trial and error and yrs of reading magazines, starting with 17 !!

Take the time to go to a make-up counter. But, this time really explain what you want and what you are willing to do. And, how long you are willing to spend each morning.

I can't wear foundation. I won't be talked into it.

Don't feel obligated to buy EVERYTHING they use on you, just what you actually need. As you know, make up is costly.

I didn't wear much makeup until I went to college. I'm a Midwestern girl but went to school in Texas, and a pretty social school at that. I had two friends, sisters, who'd been in the Junior Miss pageant program. They taught me how to apply makeup...boy, did they teach me. Contouring, highlighting, shadowing. I did that for about a semester, then I scaled waaaay back and lived on shadow and blush as my everyday routine for the next 20 years.

Trial and error, mostly. In recent years, with the proliferation of makeup blogs and tutorials, I have learned some new techniques.

There is a blog, maskcara.com, that has some helpful videos. Cara is not a good writer, and I don't always love her personal style. However, her makeovers and quick makeup tutorials are downright amazing and worth watching. Here's a link to her YouTube videos-- https://m.youtube.com/#/playlist?list=UUGyEh4tPLpUgQFg3b-3eZOw

I've always had an interest and have grown over the years. Self taught, classes, books, and videos.

I agree with everything Jlc said about Maskcara. Unfortunately since she has a makeup line now everything is done with her stuff. I would too, but on this end I really don't believe the foundation is a good fit for all and miss a variety of more products. I also like Wayne Goss and Pixiwoo.

I know Wayne is a guy, but he's good and his videos are short and to the point. When on youtube make sure to click on videos and you'll get a full list.

Gossmakeupartisit

Pixiwoo

I also like that both they all typically list what products they use in the description. Time saver.

I'd watch Carmindy's 5 min face, though it does take 10 min. She gives a lot of basic make up tips. Early on, I learned from friends and magazines and such, but then 20 yrs ago or so I got Victoria Jackson cosmetics which came with a video and instructions for different face shapes and eye shapes which I found useful. More recently, as my eyes have become hooded, I've watched videos on what to do with hooded eyes, and I've started using eyeliner on my tight waterline as recommended by what's-his-name...that make over artist that was recommended not too long ago.

Thanks for the links and information. Having specific resources is helpful.

So, question: despite having learned how to contour, I still basically do simply a foundation or tinted beauty balm, blush, and eyes. Do you all do more than that? Highlighting, contouring, etc?

Why is it when I apply liner the way she does then use my fingertip to smooth it out, I look like a MESS? lol.

Bpathome, I don't. I'll use a highlighter if I go out at night, but that's all the extra I'll do.

I don't ever do contouring .... unless it's Halloween.

I do put a little light powder on the tops of my cheekbones to help camoflage my darker under eye area and bring attention to my eyes which are my best feature.

On our last vacation, for a very fancy dinner, I put on what I thought was a ton of make up...but when I saw myself later in photos, I was amazed that it looked like I had hardly any on at all. So for a dressy or glam look, I've learned that I can do a lot darker colors than I thought and more make up than I thought.

Christopher Hopkins...that's the guys name about lining your tight water line.

Wayne Goss is my favorite and love Christopher Hopkins also. I have been wearing make up forever and self taught. However, what used to work on my younger face isn't cutting it on my older face.

Now that I'm older cheek highlighters look silly on me. The other change is lining my older eye. The only time I use an eye liner is when I'm going for a smoky eye and then it must be a creamier eye pencil that will get right into the eyelash line. I then use a darker eye shadow like dark grey and apply it by making the sponge part of applicator damp and then dragging it through the eye shadow and tapping off excess (this helps it stay fast and prevents shadow dust on face or in eye). Next I just apply the damp dark eye shadow like a liner but smudgier. For everyday I only use the damp eye shadow liner technique with sometimes some contouring shadow. Now that I'm older non-smudged liner looks silly on me. A straight line is just to harsh on my mature face. Lots of techniques I learned when young no longer work for me.

I always highlight and contour. When I say highlight I'm talking the triangles to the sides of my nose under my eyes along with my nose (this will depend on what type of nose you have. Most people do a combo of contour and highlight), between the brows, upper lip, and small area right under lip. This is a slightly lighter color and is not at all shimmery. I don't use 'illuminator' on the tops of my cheekbones. There are a lot of products for this that are shimmery and unless you have really good skin it's going to show any fine lines.

For inexpensive highlight to play around with look for something like Maybelline Dream Lumi pen.

For contour, the color needs to be right. If you have fair/medium skin try a more taupe shade. NYX makes a blush called 'Taupe' that works well. I only sculpt my cheekbones, under sides of jawline and under chin. My nose doesn't need it.

Interesting. I don't highlight or contour. Annie, what do you use on tops of your cheeks to help with the under eye area? Like you, I like to play up my eyes.

Contouring? This was my last attempt at it. ;-)

nice, TR!! some of my best contouring was also done the times i was going for a corpse look on halloween!!

Speaking of contouring, I looked up Wayne Goss (thanks, Holly Kay) and here's his take on trends that should die in 2016.

tinam, for my undereye area, I use a mineral powder that is a shade lighter than the one that I use on my face. Then I have an almost white eye shadow that I apply a light sweep with a fan brush on the top of my cheek bones, just nicking the edge where the under eye meets the face to mask that line. My under eye area is recessed so it helps. If it were bags, I definitely wouldn't do it. Light makes things more prominent, dark makes them recede.

Oh, how I wish I would have learned from my mom or older sister! Over the years, it's been trial and error, magazines, and now the internet. Occasional make-overs, which have by and large been not to my liking.

I have a nice base, daytime and nighttime routine now with good products that do the job.

I'm glad I don't have to wear it everyday anymore.

he's too funny, annie! the attempts i made at for real contouring (not for halloween!) when i was much younger i always washed off-- i could never blend it away like he does in the video... maybe i just never used enough foundation...

I need to switch things up and am planning to get a make up lesson - not a make up application, but a lesson and get them to help pick out what I should be wearing. I have been hesitating because I have a weird skin tone and there are a lot of make up lines that just look orangey on me (like CHanel, bobbi brown, Mac. I have tried them with help, and they look terrible!)

A lifetime of watching how the big girls do it, Seventeen, then Glamour and Mademoiselle, makeup counters at Macy's, trial and error. Same as doing hair.

@boopadadoo...I was in search of a new foundation this past year...I must have tried at least 15 foundations (samples, not purchases). A couple tips on testing foundation...Have them do a stripe test. Meaning have them do a stripe of each foundation (without blending it in) they think look close to your skin tone and let it set for a few minutes to see how they look. A lot of foundation will change color...you'll notice if it's ashy, or orange, or too pink etc etc. Don't be shy to ask for samples...There's nothing worse than going home with new foundation, trying it the next day and you hate it out in the daylight. I ended up with Clinique Even better foundation. I have a hard to match skin too. I'm Hispanic with a lot of yellow in my skin.

Tinted moisturizers work great for blending with your skin tone. You get coverage but it's natural. I use Lancomes and would die if they discontinued it. It also has sun screen in it.

Originally I learned to apply makeup by studying fashion magazines. From there I was trained by Altima II. I could never use their foundation though as it had too much fragrance in it and instead used Clinic's water base foundation. From there I worked as a makeup artist for a modeling agency doing makeovers for models portfolio's and some for advertising and later my favorite...commercials. this was all in the early eighties though so except for some basics a lot does not apply. These days when I go to the mall for my blush, foundation ( tinted Moisturizer) and powder I go with my face fully made up and ask a person who I like the look of if I need any tweaking or updating. This helps me fine tune what I'm already doing.