Before putting on makeup, there are a couple of things every girl must know.

The difference between a 'day' and 'night' look, how to make your makeup complement your attire, what to do once the party is over and more.

Professional make-up artist Ayesha Khan, who has worked with Gladrags models like Amita Hodkar and Deepti Gujral [Images], and television stars like Gauri Pradhan [Images] (Kyunki... Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi...) and manages her own salon, Grace Beauty Parlour, in Pune tips us off.

• Essentials for your make-up kit

First, cleanse your face

This is a must to remove any dirt and impurities from your face. It will also make you feel and look fresh.

~ Pour a few drops of cleansing milk into your palm and gently massage into your facial skin in a circular motion with your fingertips.

~ Then, with a damp cotton wool, gently remove the lotion in upward strokes.

~ Wash with a face wash and pat dry your face with a towel.

~ Do not apply any moisturising creams or lotions, as there are chances your face may sweat and it may ruin your look. This applies to all kinds of skin tones as you never know when the weather will play spoilsport and ruin your look.

Cleansers

~ Lakme Deep Pore Cleansing Milk, Rs 60 for 120 ml, suits all skin types.

~ Ayur Deep Pore Cleansing Milk, Rs 50 for 200 ml, suits all skin types.

~ Biotique's Burberry Lotion Face Cleanser, Rs 135 for 120 ml, suits all skin types.

Face washes

~ No Marks Soap Free Face Wash Gel, Rs 50 for 75 ml, suits all skin types.

~ Biotique's Pineapple Fruit Gel Face Cleanser, Rs 135 for 120 ml, suits all skin types.

~ Himalaya's Purifying Neem (soap free) Face Wash, Rs 45 for 100 ml, suits all skin types.

~ Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic Grapefruit Face Wash, Rs 95 for 120 ml, suits all skin types.

Must-haves for the day

For daywear to office, lunch or a movie, keep your makeup subdued.

~ Use a translucent powder.

~ Go for sober earthy colours such as brown or nude shades of lipsticks. Nude lipsticks usually come in skin tones and lend your lips a classy touch.

~ Transparent lip gloss and mascara/ kohl will add the perfect touch to your face.

Going out tonight?

~ Irrespective of the makeup base you use for nightwear, apply glossy lip colours.

~ You can also experiment with shimmering blushers and eye shadows such as gold and silver.

~ Apply more of kohl and mascara to enhance your eyes.

Debdatta Das, a 22-year-old journalism student, pitches in, "For parties or while going to pubs, I generally use a liquid based eye shadow added to my kajal, and a shade of brown moisturising lipstick from Lakme."

"For casual parties," says Ipshita Dey Sen, a 28-year-old market research analyst, "it's mostly kajal on the lower and upper eye, compact, lip gloss, and maybe a light blush if it's a more formal party. I sometimes use a mocha coloured lipstick at night, but I mostly stick to a nude or a light pink gloss."

Removal of makeup

"It is very important to remove your makeup after you return home. Never sleep with makeup on your face. Makeup tends to block your skin's pores; as a result, as a result your skin will not be able to breathe freely and it may result in pimples," says Ayesha. 

~ Apply a moisturiser by gently massaging it on your face; the moisturiser dissolves the makeup to a certain extent. Then, remove gently with cotton wool. 

~ Use cleansing milk or a makeup remover and massage it gently on your face. 

~ Remove the cleansing milk with cotton wool. This second round with cleansing milk will ensure a better removal of makeup from your face. 

~ To remove kajal/ eyeliner and lipstick, massage with cleansing milk. Then, gently wipe your eyes and lips with cottonwool. Finally, wash your face with a face wash. You could also try removing the remains of your eye makeup with a moist wipe. Remember, the eyes and the area surrounding the eyes are very delicate and sensitive.

~ After you remove your makeup and cleanse your face, apply moisturiser again as, after all this cleaning process, the skin becomes dry, itchy and tends to pull. A moisturiser will soothe the skin. 

Iphista tells us, "After a party and before going to bed, I generally use a Biotique cleanser and Dabur [Get Quote] rose water."

