This Valentine's Day, go natural

When a young girl first begins to use make-up, she may end up using more than she should. Actually, it is useful to experiment with make-up, as this helps in knowing what really suits one’s style. For a teenager, an overly made-up look can spoil the entire effort.

Young skin looks fresh and natural with less make-up. Very dark colours, like dark maroon and dark brown, can also have an aging effect and you will end up looking older than you are. The effort should be to accentuate your features and achieve a natural look.

Today’s trends actually favour the natural look — sheer and translucent, with subtle use of foundations and bases. The skin should not be covered with foundation. In fact, you can leave out the foundation, especially during the day. Tinted moisturisers would be good, both for the day and night. Even translucent baby powder can be applied. It gives the face a sheen and does not look “made up”. Avoid applying too much powder and pay more attention to the oily areas of the face, like nose, forehead and chin. Press the powder all over the face and neck, with a damp sponge. This helps the powder to set and last longer. Avoid using too much powder around the eyes. Brush off excess powder with cotton wool.

Foundation can be used to cover-up pimples. Take a little foundation and apply it directly on the pimple or pimple scar. Avoid rubbing or smearing. Pat it into the skin and then apply loose, tinted powder on top, blending the powder with the rest of the skin. Powder, in fact, helps to control oil and produces an even colour tone. You can even use compact powder.

If you want to use foundation on an evening out, choose a water-based one. Adding a drop of water to it will give you a lighter coverage. Apply foundation on face, forehead, nose and cheeks. Using a moist sponge, spread it evenly, working outwards. Apply foundation on the eyelids too. Blend well. Then, apply it on the lower part of the face, on the chin, and on either side of the face, along the jawline. Again spread evenly and blend. Blending is important to achieve an even and smooth finish. Apply powder to “set” the foundation, brushing off excess with cotton wool.

Use a powder blusher. Choose a shade that subtly enhances your natural skin tone. Pink or peach blusher suits most skin tones. Apply on the cheekbones and slightly below them. Use your finger tips to dot the area with blusher. Then, blend with the brush, outwards and slightly upwards. 

For the eyes, use a brown eye shadow on the eyelids. Try using the same brown shadow under the lower lashes, instead of eyeliner or kaajal. Take a darker shade of brown eye shadow and apply it on the upper lid, close to the upper lashes. The entire effect will be natural. If you want to line the eyes, use an eye pencil. Give your eyes a light touch of mascara. Make sure the lashes do not stick together. Brush them with an eyelash comb.
For the lips, plain gloss is enough for the day. You could add a touch of gloss over a light pink or mauve lipstick. Coloured gloss is also available. Avoid using lip liners and merely brush the lips with lipstick, going for shades of pink, from pale pink, to rose or tawny pink. For an evening party, go for rose, coral or bronze, or just stick to pink. Avoid dark red or maroon lipstick.

If your hair is long, leave it loose, or wear it in a pony tail. Use a satin ribbon, co-ordinating it with your clothes. For short hair, the slightly tousled look will be good. For long hair, have curls and waves at the ends. A fringe with varying lengths is also in. The soft, layered style ending with waves and curls is the trend.

Nails should not be too long and must have a clean look. Bright colours, like blue and green, are hot but I am in favour of clear, light pink, mauve, light brown or beige nail varnish for young girls. Use a light floral or lemony fragrance; nothing too overpowering.