One of the nicest things to do is go down memory lane by looking at your old photos to remember the wonderful moments of past occasions.
But how many of you out there have found yourself looking at photos of yourself with your face lighter than the rest of your body or appearing a bit grey or ashy? This total buzzkill is what usually happens when you aren't careful putting on make-up.
So, what should you do?
Let’s identify the culprits first. These make-up eyesores commonly happen with the application of three products – foundations, concealers and face powders. Aside from the incorrect application, chemical contents and other ingredients can be contributory to deconstructing your beautiful face.
THE GRAY FACE. This happens to a lot of women who usually like their foundation colours lighter than their actual skin colour. (That’s why whitening products are a smash hit in Asia.) Remember that you have to know your undertones first to better guide you in choosing your foundation colours – some may have cool undertones, some warm and others neutral. Applying a foundation that is not within your skin tone range, makes your face look ashy or grey, especially with flash photography.
SOLUTION: Learn how to identify your actual skin tone. The easiest way to do it is by looking at the veins on your wrist – if its blue, then you have a cool undertone and if its green, you have a warm undertone.
image c/o skin care geeks
PLEASE NOTE: You may still appear lighter than your actual skin colour if that is what you fancy. You can do this by choosing a lighter shade from the same undertone. Test your foundation on your jaw (not your hands nor your cheek) to see how the colour from your face transitions to your neck – if it its seamless, then that’s your colour.
THE WHITE FACE. So, you’ve seen the photos from your cousin’s garden wedding last spring and you notice a white face standing out from the crowd – yours. Though you remembered a lot of people appreciating your make-up, you wonder why this happened?
THE REASON: Sunscreen. Check if your foundation or concealer has titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. These components protect the skin by reflecting the rays of the sun – it does the same to artificial light from flash photography.
SOLUTION: Do not use make-up with sunscreen when there’s a guarantee that there will be flash photography. If you can’t do away with it, make sure that your foundation is evenly applied to skin that’s exposed. Remember that your neck, chest and sometimes your shoulders are still considered part of what make-up should reach in situations like this.
THE BLOTCHED FACE. This is a result of make-up flashbacks caused by powders with the component silica – effective in diffusing light. It can be found in powders used for finishing the make-up look like the HD powder. In flash photography, this powder reflects light making the areas where it was applied more pronounced than the rest of the face making it appear a bit blotchy.
SOLUTION: The statement “less is more” applies to this make-up innuendo. These powders may be a good life diffuser to the naked eye hiding imperfections and mattifying the skin but could stand out in a make-up look with flash photography. Apply sparingly – only to necessary areas and if you feel you’ve just went to town with it, get a clean powder brush and start brushing theface to knock off excess powders before it fuses with the skin.
THE SHINY FACE. Yes, the healthy glow will always be in. But glowing is different from looking shiny, bordering on oily. This is caused by using too much shimmer from highlighters. The statement that “if your highlights can’t be seen from the moon, you haven’t applied enough” may have spread when the products went viral with every beauty social media influencer using it and attesting to how fabulous they look.
But unless it’s a look for a music video or a sci-fi movie that you’re making, I suggest you refrain from using it as a face powder. Too much highlight makes the skin look tired and sagging especially in summer. Again, “less is more".
There’s still time to update those momentous photos with new memories wearing the correct make-up. So start practicing and updating your products because it’s never too late to do it the right way.