As for Debdatta, she uses Himalaya's face wash for oily skin which suits her best in the sticky Chennai weather.

Even if you have not applied foundation on your face, you can cleanse your face in the manner as mentioned above.
 
Makeup removers: Revlon Eye and Face Makeup Remover, Rs 95, and Eskinol Naturals Cucumber Facial Cleanser, Rs 50. 

How to buy makeup

"Always buy products that have been tested, are hypoallergenic (that is, the product is unlikely to cause any allergic reaction), are not tested on animals or contain animal products and are of good brands," says Ayesha.

~ Read the contents of the makeup bottle. Usually, products that are not tested on animals or which do not contain animal products mention it on the packaging.

~ Avoid cheap quality makeup products as they may ruin your skin.

~ Check if it is meant for oily skin or dry skin, whether the product is oil based or water based, and so on.

• What is your skin type?

~ Before you purchase any makeup product, consult the sales executive at the beauty shop/ counter; they are trained in selling these products and can tell you what will suit you best.

Expiry dates

Most of the times, the expiry date of any makeup product will be mentioned on the bottle itself. Make sure you read the contents carefully before buying.

Here are some tips that should help you ensure the makeup you are buying is not old: 

~ Old lipsticks will lack their usual shine and lustre. Also smell it, you'll notice a distinct 'stale' smell that is different from the usual aromatic scent of a new lipstick. 

~ If liquid foundations are kept unused for too long, you'll find the water and the oil have separated in the bottle. Never go for such products. Don't use them if it's with you in such condition.

If your lipstick is old, it will not run smoothly on your lips. It will also dry your lips faster than the usual lipstick.

As for the old liquid foundation, it simply won't stay put on your face, thereby ruining the base of your makeup.

Skin types

Branded products are designed to suit every skin type. Such as:

Oily skin

A cake foundation or a compact will suit oily skin better than liquid foundation. Liquid foundations tend to make your face look more oily. The cake foundation should be followed by a compact.

Dry skin

If you have dry skin, you can safely use liquid or moisturising foundations. Also, some oil-based foundations have castor oil or olive oil in them to suit dry skin.
 
Combination/ normal skin

Those who have a combination skin tend to have a T-zone problem. The T-zone includes the forehead, nose and chin. This portion is oily while the cheeks are dry.

For such skin types, look for products that normalise your skin, such as those that contain Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) or fruit acids.

Apply compact or cake foundations for the oily part of the face and liquid foundations on the dry part of your face.

Usually, makeup for both oily and dry skin can be used on the face to create a balanced look.

Apply the makeup for oily skin on the dry areas of your face, while using the makeup for dry skin on the oily part of your face.

Complementing your attire
 
While you learn the correct technique of applying makeup, it is equally important to compliment your makeup with your attire. There are makeup combinations which go well with certain shades of outfits that you wear.

Furthermore Ayesha says, "It also depends on how you carry yourself with the makeup."
 
Sometimes, we can make a mistake with the combination and styles. Here are some easy tips to remember.

Earthy tones

For colours such as beige (a very light brown), browns and other earthy attire, you can apply mascara or kohl and a light brown matt or glossy lip colour. In fact, when you are wearing clothes in these colours, any colour will go well on your lips.

Pink/ red tones

For colours such as pink, red or orange, you can apply a little mascara and the lip colour can have a hint of pink. Even a light shimmering lip colour will go well.
 
Whites/ off-white/ creams

For colours such as whites, off whites and creams, you can wear kohl/ mascara and experiment with any lip colour. Try not to wear a red lip colour, as it will look pretty odd on any complexion.
 
Blues

For shades of blue, you can go for kohl and/ or mascara. Your lip colour choices can include magenta, fuchsia pink, mauve and lavender.

Greens

For shades of green, you can go for kohl and/or mascara. Opt for a mauve lip colour in a matt or glossy finish.
 
Quick tips
 
~ Any makeup that you do should complement your face, style and attire.

~ Makeup is meant to enhance your looks and not make you look too artificial.

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