makeup decoded
It occurred to me the other day as I wrote up a step-by-step that I use some terms in tutorials that certain readers might not fully understand. So I thought, “Well, why not decode them?” There are many, many terms associated with makeup and artistry, so this list is far from exhaustive, but it’s a nice way to dip the proverbial toe in.
Let’s begin.
Waterline: You have two of them, one on the top eyelid, and one on the bottom. This is the thin strip of skin between where your lashes grow and your actual eye.
When lining the waterline, you generally need a very soft, waterproof pencil, as the waterline tends to be slightly moist. When you hear of people using a flesh tone pencil, this is probably where it’s going.
Brow bone: The slightly protruding area just below your eyebrow hairs, before you get to the soft part of your eyelid.
Eyelid: The entire bit of skin between your eyelashes and your eyebrow.
Lower lid: The part of your eyelid that goes from your lashes until it runs into the crease of your lid.
Apple of the cheek: Look in the mirror and smile. The part of your cheek that rounds out the most (usually about a finger’s-width away from your nose) is the apple.
Matte: A flat, no shine finish. Think freshly powdered.
Luminous: Containing small flecks of finely milled sparkle, but nowhere near the level of sparkle that glitter has. This should look dewy and fresh, not actively sparkly.
Glitter: Think crafting. Yep, that’s it. (Which is not to say glittery makeup can’t be super fun!)
Natural finish: In lipsticks, think what your lips look like right after you lick them, and that’s what they mean. In foundation, think of that very soft look your skin has about 20 minutes after you moisturize–not shiny, but not matte, either. Bingo!
People have asked me recently about a few of the terms on the list , some of them I have simply stored up over the years for just such an occasion as this article. This list barely begins to scratch the surface, so stay tuned in future months for another round (or two!).
