Tag Archives: concealer

Heather’s June Wedding at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, MA

By Liz Washer | Published May 7, 2013

Heather is a high school math teacher who was easily one of my most laid-back, easygoing clients of all time. Not a regular makeup wearer, she wanted to look good for photos but keep things very natural looking and not “makeuppy.” A touch of smoky eyeliner, mascara, and soft rosy lips & cheeks were all that was needed in terms of color; the rest was just subtle skin work that would be virtually undetectable to the naked eye.

Here is a before & after from our trial session where you can see the VERY subtle, but effective, difference the airbrush makeup made to her already beautiful face:

(I love sharing photos like this because so many of my brides are afraid of looking made up, and if you don’t want to, you don’t have to! It’s all about invoking the style that you’re comfortable with so that you feel like yourself on your big day, but are still camera-ready.)

Here are some wedding day photos that Heather was kind enough to share (I love the classic beauty of her dress combined with the pop of color of her shoes!)

Venue: The Log Cabin
Photography: Karen Winger
Hair: Lisa Cummings

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Sneak peek: Bridal Editorial at the Springfield Marriott!

By Liz Washer | Published August 29, 2012

Just a quick teaser from a recent bridal editorial project – lots more to come!

afroam bride in blush pink wedding dress at the Springfield Marriott

afro-american bride and groom at the Springfield Marriott

african american bride and groom on the Marriott rooftop in downtown Springfield MA

And check out the difference airbrush makeup made for our beautiful model’s skin (these shots are unretouched & straight out of my iPhone):

before and after wedding makeup african american bride with smoky eyes and berry lips

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Gettin’ Squinty With It: Reducing the Appearance of Fine Lines

By Liz Washer | Published July 9, 2012

Originally published on HowToBeARedhead.com

The most common questions I get from clients have to do with their perceived “flaws,” and fine lines/crow’s feet rank high on that list. What’s worse, many clients have already had a bad experience:

“I have very fine lines (crow’s feet) and the last makeover I had accentuated them. I’m sure there is something to do to not have fine lines show up like that?”

There sure is! Read on…

1. Moisturize & (GENTLY) exfoliate. Fine lines can be accentuated by products that are too dry or inflexible – the skin around the eyes moves a lot as we speak, smile, and emote in general, so the products have to be able to move with the skin without cracking. And the better moisturized the skin, the better the makeup will apply. As for dry skin that’s gotten flaky, you can very, very gently exfoliate with a cotton swab (I like to soften my skin first with Vaseline and then gently wipe it off in the shower, followed by moisturizer). Better yet, make sure you’re not using any harsh soaps or makeup removers in this delicate area, as that can contribute to dryness.

Liz’s product picks: Embryolisse Eye Contour Cream, Murad Ultimate Moisture for Eyes

2. Start Smooth. The bride quoted above noticed her fine lines were more noticeable after an unsuccessful airbrush makeup trial with another artist. Fine lines will be accentuated by concealer (particularly airbrush) if the subject tightens her face during application, preventing the color from reaching all parts of the skin. I usually suggest that clients close their eyes lightly (no squinting) and raise their eyebrows to smooth the skin, or I do it myself by gently stretching the skin flat with my fingers. Whether you’re doing your own makeup or seeing a pro, be sure the skin around your eyes is smoothed out so that you don’t leave any “gaps.”

3. Proper texture. The undereye area calls for a product that is flexible enough to move with your skin, and neither too dry to be flexible nor too slippery to stay put. You’ll almost certainly need to set the product with a light loose powder to make it last and minimize creasing over time – dust it on lightly with a very soft brush.

Liz’s product picks: Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer, Temptu S/B Neutralizer Wheel, Graftobian HD Glamour Crème, Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

4. Lighten Up. Got a line on your face that just won’t quit? Experiment with using a slightly lighter shade in the crease to “lift” it a bit. Don’t go drawing white lines all over your face, though – keep it subtle.

Liz’s product picks: Three Custom Color clarifying pencils

5. Embrace Your Face. While proper makeup application techniques and products can greatly reduce the appearance of fine lines, it will not disguise them fully or “fill them in” in a lasting way (and you can guarantee that the lineless, poreless skin you see in magazines has been digitally retouched!) Do what I do: call them “smile lines” and embrace a life lived with plenty of laughter!

happy smiling model with gold eyeshadow and luminous skin

Photo by David Pankratz; makeup by me

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Using Color Theory for Corrective Makeup

By Liz Washer | Published May 14, 2012

Originally published on HowToBeARedhead.com

Lavender primer? GREEN concealer?!?

The array of weird colors on the market is understandably baffling to most consumers, but as a pro makeup artist, I use the principles of color theory every time I apply makeup, and you can too – especially if you have a stubborn blemish that just doesn’t look good with a thick pile of concealer on top. When it comes to covering the tough stuff, color correctors work wonders – and you can get away with using less foundation as a result.

color wheels are useful for makeup selection

Here’s how they work:

Discoloration on the face has an undertone to it – for example, undereye circles are often blue, grey or violet; pimples are pink; hyperpigmentation is brown. You can cancel out the unwanted pigmentation by using a concealer in a complementary color – i.e., the color opposite on the color wheel – and then blend your natural skin color (foundation) on top as needed with a little powder to set. You end up needing less coverage because the colors are doing the work for you!

This method is preferable to using only a “nude” concealer because most aren’t opaque enough to do the job themselves: a light shade over a dark shade will create an unattractive a greyish cast. Neutralizing the discoloration with a soft wash of a complementary color saves you from having to use a thick, heavy concealer that’s just going to appear ashy and grey.

