Yesterday found Maya and me in SMU College of Accountancy attending a makeup class – a literal one – an introductory makeup course that we found on Groupon months ago. It was fun to be back in an Accountancy classroom after almost a decade (gah I am old!).
We were late because I had gotten confused by how the MRT Circle line worked, so I didn’t quite catch our lecturer’s introduction, but I deduced from her later words that she is a makeup artist by profession.
She taught us a lot of useful information about skin care, makeup and styling in under four hours and demonstrated makeup application on a live model – one of her former students, apparently.
Before
After
I enjoyed the class even though I had one gripe – I didn’t get to use any of the makeup that I brought, so I wish they hadn’t asked me to bring it in the first place; my makeup kit was kind of heavy!
Still, I did learn a lot of useful information, which I would like to share here. I actually wrote down notes, on a piece of paper with a pen – brings back school memories!
– Essential skin care regimen should include:
(1) cleanser
(2) toner
(3) moisturizer
(4) eye cream
(5) sunblock
– A good eye cream should have caffeine as an ingredient; it reduces puffiness. Clinique All About Eyes cream is a good one.
– Skin repairs itself between 11 pm to 1 am, so to get optimum results, one should be asleep at this time.
– To get soft supple lips, one should mix olive oil and sugar and scrub one’s lips with this every three days.
– When applying moisturizer on the neck, one should massage it upwards to prevent skin sagging.
– According to dermatologists, one should not sleep with SPF on. Thus the need for separate night creams.
– Baby wipes make an excellent makeup remover for the face. Use the store-bought makeup remover only for the eyes, so that one’s entire face won’t get so oily.
– Deep facial cleansing need only be done once in six months.
– The best SPF is only up to 50. If a product boasts to have more than that, it is simply lying.
– One should not use SPF products when ging out at night and planning on getting photographed, because SPF reflects light from flash photography and one would end up with a very bright face.
– Liquid foundation is best for Singapore weather. One can also use BB cream or tinted moisturizer. It is best to use brushes instead of fingers to apply foundation. Use circular motion for medium coverage and paintbrush strokes for full.
– You don’t need to set foundation with powder; it will only make your face look cakey.
– When defining brows, always start from the tail. No one should ever use black color to define their brows.
– Pencil eyeliner will definitely smudge in Singapore weather. Use gel liner instead. (I proved this yesterday when I tried on Maybelline gel liner. Will buy next time.)
– Essential make up steps in the morning (which she claims can be done in 20 minutes):
(1) Face primer
(2) Concealer around the eyes
(3) Foundation
(4) Translucent powder under the eyes
(5) Define eyebrows
(6) Contour face with bronzer and highlighter
(7) Blush on
(8) Curl lashes, apply mascara
(9) Lipstick
– How to make lipstick last:
(1) Use lip balm 15 minutes before using lipstick, or wipe it all off before using lipstick.
(2) Start with lip liner. Start from the outer lips and work your way in. Fill in the whole lip.
(3) Tap your lipstick onto your lips instead of swiping it on from side to side.
(4) Take a tissue and blot your lips.
(5) Take tissue over lips then brush translucent powder over the tissue on to the lips.
(6) Take lipstick and reapply lipstick.
She also taught us how to do a smoky eye but it’s kinda hard to write the instructions down, that’s the thing that’s easier to teach with an actual demonstration.
Same with how to do contouring. I’ve always wanted to learn how to do that. I’m so fat that I need this to create the illusion of a slim face and I am slightly obsessed with cheekbones lately and this was a Godsend.
When I got home I immediately tried out what I learned on myself. She did say that we had to practice. Constantly. I am kinda pleased with my first try.
Bioessence BB cream does such a wonderful job of making my skin look flawless, doesn’t it? And Bodyshop shimmer waves gives me cheekbones quite nicely, with Nars blush in orgasm making me look rosy instead of beach-tanned.
Other products used: Makeup Forever eyebrow kit, Victoria’s Secret eyeshadow and lipstick, Maybelline gel eyeliner, Mac studio fix lash mascara.
Luckily I have my Bodyshop shimmer waves pallet which is a bronzer set, so I was able to use that and had no need to buy a new one. The only new thing I bought that I learned from class was this:
Only $2 from Daiso
After class, Maya and I walked around the Dhoby Gaut area to find dinner and do a wee bit of shopping.
We dined at Just Acia, where they serve delightful set meals for under S$10 which includes bottomless drinks and ice cream.
Now I usually order the same thing every time I go there – the deep fried chicken set. This time around I decided to try something new – spaghetti aglio olio with chicken teriyaki. It was delicious! I have a new favorite! It pays to experiment. How else would you discover new wonderful things?
Near Just Acia is another favorite of mine – P.osh brownies. I just had to have one. Don’t you just adore their quirky packaging? They made it look like a medicine pack.
Afterwards we walked into Plaza Singapura. I ended up buying a pair of rose gold stud earrings from Goldheart, which was having a relocation sale. The earrings I chose are plain and round but they are cut in such a way that they glitter, giving the illusion of having gems when they actually don’t. I’m all about illusions today, aren’t I? I got them at 50% off. I hope that wasn’t an illusion too.
Then we bought some stuff in Daiso, the Japanese store where everything is worth S$2. I also shopped around for bronzers and found a nice one in Etude House but decided to make do with what I have currently. Then we went home before we got tempted to buy anything more. Women! ;P
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