New Year’s Eve is meant to sparkle – the wine, the lights, a glitzy outfit.
Even your face.
With a light hand and a few makeup tricks, your face can light up the party.
Cover your bases. Shelly Choinski, owner and operator of Tease Salon and Bar, 125 W. Columbia St., likes to start any makeup application with a blank canvas – just as you would with painting. Wash any makeup off your face and smooth out the uneven skin tones with concealer and powder. She advises paying special attention to the areas underneath the eye and the sides of the nose, where light casts a shadow.
And don’t forget to blend powder beyond the jaw line and into the neck. “(The line) takes away from the ambience of the whole look,” Choinski says.
Layer up. One of the biggest mistakes people make when they apply makeup is they “cake it on too much,” Choinski says. It’s best to use a soft application, applying layers of eye shadow or other products until reaching the desired look. A stronger, more dramatic look will utilize more layers – and not necessarily different products – than a more natural look.
Adds Tease stylist and makeup artist Sara Marie Hopkins, “It’s much easier to add than take away.”
All that shimmers. “It’s cute to have that glisten,” says Choinski, who likes to add a shimmer powder to the temples and cheeks. A nude shimmer is best, especially for people with paler complexions. Hopkins also adds a bit of shimmer along the hairline for a more dramatic look.
But be advised: “Avoid (applying shimmer to) the T-zone because you will look like you have oily skin,” Hopkins says.
Get cheeky. Bronzer isn’t just for summer. Choinski likes to add a bit of color and shimmer to the cheeks and up to temples to contour the face. A top coat of blush adds a bit of color.
Open up. For a nighttime look, Choinski and Hopkins like a smoky eye, creating the look with purple shadows – a popular color right now.
Choinski starts by adding “grit” to the lid, making a crosshatch pattern with a pencil that is lighter than the shadow you are using. Use a lighter color under the arch and corner to open up the eye. For a more dramatic look, use a white pencil on the inside corner to “ice” the eye.
And don’t forget your eyebrows.
“The big thing right now is filling in the eyebrows, and making them more dominant,” Choinski says. Use a brush and brown shadow, or powder that complements the hair color, and fill in lightly. Hopkins also suggests using a clear mascara to “manicure” the brows.
One last thing. “There’s no right or wrong way (to do your makeup) – just as long as you’re comfortable,” Hopkins says.
Adds Choinski, “If you’re not comfortable with it, you’re not going to rock it.”
Party tips
•Pick one feature to highlight, whether it’s a smoky eye or bold lip, but not both. “You want (makeup) to be noticed, you don’t want it to scream,” Shelly Choinski says.•Add foundation to lips before applying color to help it last longer.
•When applying powder, bring it into the hairline to avoid sweat dripping down the face.
•If you feel sweaty, go to the bathroom and pat your face with 1-ply toilet paper to soak up the oil. When the oil is removed, you can reapply powder and other products as needed.
•To keep her look fresh throughout the night, Choinski likes to carry mascara, eyeliner and gloss. Sara Marie Hopkins brings powder, blush and gloss.