How 2 Get a Great Makeover

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I'm sharing this article with some practical and smart tips. Read on ...



<TABLE cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>How to Get a Great Makeover </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top><!-- BEGIN WEBSIDESTORY CODE --><!-- COPYRIGHT 1997-2000 WEBSIDESTORY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. U.S.PATENT PENDING. Privacy notice at: http://websidestory.com/privacy --><!-- webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --> <!-- webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --><!-- END WEBSIDESTORY CODE -->by Jamie Sammons

Getting a makeover is a great way to try out the season's latest cosmetics or to get a whole new look. But it can also be a little intimidating. If you're ready to hit the cosmetic counters in person, follow our tips below, and you're sure to get the right look without spending a huge wad of cash.

Selecting a Brand

Stila, Lorac, BeneFit, Lancome, Clinique, Nars, Urban Decay... with so many brands, how do you know which one is right for you? You won't, until you try, but if you do a little research before you sit down in the first available chair, you'll have a better idea and get the most out of your makeover.

Walk around and test cosmetics before making an appointment. Do you like the texture? How they go on? Does the color last? Ask for price ranges on lipsticks, eye shadows, blushes and foundations. Don't be intimidated. If a sales clerk gives you attitude, give it right back or walk away. You don't want to waste your time or hers doing an entire makeup only to find out at the end that for a Chanel lipstick is out of your budget!

If you see a makeover in action at a counter, stick around and observe. See how you like the results.

Making an Appointment

Like getting your hair done, a makeover is only as good as the stylist who applies it. Look for an artist whose makeup you really like and make an appointment with her (or him). Don't pay attention to her age or how pretty she is. Look at how she applies her own makeup and use that as your guide.

Be on time. If you make an appointment for 12:15, be there and waiting at 12:15! Being late is rude, and you don't want her (or him) to have to rush to finish because the next appointment is waiting.

Know What's Already in Your Cosmetic Bag Before You Go

At the end of the day, your cosmetic artist is a sales person, so be prepared to be pitched. It's her job. Do you want skin treatment, such as lotions, toner, soap, etc.? We're guessing not, but be prepared to say, 'no thanks, I don't want that'.

Take a long hard look at your eye shadows, lipsticks, lip pencils, eyeliners, etc. Chances are, you will already have some of the colors used on you for your makeover. Why spend cash on a lipstick that's similar to one you already own? Take your cosmetic bag with you so you can compare and try on new shades.

Have A Budget

Before your derrière touches the chair, know how much money you're willing to spend. This is another good reason to ask about prices before you make an appointment. What you can expect to spend and what you can afford are two different matters. It also helps to negotiate with yourself. For instance, if you don't get the lip gloss, could you afford another eyeshadow? If you buy mascara at the drugstore can you afford the concealer?

The Makeover

Always go to a makeover with a clean, makeup-free face. (It will not kill you to leave the house without makeup on.) Even if you're not looking to buy new foundation or concealer, it will be good for you to see how the artist applies it and you will learn some new techniques.

Before you go in, have an idea of what you want. Do you like a more natural look or a dramatic made-up look? Clip some pictures from magazines of women whose makeup you like to give the artist a better idea.

Are you looking for a new foundation, concealer, eyeshadow or lipstick? Let the artist know up front what you're most interested in, but that you're open to trying other cosmetics. Don't be afraid to say that you don't like something and ask to have it changed.

Be insistent. We can't tell you how many times we've asked for a natural look only to gaze in the mirror and see a Vegas show girl staring back. Be honest. Say it's too heavy for you. Especially brows. A common complaint is that eyebrow color is applied to dark or heavily.

Be Open to A New Look

Cosmetic artists aren't perfect, but they do this for a living. So if something doesn't immediately appeal to you, be open and give it a try. A lot of times we get so used to seeing ourselves in certain colors that a dramatic change just seems wrong. If a lipstick or eyeshadow is too dark or drab, walk around for a while after you're done before making a decision. What are other people's reactions? Take an objective friend who will give you the real scoop. Have her take a snapshot of you that you can look at a couple of days later. You might be surprised at your reaction after the initial "shock" has worn off.

Know What You Want

If you came for a new lipstick, don't go home with a new foundation. If all you really wanted to try out was eyeshadow, don't leave with a lip liner, lipstick, eye pencil and mascara. If you really loved them and can't see how you ever lived without them, that's different. If you can afford all of those new items, write them all down and go home and think about it. If you still want them the next day, go back and get them.

Before You Buy, Give It a Test Run

Now that this person has spent 30 or so minutes making you up, it's difficult to walk away from the counter without purchasing anything. But you should. Ask to have specific items held while you go shop around somewhere else. This gives me some time to see how long the lipstick stays on, if the eyeshadows crease, etc. Chances are, after thinking about it and the amount of money you're about to spend, you'll probably find that you can live without a few items. Be judicious, you won't regret it! It will all be there tomorrow if you still really want to buy it.

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Thanks for posting this, Cali! As a makeup artist, I found the article interesting to read. Yeah, we do try to get customers to buy as much as possible...lol!

I really have to disagree with one point: arriving with a clean, makeup-free face. My whole goal, besides selling makeup (of course), is to make my customer look her best. To do this, I must understand her makeup STYLE. When I see my customer wearing her eyeshadow and liner in a certain way, blush "just so" and lips in the shade she prefers, I have a much better chance of making the customer happy by copying her look and giving it a fresh twist. While I work on her face, we talk about what she likes about her style and what she would like to improve and we usually end up in a very happy compromise.

Makeup is a tool to improve our looks as well as a way to communicate who we are. The style we develop may not be absolutely perfect for our faces, but it fits our personality very well. I'd rather help my customer better express who she is than wear a face that's fashionable but not her style.
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Originally Posted by KittySkyfish Thanks for posting this, Cali! As a makeup artist, I found the article interesting to read. Yeah, we do try to get customers to buy as much as possible...lol!
I really have to disagree with one point: arriving with a clean, makeup-free face. My whole goal, besides selling makeup (of course), is to make my customer look her best. To do this, I must understand her makeup STYLE. When I see my customer wearing her eyeshadow and liner in a certain way, blush "just so" and lips in the shade she prefers, I have a much better chance of making the customer happy by copying her look and giving it a fresh twist. While I work on her face, we talk about what she likes about her style and what she would like to improve and we usually end up in a very happy compromise.

Makeup is a tool to improve our looks as well as a way to communicate who we are. The style we develop may not be absolutely perfect for our faces, but it fits our personality very well. I'd rather help my customer better express who she is than wear a face that's fashionable but not her style.
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EXCELLENT POINT> Wow! I hope someone, besides us, actually reads this.

 

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