Looking beautiful made easy

Does it matter where you buy your cosmetics?

For the most part, no, but for loose powder, foundation, and concealer, its best to stick to department-store brands or make-up-artist lines. There are three main reasons for this:
Colour: The more expensive foundations and concealers generally have a natural-looking yellow cast, while cheaper products tend to have to have very pink, peachy, or orangey shades- tones that are unnatural even for Caucasian women and impossible for women of African, Indian, Pacific Island, or Asian descent. Furthermore, department-store and make-up artist lines boast wider ranges of shades. Some lines even offer custom blending to ensure the shade achieved is exact.
Quality: Cheaper brands may include inexpensive ingredients, such as talc, that sit on top of your skin and create a chalky, unnatural finish.
Your needs: If you want a talc-free, finely milled loose powder that gives your skin a flawless finish without dryness, go for a loose powder from a department – store or make-up artist line. If you’re simply looking for something your can throw in your bag for midday touch-ups or to absorb extra oil, head to the chemist for compact of pressed powder.
To help you find the right foundation tone for your skin, test a variety of different products – ideally, on your jaw – and ask a sales assistant for advice.
Powder: pressed and loose
Powder is great for setting (this refers to fixing something in place so that it will last longer) foundation, absorbing oil, and creating flawless finish. I prefer loose powder because of its natural-looking, slightly see-through finish.
Unlike loose powder, pressed powder contains extra ingredients to bind powder particles together so that they stay pressed in a compact. Unfortunately, these binders can also clog pores and contribute to pressed powder’s heavy look. Still, I do keep a compact of pressed powder in my bag for quick touch-ups when I’m our or at work.
Translucent powder is a sheer shade that works well with most fair skins, especially those with a bit of pink. The rest of you, however, should look for a powder in a shade that is not only near your own skin tone, but that contains no unnatural looking pink, peach, orange, or russet tones. It is also worth remembering that many cosmetic companies make powders with additions, including UV protection, moisturisers, and spot – zapping ingredients – something to consider if your skin has special needs.
Cheeky colour
I have fair skin, which is a reason I like cheek colour. It makes my skin look vibrant. But perhaps what I like best about cheek colour is how a hint of pink on my cheeks makes you look fresh and young! Mind you I am in my late 30s now!
Cheek colour comes in several forms. The most common type are blush and rouge. Blusher is coloured powder you brush on with a make-up brush, and rouge is a cream – usually packaged in a small pot- that is applied with your fingers or make-up sponge.
Other forms of cheek colour include translucent gel (in a tube) my fave is that of origins “pinch my cheeks”; swivel-up cheek colour – body shop and benefit are the best!
Now what type of cheek colour should you use? The drier your skin the creamier your make-up should be! Rouge and swivel-up cheek are terrific for normal skin. Brush on blush is god for any type of skin although I must say it works well for oily skin as it tones down the shine  ... but the nice thing about oily skin is when you use the stain type of cheek tint it gives you a dewy look that looks absolutely gorgeous!
Highlighting cream
Highlighting cream – also called highlighter – is a make-up bag extra, something that is nice to have but not necessary. This pale, slightly pearlescent cream catches the light.
Making a feature appear more prominent. I often use highlighting creams at night mostly for formal events and in the past for fashion shows and cocktail parties. It’s great to apply it on the brow bone, on the top of my cheekbones and on my jawbone. Results are not at all obvious but it does leave a very pretty result!
Highlighting cream is available in shades with pink, peach, silver, pale yellow, gold or copper undertone. It is most often packaged in a small pot, but you can find it in swivel – sticks, as powder, with a wand applicator, or as liquid. If you like you can use a pure white concealer and that in itself is a kind of makeshift highlighter.
Will not have that gleam look effect but it will certainly make features look more prominent because of the pale colour effect.
I must say ladies that you can use white eye shadow as a highlighter on certain areas oaf your face that you want to “highlight” more.

I will still be giving you more tips on make-up on next week’s article. Incidentally, I want to say thank you for all those wonderful women who take time to read my column.
I have come to meet these fabulous ladies (at the malls, restaurants and supermarkets too!), really it makes me feel good to know that I am able to help in my own little way. I have been asked if I could give an e-mail address where they can send in questions to me. Well, I asked Stan the Man and he said “yes!” … so here it is sidneyfortun@yahoo.com.
I can honestly say that my column is sincerely dedicated to all the wonderful, fabulous and beautiful women from all walks of life!
Cheers ladies and thank you so much!