Here are the corrective formulas:

1. For blue-toned undereye circles, try a peach concealer to warm up the skin and brighten the eyes.

2. Grey tones in the skin can be adjusted with pink.

3. For rosacea and acne blemishes, use a yellow or green (be sure to use green very sparingly and sheerly, as it can drain all the pink from your skin, making you look a bit grey).

4. For sun damage and hyperpigmentation, use orange to neutralize the brown – the darker the skin, the deeper your concealer should be. Orange is the most magical concealer color when serious coverage is needed – I can even use a wash of orange to soften a multicolored tattoo that needs to be concealed.

5. Enliven sallow skin with a sheer wash of lavender.

6. Add a drop of blue to cool down a foundation that is too warm for your skin, or to tone down an overly orange spray tan! Go sparingly: like green, blue tends to OVER adjust.

Liz’s product picks: Temptu S/B Neutralizer Wheel & S/B Adjuster Set, Graftobian HD Glamour Crème Corrector palette, Make Up For Ever Camouflage Cream & HD Microperfecting Primer

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Fake Awake: How to look bright-eyed

By Liz Washer | Published April 17, 2012

Originally published on HowtobeaRedhead

Guess what inspired today’s post? (groan) I don’t know what it is but some nights I just cannot fall asleep – and stay asleep – to save my life. And there’s something about a poor night’s sleep that just makes my skin look drawn and my eyes tiny and dull. Fortunately, this is an easily correctable condition.

1. Using a color corrector will help to neutralize undereye discoloration and prevent that unattractive grayish cast that happens when you pile a light color over dark circles. Reduce the appearance of undereye darkness with a creamy peach-toned concealer for bluish dark circles, or pink for greyish circles. Simply pat on a light layer and blend foundation on top to match your skin, and then set with a light dusting of loose translucent powder.

Liz’s product picks: Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder, Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer

2. Brighten the inner corner of the eye with a soft peach or champagne eyeshadow or pencil – a little touch of shimmer here will light up your eyes and make them look brighter and more open. (Curling your lashes goes a long way, too!

Liz’s product picks: MAC Shroom eyeshadow, Benefit Eye Bright pencil


3. Clarify: When you’re tired, heavy dark eyeliner all around your eyes will just shrink them further. Instead, use a clarifying pencil on the rim of your lower lashline to counteract redness – this will also open up your eyes and make them look larger. Clarifying pencils come in a variety of skin shades and appear less stark than a pure white pencil – they’re also great for quick blemish concealing!

Liz’s product picks: Three Custom Color light clarifier, Laura Geller Brightening Eye Pencil Duo

4. Blush: Don’t pack on the powder when you’re feeling dull & drawn – think sheen! A cream blush on the apples of the cheeks, blended well toward the temple, will add life and freshness to your skin, while a cream bronzer on the high points of your face will add needed warmth.

Liz’s product picks: Stila Convertible Color, NARS The Multiple


5. Eyebrow Maintenance: Fill in any eyebrow gaps with a pencil or powder – groomed brows frame your face and make you look more alert and well-rested.

Liz’s product picks: MAC eyeshadows, Vanitymark ultra-brow pencils


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Freckle-philia! Makeup That Celebrates Your Skin

By Liz Washer | Published January 26, 2012

Originally published on HowtoBeaRedhead.com

I’m a skin junkie. What does that mean? (Hint: it’s not as naughty as it sounds.) As a makeup artist, it means that I am a fan of the colors, variations, and textures present in people’s skin, and I believe that makeup should beautifully enhance our uniqueness, rather than homogeneously masking it.

For many redheads, freckles present a unique challenge – you might have some blemishes or redness or unevenness that you’d like to correct, but how can you do that without obscuring your oh-so-sassy spots?

Redhead with natural barely there makeup and a daffodil bouquet

Laura Frazier. Photo by Steph Pierce; Hair by Jenursa; Makeup by Liz Washer

1. Don’t take the word “foundation” too literally. You don’t have to plaster your entire face with base. Once you’ve found a good color match, apply only where you need coverage and let your healthy skin shine through! In the photo above, I concealed only under the eyes, around the nose, and wherever I saw a blemish, as I didn’t want anything to take away from her natural skin.

Liz’s product picks: Make Up For Ever Invisible Cover HD, Face Atelier Ultra foundation

2. Sheer it out! Sometimes we do need a bit more coverage, but we still want our freckles to take center stage. If you already stick to sheer products like tinted moisturizers, you’ve got that “covered” – but if not? Make your own! A full-coverage liquid or cream foundation can be thinned with moisturizer until you achieve the perfect level of coverage. Got a bit of redness under those freckles? Start with a sheer layer of a green or yellow color correcting primer to neutralize the flush, and then apply your skintone shade on top. Use a translucent powder to set.

Liz’s product picks: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer (green & yellow)

3. Add some sun. Many freckly faces are also fair, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to the pasty pink family for your cheeks! Freckles look beautiful against a soft touch of bronzer. Look for a color that’s a shade or two lighter than your freckles–not too taupe, not too orange, and not too sparkly–and apply it lightly along your cheekbones, forehead and the bridge of your nose – anywhere the sun would naturally hit your face. (Dusting a little on your neck is also a good idea if you’re particularly fair there.) This will give you dimension, warmth, and the color will complement your freckles beautifully, rather than making them look ashy.

Liz’s product picks: Benefit Hoola, NARS Laguna

To showcase your freckles, start with a very light application and stick to products that can be built up to the amount of coverage you need, where you need it. And if you’ve accidentally covered a few of your precious spots in the process? Just grab a cotton swab and a gentle makeup remover and proceed to lift the veil!

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