Its not just us Tgirls that struggle with make up, how to put it on, what to choose, what suits me, etcetera. Hadley Freeman, one of the fashion editors from the Guardian wrote this article....extracts below

"Makeup can seem intimidating, expensive and hard work, but find a few products that you like and follow some expert advice and it can actually be quite fun"

It was triggered by this request from a reader


"I want to start wearing more makeup but I get intimidated whenever I go to beauty halls in department stores. How do I know where to start?"

"I feel your pain, Melanie, I truly do. I've never been one for wearing makeup myself but, as my mid-30s creep unavoidably closer, I find myself dabbling. Yet as you say, there is such a glut of stuff out there, much of which seems to be terrifyingly expensive for such tiny little bottles, all of which have ridiculous names that sound more like a random selection of words than actual products, such as "High Definition Serum Foundation Capture Total".

Worse, it seems that once you get one product down pat – eyeshadow, say – the industry then suggests you need at least four other products to make that one thing work better, such as eye primers, eye glosses, eye mousses and eye creams. To be honest, sometimes it feels it'd be cheaper and easier to be a drug addict, and at least then you wouldn't have to work to get the smoky-eye look (Guardian disclaimer: do not become a drug addict).

Also, another issue for me is that I'm lazy. There are mornings when it is a miracle that I manage to brush my teeth, so I look upon women on the train who are working a whole flicky liquid eyeliner look at 8.30am with the kind of amazement otherwise reserved for folk who announce they're running a marathon (or running full stop. Seriously, why run unless there's a fire?).

On top of that, the illegibility of my handwriting has long suggested to me that if I did attempt flicky liquid eyeliner it would result in my face resembling more of a Jackson Pollock painting than anything remotely Bardot-esque.

But, like I said, I've recently been dabbling. I still don't like fussing about in the mornings (I'd rather spend my time eating breakfast than stabbing myself in the eye with a pencil), I still don't like makeup that makes me look too made-up and I'll never wear makeup every day (life's too short), but I have found some things that even I can just about manage.

Pretty much my favourite product in the world is Smashbox's primer, which I've loved ever since discovering it in the States about a decade ago. Lord knows what this stuff is made of – dead puppies? Ground-up carcinogens? – but, my God, it works. Just whack it on your face and you look airbrushed. Any time I wear it, people tell me how uncharacteristically great I look.

For cheeks, I have been a long fan of Nars and find that their blush in Orgasm (embarrassing sex names appear to be the tax one pays for getting into makeup, on top of the exorbitant price tags) and a slick of a Multiple stick in Copacabana on the cheekbones works for me.

For tricks on application and unexpected product finds, the best thing to do is to find beauty columnists and bloggers you trust, though God knows that isn't easy. To be brutally honest, many beauty blogs consist of little more than selfies and uncritical gush about whatever free products the blogger got sent that morning. But there are good ones out there.

Amodelrecommends.com, like Ronseal, does what it says on the tin: model Ruth Crilly writes well and appealingly about makeup and generally comes across as someone who knows her beans. I'm also rather fond of Lips So Facto, not least for the name. The London Lipgloss, run by Vice magazine writer Zoe Hellewell, is as fun and neon-coloured as you'd expect of someone from that stable. Magazine-wise, Glamour, both the US and UK editions, is pretty good.

Closer to home, even if we didn't work for the same paper I would still be a Sali Hughes groupie. I find her advice to be a rare oasis of trustworthiness and comprehensibility, and her videos are brilliant for those of us who need real hand-holding. I've always avoided lipstick out of fear of looking like Ivana Trump but her recent recommendation of Revlon's Lip Butter has changed, if not my life, then definitely my lips. Similarly, her recommendation of YSL Eyeliner Automatique has convinced me that maybe liquid eyeliner isn't as tough as running a marathon, even if it's still never going to be on my face at 8am, unless it's still on from the night before.

But I think the most important thing is to have fun with makeup. Being a woman can sometimes be a bit of a drag (Whoa! Bodyform!) and playing around with makeup occasionally is a nice bit of compensation, like finger painting for grownups but with a more aesthetically pleasing effect. Well, sometimes."


So what you are thinking what relevance does this have for us. Well maybe that we all started at some time, and though we may think that all women are gifted at applying make up, or born with a mascara wand in their fingers...they are not. And like us special Tgirls they too have to practise and find a look that suits them - one where they dont look like a panda or Coco the clown (not coco chanel)

Lots of women have reacted positively to Hadley's article and though some said you can check on line tutorials ( a sort of guerilla maquillage as on woman called it) I liked best this comment......


"It is a great tool for confidence, creativity, empowerment and powerful aesthetic statements. Experiment with how and when you wear it - don't worry about the 'industry' or too many of the guides /experts.
It opened doors for me".


It would be lovely if you could share some of your stories about first putting on make up and where you are now.

hugs

Pauline xxxx

link - http://www.guardian.co.uk/fashion/2013/mar/25/how-to-start-wearing-makeup

Thanks i enjoyed that,im still trying to discover my colours for my eyes thats the battleground for me

I have a massive steel carry case full of make-up, almost the size of a small suitcase. I really only ever need a handful of products! To get to the key products has taken a lot of work and money! xxx

yes im agree i prefair just a few good make ups rather than a lot of pound shop staff. For my foundation i use GAIMAS COVER CREAM SPECIAL FOR MY FACE SKIN COLOR, AND THEN MATTE AND LUMINOUS HYDRATING LOOSE POWDER BY DIOR WHICH IS GORGEOUS . FOR MY EYES AND LIPS KIKO CREAMY LIP PENCIL GOOD STAFF AT AFANTASTIC PRICE AND THEN IM AFTER A MAXIVE PALETT OF A NICE BRAND. all these worth every peny and make me feel great and confident. Choose litle amount but good brands. xxxxxx

Hmm... Well... I was naff, at one point, but always admired the smokey eyes looks, to which know i wear every daywoop.

