Last week I went  to Mac in Antwerp to get a make-up tutorial. I have been using make up since I was 14 so you’d think I get the hang of it by now after nearly 30 years ! But of course my skin has changed a great deal since then and so has the use of make-up. So I thought it would be great to hear some tips from a professional make-up artist.

After applying the so needed serum, moisturizer and eye creams (one for the puffiness and one for the darkness), Pascal, my make-up artist, applied a primer so the make-up would hold better. Using a primer also makes you use less foundation. The foundation used for my skin type was a waterproof nourishing foundation with a rose undertone. Before, I used a foundation with a yellow undertone which apparently isn’t flattering for my skin… it makes me look… well… sick so it seems ! So bring on the foundation with the rose undertone…

Pascal did a bit of shaping, but didn’t overdo it to keep it natural. He used a bronzing powder on my lower cheeks (actually from my ear towards my chin) and a bit of blush on my cheekbones (towards my temple).

The eye make-up tips I found really useful for me personally are :

• first use a base on your upper eyelid so the eye shadow sticks better and doesn’t get into any wrinkles and creases
• blend the different colours of your eye shadow really well
• use a very light, slightly shimmery eye shadow on the sides of your glabella
• define your eyebrows as that encircles your face
• use a primer on your eyelashes first to make them look longer
• only use mascara on the upper eyelid lashes as using on your under eyelid lashes makes your eyes smaller

After applying a bold fuchsia lipstick, topped with an orange gloss to give my lips more depth, I was good to go.

I didn’t buy all the used products as that would’ve cost me an arm and a leg… I bought a few things : the eyelash primer, a concealer, the foundation (because I don’t want to look sick anymore !!) and the eyebrow set. Pascal  gave me a list of the products. I will definitely go back to Mac later to buy the eye creams and the primer as well.

You can see below the before and after shots… what do you think ? Don’t I look radiant (in the after shot that is…). I can definitely recommend a make-up tutorial at Mac, even for those who think they don’t need it. You’re never too old to learn !

Love, Kathleen