Best Way to Choose the Make-Up that Suits You

No longer solely confined to the beauty counter, make-up is both user-friendly and widely available: you can pop into your local supermarket for a loaf of bread and come out with a scarlet lipstick or, while scouring shops for clothes, drop into a make-up emporium such as MAC, ScreenFace and Sephora and pick up an iridescent eyeshadow.

But the primary factor that should put make-up high on your beauty agenda is that, according to top make-up artist Vincent Longo, today’s cosmetics are easier to apply than ever before: ‘Clever applicators, swivel-ups, push-up pencils, make-up sticks and brand-new textures that glide easily on to the skin mean that women can make up with convenience and ease.’

Choosing make-up

Top make-up artist Jeanine Lobell, who is the woman behind the cult make-up range Stila, believes that one of the best ways in which to find a look that suits you is to visit a professional make-up artist: ‘Go to your nearest specialist store and book a consultation. Choose a brand that employs trained artists rather than just sales people. Look for make-up artists that present themselves in a way that looks good to you. Don’t just try one consultation – try two or three and see if there are common elements in the looks that work well for you, discarding any that you don’t like. Ask to try different make-up and find out why the artists use certain products and not others. When you’ve found a product you like, always check the colour in good light – daylight, if possible, to see the real shade.’

Make-up wardrobe

Vincent Longo, a make-up supremo who has his own range, believes that every woman should have a make-up kit/wardrobe containing a selection of different choices for day, evening, and partywear. It’s not about finding one eyeshadow or one lipstick that you like and rigidly sticking to it vary your make-up to suit your clothes, the season, your mood, the location and the occasion. ‘You wouldn’t have only one dress for evening and one pair of trousers for day, now would you?’ muses Vincent. ‘Create your basic make-up blueprint, then add to it. Have the season’s hottest and trendiest items by all means, but invest in different textures and colours so that you can switch.’ Review your make-up wardrobe every few months by cleaning out your make-up bag and throwing away any old, gungy make-up.

Many people are under the illusion that the more expensive the item of make-up the better the results. You don’t need to break the bank, however, especially on items that are not part of your everyday make-up kit. It’s more a case of if it works for you – buy it.