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Community Corner

Makeup: Myths and Misconceptions

The lies and truths about makeup and why so many women avoid wearing it

When it comes to makeup, there are two types of women: the ones who never wear it and the ones who never leave home without it.

The idea behind wearing makeup – that is, to cover up for flaws-- has turned women into skeptics, either leading them to believe that it has to be caked on, or causing them to avoid makeup altogether.

These beliefs are misconceptions. The overdone, heavily painted faces are for film and television, and it is completely unrealistic for an everyday woman.

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The primary purpose of makeup is to be creative, have fun and enhance your natural beauty, not create a mask.

As a makeup artist that takes great pride in her craft, I personally wanted to know why so many women were apprehensive about “enhancing” their beauty, so I asked a group of stylish trendsetters from all walks of life for their perspectives.

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A few women stated they didn't need it. Well, no one should ever feel she needs makeup. Another said she had issues with makeup because of her freckles. It is almost impossible to cover them because of the pigmentation. And that's okay... make up artists love freckles. We never cover them. A translucent powder to knock down the shine and some blush will work just fine.

I did notice however that most of these women weren't wearing makeup either because it was a time factor or they didn't know how to apply it. At first, it is time consuming and you may even have to set up an appointment with a professional makeup artist.

But after getting comfortable and developing some basic techniques, ten minutes is all it takes to paint a pretty face.

Working a glam look takes practice, yet it can be done. One rule of thumb is to play up one feature at a time. For instance, create a smokey eye with a nude lip or show off a sheer eye with just mascara and cheeks. Don't be afraid to pop a color or two. Splashes of color keeps you trendy and brightens you up.

Now, there is a such thing as wearing too much makeup. Before making a purchase, know what products to look for and ask questions. Decide what you need rather than what everyone else is wearing. 

We come in a variety of “flavors” therefore we cannot wear the same color. For women of color, it is very, very important that your foundation makeup matches your skin tone. Stay clear from anything that looks too light or too orange.

As far as frosts, lacquers and super matte skin, leave that to "The Real Housewives of Atlanta."

This is a re-print of an article that ran on Bed-Stuy Patch on November 26, 2011.

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