Makeup EnCounter

One of the best things about being a girl… aside from the friendships and the clothes… is the chance to glamorize with makeup! You’ve walked through the drugstore and department stores. You’ve watched as colors are chosen, products are evaluated and makeovers are applied. But to be honest, cosmetic counters are more than a little intimidating for fledgling females. Here are some tips to make you a more knowledgeable, confident first time consumer. Enjoy being a girl!

TO BE SAFE
To avoid contaminated makeup testers, bring along your own cotton swabs. You can pick up herpes from a tube of lipstick and pink eye from eye pencils and mascara. Use the back of your hand to check out colors instead of your lips and your eyes. Test only products that come from a shaker or a squeeze pump dispenser or those that are single use. Or ask a sales person to show you the product. They are trained by the cosmetic company to use sanitary measures, including disinfecting their hands, sharpening pencils, and spraying makeup brushes with antibacterial spray between customers.
ASK FOR HELP
A trained salesperson is hired to make the experience of buying makeup a pleasurable one…there’s no shame in asking for her help. Don’t be afraid to ask about what’s new for the season and what’s proven to be best selling items for years. If you get to the store early in the morning or late in the day, she will be able to give you more attention. Make eye contact and explain what it is you are looking for. Describe your skin so she knows what you need. Don’t be embarrassed to tell her your budget. Don’t be afraid to say no if you’re not sure. Smile. She has plenty of experience, skill and samples to share with you!

WHERE TO SHOP
Both drug stores and department stores have their advantages. A department store will let you play around with the products. The variety is overwhelming, the packaging more attractive and the prices up to two or three times steeper. Drug stores carry make up in your price range! Check out the CoverGirl sections next time you are at your favorite store.

THE MOST COMMON INJURY
The most common injury is from scratching the eye with a mascara wand. Never moisten brushes with saliva. Never share mascara. Wash your hands before using makeup to prevent exposing the makeup to bacteria.

BE REALISTIC
Don’t expect makeup to correct the shape of anything on your face, especially your lips. It’s easy to see when lipstick has been applied beyond or inside your natural lip line. If you over contour you will look like you have brown stripes all over your face. Skip eyebrow pencil if you have thin eyebrows. And relax. The rest of the world is looking at you with a much less critical, much more forgiving eye!

Making Up for Your Age

So you think you’re old enough to wear makeup? Your dad absolutely refuses and your mom doesn’t trust you to do a good job. Hello! You’re, like, 12 years old—what’s wrong with a little eye shadow (and eyeliner and lipstick and foundation….)? Before your parents ever let you walk out of the house with a speck of makeup on, you need to prove to them that you know how to wear it!
Makeup is meant to accentuate your features, not mask them. So if you think looking good is caking on the makeup, you’re wrong!
At your age, you don’t need foundation. In order to cover up your blemishes, use a concealer. Lightly dab concealer on your blemish. Blend it by lightly brushing outwards. Let it dry and then set it with a cotton swab dipped in loose powder. Need to brighten your eyes? Mix Cover Girl’s Invisible Concealer with a light eye shadow (choose a color like light pink or blush) and blend, starting at the corner of your eyes and move outwards.
When using blush, go for a natural, sun-kissed look. Lightly brush blush over the apples of your cheeks (to find your “apples,” just smile!), the bridge of your nose, and your forehead. Try Cover Girl’s Cheekers Blush.
When you’re going to school, forego the heavy lipstick and lip liner look. Opt for a fresher look with lip gloss. Lip gloss is light and looks natural while adding a shimmery glow.
Eyeliner is a big no-no. Your parents will NOT approve of you stepping out of the house with your eyes lined with blackest black liner. Eyeliner is a better for a nighttime look—so wait to experiment with it when you’re allowed to go to clubs and out on dates.
For now, stick to standing out with eye shadow. To apply eye shadow, brush a medium shade from your lash line up to the crease in your eye. Blend a deeper shade from the crease to slightly above it. Never, ever brush eye shadow up to your eyebrows—unless you’re going for that BoBo the Clown look!
When buying brushes and applicators, spend a little more money. They’ll last longer and do a better job. Remember to wash your brushes regularly—at least once a week. Wet the brushes and lather with a teeny, tiny bit of shampoo. Rinse completely and dry off excess wetness by blotting on a paper towel. Leave the brushes overnight to dry.
When it comes to makeup, less is more. You don’t want to appear like you’ve spent hours every morning applying loads of makeup. If you can prove to your parents that you can use makeup to accentuate your natural beauty, they will be more apt to let you wear it out of the house. Remember, makeup takes a lot of practice and creativity. Don’t be afraid to ask your mom for help—she’ll be honored to help!