But, i saw youtube videos on how to get the look etc, and found Superdrug stocks the Smokey eye shadow pallets... but my favourite so far. and that suits me the most is the M.U.A one... http://www.muastore.co.uk/index.php/trio-eyeshadow but even Boujoir do some damn good pallets as well, and I swear by, Ivory Maybelline superstay foundation, just sets so welland then, just simple mascara, and I use a Barry M eye liner pencil and just colour my eye brows in, with some Black Eye shadow, and then done... xx

My first time at putting on make up was for a day out in London. The GG helping me also did make up for a small theatre group. I had bought the full works from Body Shop without trying it but the assistant said they were the colours she would have used for a make over.
The GG told me what each item was for and explained how to put it on without using brushes. It all made sense. Foundation to clear the face to a flat look; blusher to bring back your cheeks; etc. Lipstick was the problem - how big do you make your lips. And as for the first try at smoke eye, all I'll say it has taken a long time to get it right.

Still not happy with my look but I am working on it

Thanks for that article Pauline. Two big influences on my make up. The first was Mrs M who always taught me less is more - especially after she witnessed my over exaggerated lashings of slap when I was a young apprentice. Advice from people who use make up every day is always a good starting point. Second though was from an unlikely source - Transformation the shopping chain that was expensive but offered many of us an outlet in the early days used to give out a step by step guide to putting make up on and it was very good - so much so that I still have a copy of it to this day. So it was good for something!

Last but not least - always be careful with blue eye shadow - lol.
Love

Marianne
xxxxxx

I adore make up but i'm not to good at applying it,no matter how many pixiwoo videos I watch or how many copys of cosmo I sit and read it just doesn't seem to get any easier but i'll never give up trying x

I have experimented a great deal, to the point where I'm quite happy with the results. I always wear black eyeliner, but not too worried about brands. Lipstick is usually Lipfinity or Superstay ( usually red ). I use a base primer first, sponge it in gently, then some loose mineral powder blended in with a medium brush. For eyes, I tend to stick with black and blended in for a smoked effect. i rarely use much on my lashes, but sometimes use fake ones when I have time. They are a pain but they look good on, so I do try from time to time. For blush I use a splodge of red lipstick, blend it in and then a fine brush of loose powder to take away the edges. I have many makeup looks yet to try, but it's all fun.
I don't go out dressed, so I can indulge and not worry about attracting unnecessary attention, so I understand that side of things, where a more subtle look is more practical.

Job done.
I've had many disasters along the way. Some of the transformation stuff on YouTube is incredible to see, but we all do our best.

This post was edited by Deleted Member at December 3, 2013 9:46 PM GMT

The process of putting on make-up, for me, is as enjoyable as the end result (Steve Coogan said the same re Pauline Calf). What I've learnt via testing is:-

- Liquid eyeliner on the top lids, pencil on the bottom.
- Smokey eye shadow is done best with the finger.
- Avoid blusher at all costs unless you're an expert.
- Take the time to learn how to trim/put fake eyelashes on. Huge difference.
- Take the time to find temp false nail glue. Removing the permanent stuff is horribly tedious, especially in a hurry.
- And the classic: small eyes, big lips and vice versa. The exception: vamping it up (see pic).

D.

In the old days I had no idea WTF I was doing...concealer covered in powder to set it, foundation then covered in powder to set it, then more powder (usually white) to make the whole splodgy mess look like Edward Scissorhands.

These days I still don't know WTF I'm doing but I look less like a German Expressionist tragic character and a bit more human. Moral: less is more, and the less you use the less you can mess up

But thanks for the info.

Just had my first full go today and it wasn't nearly as difficult or traumatic as I was expecting! Girls, give it a go - these products are there to help you look your radiant best. And heavens do they work! I'm still in shock, lol.

I only used four things, badly applied, and still felt 100 times more feminine than ever: foundation from Boots, lipstick, nail varnish and eye liner. Took me 30 mins, though I can imagine with more kit it takes a lot longer. It is a slightly secret world in the shop because they never label products as "lipstick" etc, but you quickly start to guess from the shapes of the packaging.

And to clean it all off I had nail varnish remover and used a bit of olive oil and liquid hand soap on my face. Took less than 10 minutes to remove every trace. But I do know some eyeliners and mascaras etc are designed to be long-lasting so I steered clear of anything like that. So give it a go ladies, if you haven't tried already xx

Nicci if you're using Boots products the girls on the counters are very happy to talk about your colour and how to apply it and how to get it off. This is whether you are in femme mode or male mode.

Yes Boots are great, and if you're a bit shy about it, the stuff is all laid out like a supermarket so you can browse by yourself. It was foundation I was most unsure about, but Boots had a range called Adapt-itude, which apparently adapts to your own skin colour (it be sorcery I reckon). They only have about four colours to choose from and the tube looks like a mini tube of sunscreen, so buying it was painless. One day I will chat to the girls on the counters...

Boots are brilliant. I plucked up courage a while ago, went to the counter, looking lost, and was approached by a staff member, who took me in hand. The test for foundation shade first, then she fixed me up with the essentials. She showed me how to do eyes, lips eyebrows etc, and the result was I looked sensational. It was a pity that she had to take it off - I was in drab, and gouing home on the bus!
But, I feel I ma getting better at it, and probably the less is best rule is one to follow.
This post was edited by helen wade at March 29, 2014 10:44 PM GMT