyes, when your wand is relatively dried up, you can use it to brush and highlight your eyebrows too.

Once opened, the shelf life of mascara is only three months. So once you have opened a tube, use it regularly to get those bright and bold eyes!

Also read – Can Fake Eyelashes Cause Eye Infection? Here 

What a foundation cannot do, a concealer does with ease- covers up those stubborn marks and imperfections, the dark circles under your eyes to make your skin appear flawless. However, with so much choice available among concealers, it is quite a job to find a concealer that is of the right texture, right shade for you and one that does not end up irritating your skin more. Does not mean it should stop you from experimenting. Finding the right product for you is all about some trial and error until your skin is happy and it shows on the skin. So, in order to make things slightly easy, I have compiled a list of the top ten concealers available in India that are suitable for acne prone oily skin. You could easily find these brands in beauty stores or online. 

LAKME ABSOLUTE WHITE INTENSE CONCEALER STICK SPF20

This concealer comes in a stick and is available in two shades- light to medium and medium to dark. I fail to understand why it is called “white intense” though! The concealer blends easily into the skin and has SPF 20. Since it comes only in two shades, it is unlikely that you can get great coverage if it does not match your skin tone. Priced at Rs.450 for a 3.6 ml stick, it is affordable. Stays for 4-5 hours.

COLORBAR FULL COVER CONCEALER

It comes in a small jar in 9 shades. So what’s more, it should be really easy to find a concealer in your skin shade. It blends easily on the skin and is not greasy. It comes with SPF 35 and is oil free. Priced at Rs. 495 for 5 gm, it is excellent value for money.

REVLON PHOTOREADY CONCEALER

This concealer comes in a 3.2 g lipstick like stick and with SPF 20. It is creamy but is oil and fragrance free. It gives coverage for upto 6 hours without becoming cakey. The concealer comes in 6 shades so you can take your pick. Priced at Rs.700, it is worth a buy since it is a product from Revlon and provides an airbrushed look.

L’OREAL PARIS TRUE MATCH SUPER-BLENDABLE CONCEALER

L’oreal claims that this concealer provides full coverage of all blemishes and pigmentation. It is oil free and non comedogenic, and will prevent clogging of pores. However it does not come with SPF. It is light and in liquid form that needs to be applied with a brush. Blends really well into the skin, is light on the skin and provides coverage that lasts upto 6 hours. It is priced at Rs. 895 for for 5.2 ml.

MAYBELLINE DREAMLUMI TOUCH IVORY CONCEALER

This is a fascinating product that comes with an inbuilt brush and is used like a pen. Twist up the pen to release the product into the brush and then apply it on the skin. It comes in 3 shades- ivory, buff and honey. It has a gel based formula ensuring that the skin doesn’t become too oily after application. It costs Rs. 475 for 1.5 ml. The limited number of shades is a put off though since finding a match to the skin tone becomes difficult.

NYX CONCEALER JAR

NYX concealer comes in a 7 gm cute jar that costs Rs.600. The concealer comes in 9 different shades- yay for that. It provides close to 5 hours of coverage. Only thing to keep in mind is that, since it is very creamy, use very little product and dot it all over your problem areas and blend it well.

FACES VANISHING ACT CONCEALER STICK

This concealer comes in the form of a lipstick. Priced at Rs. 449, it glides smoothly but is not very oily. Only disadvantage is of the stick breaking due to its extreme creamy texture. It comes in 6 shades and provides medium to good coverage lasting upto 5 hours.

MAC STUDIO FINISH CONCEALER

One of the best concealers for acne ridden skin in the market, the M.A.C studio finish concealer is priced at Rs.1200 for a small jar of 7g. Also, you would need to buy it from M.A.C stores that are not available everywhere. The concealer is light and provides excellent coverage without making your skin oily. It comes in a whopping 15 different shades!

RIMMEL LONDON STAY MATTE DUAL ACTION CONCEALER

This concealer gives you a matte finish and amazing coverage. It is great for acne prone skin. Available in 4 shades, it is priced at Rs. 575 for a stick. It has salicylic acid that also helps treat acne. The product is easily available in the online stores.

DEBORAH 24 ORE PERFECT CONCEALER

The concealer is easily available on online stores and offers good coverage for a pricing of Rs.430. It comes in 4 shades, but the disadvantage is, there are shades with more pink undertones rather than yellow.

It is made of a hypoallergic formula that will not harm your skin or clog pores.

Also Read – 10 Best Face Washes for Oily Acne Prone Skin in India Here