How to Apply Liquid Makeup

Liquid eyeshadow

With several cosmetics on the market being of a liquid formulation, any beauty buff will surely want to learn the techniques to help her use these items to her best advantage. If you happen to discover that a liquid base actually works better for you, all you need is a little practice before you'll feel confident enough to replace your powder foundation with liquid. As compared to powder, liquid is more blendable, and in contrast to creme, it is lighter, provided you make sure it's oil-free. For different parts of your face, there is a liquid product waiting to be experimented with.

Things You'll Need

• Liquid foundation
• Artist's palette
• Cosmetic wedge or foundation brush
• Liquid eyeshadow
• Eyeshadow brush with soft synthetic hairs
• Liquid eyeliner
• Gel blush or cheek stain
• Lip lacquer
• Silicone-based makeup primer
• Waxy lip pencil
• Lip brush

Instructions

1. Pour 2 to 3 drops of liquid foundation on an artist's palette. Remember that if you put your fingers on the mouth of the bottle every time you use it, you contaminate the product. Dip a cosmetic wedge or foundation brush into the makeup on the palette before dotting all over face, including the eyelids and undereye area. Blend from the center of the face outwards. If the product feels too heavy for your liking, thin the base down by dampening the wedge or brush prior to application. Make sure to use a dry spot on the wedge to blend away any lines of demarcation.

2. Apply liquid eyeshadow by blending on an eyelid after the area has been prepped with foundation and primer (if you use those). If you are a makeup artist dealing with clientele, it is preferable that you apply the product with a soft-haired synthetic brush for professional and hygienic purposes. An eyeshadow brush with natural dark hairs is manufactured for use with powder formulations and will give you a streaky finish if used with liquid. You can use clean fingers to swipe the product directly onto your skin. Dab the makeup first onto the spot where you want the greatest amount of color, such as on the outer corners of your top lid or on the ball of your eye. From here, you can smooth the color in the other directions.

3. Steady your hand when applying liquid eyeliner, or at least discover the methods that make it appear steady. You want a clean line that isn't bumpy, and there are a variety of techniques that even the less dexterous can count on.

4. Be quick when blending liquid or gel blush onto the apples your cheeks. The alcohol in the formula makes it dry quickly, and it acts like a stain, so massage only a little at a time onto the area where you need it. You might want to choose lighter colors that resemble your natural flush, since darker shades can be more challenging to work with. Use a sponge to fade away evident edges in the color so you appear to simply be blushing instead of obviously wearing makeup.

5. Prep your lips prior to wearing lip lacquer, especially if you are using intense colors, as these can bleed past your lip line without a second's notice. A lip lacquer is a lipstick in liquid form, so it may not be as effortless to wear as a lip gloss. Pat a silicone-based makeup primer all over and around your lip line to act as a fortress that keeps the product from feathering. Line and fill lips in with a waxy pencil that is either nude or in the same shade as the lacquer. This acts as extra protection by giving the slippery product a base to stick to. Apply the lacquer onto the center of both top and bottom lips before blending outwards with a lip brush. Keeping the largest concentration of color away from the lip line is another preventive measure against an unwanted mess.

Tips & Warnings

• Set liquid foundation by dusting translucent powder over it. You may layer powder eyeshadows over liquid ones for this same purpose. Use the same color, if not one in a complementing shade, to create a new color.