Get the look! Make-up tutorials

January 16, 2012

By Valeria Safonova

Photography by Anna Smirnova

Models: Daria Kosareva and Marta Mazur Rusak

In this issue of FAJO Magazine, Valeria Safonova, a make-up artist based in Montréal, shares some tips and tricks on how to get a perfect look for three different occasions.

The Smoky Eye

There is a widely-held view that a smoky eye look suits only large eyes, because a dark eyeliner makes them seem smaller. The truth is, however, that it looks just as great, if not better, on fine face features, provided it is applied correctly! Here are a few simple steps to get the look:

Before.

Step 1. Start with a clean, moisturized face. Add a lot of concealer underneath the eye area, in order for the eyes to stand out. Define your brows for a more contoured look, using a brow pencil or an angled brush and a dark eye shadow.

Step 2: The eyes. Start by putting a basic colour on the entire eyelid – it could be silver, light brown or any light shade of purple, depending on your preference. After applying the base colour, put highlighter right below the brow bone, in the corners of the eyes and on the lower lid, from the centre of the eye towards the inner corner – this is a crucial step to make your eyes appear bigger. The more sparkling the highlighting colour is, the more it will appear to enlarge the eyes. Here, I have used Dior’s “Crystal White” 006.

Next, take a medium dark colour – Dior’s “Ultra Violet” 186 – and line the eyes with it in a thick line. The key to making eyes appear larger is to put a thick line of this colour below the eye – the colour has to be medium-dark and saturated.

The final step is to line the eyes using an angled brush and a dark matte colour – MAC’s “Carbon” is the best choice. Put a line all the way from the outer corner into the inner corner on the top lid, but stop halfway on the lower lid. Smudge the colour together with a thicker brush; add some black liquid liner on the top lid and mascara – I recommend Lancôme’s “Hypnose” in Very Black – and the eyes are finished!

The eyes.

Step 3: The Face. Add some foundation, concealer and loose powder to make the skin seem perfectly matte and even, paying special attention to the area underneath the eyes. I have used Lancôme’s Teint Idole “Ultra” in “Ivoire 4” – it has a strong coverage without looking greasy or oily, and applies very evenly.

Add bronzer below the cheekbones, on the forehead near the hairline and on your neck and jaw, to create a more sculpted face. Put some blush on the temples of your cheeks – if you choose to use purples, I recommend Nars “Sin”, a nice cool berry colour with some gold shimmer.

Step 4: The Lips. If you have thinner lips, use a dark but shimmery colour on your entire lip – here I have used Dior’s “Arty” – then add some shimmery gloss in the centre and on the top lid to make them appear larger.

Step 5: Done! Add some big sparkly jewelry, and you are ready to go out and rock it!

After.

Day Look: warm tones this winter

During these cold winter days, when everything is grey and bland all around, it can be nice to bring warmer summer shades to life! Here is a great tutorial for an everyday look, using peach shades and browns:

Before.

Step 1. Start with a clean moisturized face and lightly defined brows.

Step 2: Eyes. Since it is a day look, I would go light on the eyes and put more emphasis on the cheeks and lips. For eyes, add a nice warm peach shade on the entire lid and in the crease – a warm peachy tone on the crease will make your eyes pop, adding a nice healthy glow to your entire face. Use a matte warm brown eye shadow instead of an eye liner – MAC’s “Brown Script” – to line the top lid and the bottom lid close to the lash line for a more natural look.

Add some brown or brown-black mascara for a soft finish.

Step 3: The Face. In this tutorial, we are putting more emphasis on the cheeks and the lips, so add some loose powder all over the face and a warm peachy blush for a healthy glow to your face – I have used Nars “Gilda” here. “Orgasm” by Nars is also a great choice – it is a perfect combination of peach and pink, with golden shimmer sparkles.

Step 3: The Lip. To complement the warm peachy tones on the eyes and the cheeks, add a bright colour to your lips. I have used MAC’s tinted lip conditioner in “Popster”, but any gloss of a peach shade will do the job.

And – you are done!

After.

From Day to Night: keeping warm shades working

Keeping with the same theme, here is a how to transform from a natural daytime look to a brighter sassier night time look:

Before.

Step 1: The Eyes. Add a warm brown shade of eyeshadow in a thicker line to the top lid close to the lash line, thicker on the corners of the eye and on the crease. Smudge the colours with a thicker eyeshadow brush. Line the eyes – top and bottom – using a thin-angled brush and a black eye shadow. Again, I recommend MAC’s matte black “Carbon” – making sure to go in-between the lashes. A good trick for bigger, deeper eyes is to gently put black in the inner rim of your top lid, but be careful trying this for the first time, as you may poke your eye. Finishing touch – layer on black mascara on the top and bottom lashes for a more defined eye.

Step 2: The Face. Contour your face with a bronzer, placing it underneath your cheekbones, on your forehead along the hairline and on your chin. Add more blush to intensify the colour for night time. You may also place a golden highlighter right on top of your cheekbone to make it stand out more.

Step 3: The Lips. Line the lips with a warm-coloured crayon and add more transparent shimmery gloss for fuller, sexier lips.

And voilà!

After.


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