Asian Makeup

Ask and you shall receive.

In my personal opinion - Asian faces are one of the greatest canvas' you will get to work on. Often having a beautiful tone and texture, makeup almost "melts" onto the skin creating a stunning overall look. Here are a few tips and tricks to use:

When matching foundation it is important to take into consideration that Asian skin often has a yellow undertone so be careful to match shades to the neck as well as face. Swatch the foundation on the jawline and look into a mirror using as much natural light as you possibly can to avoid having the makeup match indoors and look too sallow outdoors (use this trick when swatching makeup for anyone, including yourself; natural light is best). Picking out foundation can sometimes be time consuming but be open to this since rushing the process can affect the final look making your work come off sloppy and untrained.

Applying eye makeup to Asian eyes is really no different then any other eye but if you are hoping to make the eye appear larger then start by applying a primer/magnet to the lid followed by a light frosted shadow. Using  shadows that are light in colour and have a sheen will add "lift" to the brow bone.
With a blending brush begin to dust on a darker shadow on the outer corner of the lid starting at the lash line and slowly diffusing the colour upwards with small circular motions, I find using a brush like the number 224 from MAC does an excellent job with this. Diffuse colour no more then slightly above the brow bone.
Be sure to tap off your brush after every dip of eyeshadow to prevent colour from falling onto your face. After you have shaded the outer corner, line the lash line with a dark shadow using an angle brush - this will make your lashes appear thicker.
To open the eye up even further, add a flesh coloured eyeliner to the waterline (the interior part of the lower lid). You will need a steady hand for this and it may tickle so only use this step if you are absolutely confident in your ability.
Curl the lashes and apply a mascara to the outer lashes to help lift the eye. I have heard of people heating their lash curler with a hair dryer if their lashes aren't cooperating but I would not advise this; there is a chance you could seriously harm yourself if the curler gets too hot.
Never curl your lashes after applying mascara as this can tear them out!

If you find your lashes are too short then try applying some false lashes. Individual lashes look very soft and natural. They can also be a little time consuming if not familiar. My favorite natural lashes to use for length and a touch of thickness are number's 33 and 31 from MAC (don't be thrown off by the look of the 33's - they are amazing and don't look fake at all).

I hope this helps and don't hesitate to make suggestions for future entries!

J&A