Mom's Makeup Tips & Tricks - With Modern Flair

We’ve all heard the old adage, “Mother knows best.” From boyfriends to beauty, a mother seems to know everything – but is her advice always sound? When it comes to makeup tips that are passed down from one generation to the next, it’s necessary to do a little research to make sure that Mom’s advice is still relevant for current trends. Here, we ask makeup expert, Founder, and President of FACES Beautiful, and creator of the Brush-On Liquid Mineral Makeup, Gail Sagel, to share with us some of her favorite motherly beauty tricks and give them a modern-day twist.

Put Down the Tweezers


Most mothers warn their daughters when they attempt to sculpt their own eyebrows. Maybe it’s the whole loss of innocence; the moment when the little girl becomes a pre-pubescent and facial hair becomes an issue. “Leave such an important part of your face to the professionals,” my mother would say, and I believed her, even though I have a knack for tweezing. Gail lets us in on a little secret: “With a few tips, you can feel comfortable attacking your eyebrows, but Mom didn’t get it all wrong. You should consult a professional about the best eyebrow shape for you, let the expert help you achieve that look, and then maintain it.”

· Once you’ve visited your professional, your only task should be to maintain your brows. Gail says that the biggest mistake she sees at the FACES Beautiful salon is when women over-pluck. To measure correctly, hold your finger parallel to the side of your nose. This is where your brow should begin. When you point your finger diagonally away from your nostrils, toward the outside edge of your brow, you’ll find the correct endpoint.

· Pluck hairs in the direction that they grow, invest in a great pair of slanted tweezers, and give yourself lots of light. Go slowly and take breaks, making sure that you are not eliminating too much hair – bold brows are in!

Less is More


Mom always said, “With makeup, don’t overdo it. You’re beautiful naturally – let that shine through.” While natural-looking makeup can be great for certain places, like the workplace or school, sometimes, you just need to go a little crazy and embrace your inner beauty nut. As Gail points out, “This isn’t bad advice, but makeup is about expressing yourself and playing up your best features. Having one key element that you accentuate is not only attractive but trendy. Take heed of the good in Mom’s advice, and keep most of your makeup natural while choosing a dramatic lip or eye color; this update works with what’s in right now.”


· Gail is a fan of choosing one feature to go bold with, particularly eyebrows, lips, or eyes. With lip color, it’s essential that you know your skin tone. Find a solid red that works for you. If you’re fair-skinned, go for an orange-based red, if your skin is medium, berry-red or brown-red works, and if you have dark skin, stick with a red that has a blue base. This season, the red lip is the trend to embrace.

· To get the perfect pout, make sure that your lips are moisturized well prior to application. Use a lip pencil (in the closest color to your lipstick as possible) to create a frame and to prevent your color from bleeding onto the skin.

Match Your Eye Shadow to Your Outfit


I remember the day I went to school wearing lime green eye shadow to match my lime green top, back when I was first experimenting with makeup around age thirteen. My mother always told me to match my eye shadow to my clothes, and that morning I distinctly remember that she told me that I looked great – something tells me that was the mother in her, and not the beauty expert.“I’m all about whatever colors look best on you, and there are no real “rules” when it comes to eye shadow matching. What’s important to note is that even if a color matches your outfit, it will not necessarily look good on your eyes; it’s important to know what colors work best with your skin tone and to be aware of what doesn’t,”says Gail.


· When it comes to eyeshadows, experiment! Try different shades to see what works best on your eyes,keeping in mind that skin tone has everything to do with it. Here’s a quick rundown of what colors work for common eye colors: blue eyes should stick with earth tones for maximum impact, green or hazel eyes should have fun with a purple or gold-flecked earth tone, and brown eyes are the winner in this game– they can get away with pretty much anything!

· For a universal tip that everyone can benefit from, use gold or white eye shadow on the inner corners of eyes to make them pop. Purple is also a great color to try for every eye hue; its place in the color spectrum makes it a flattering choice for any skin tone.

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