Makeup Misconception Busted by MUA Gomit Chopra

It has been quiet a some time now when Hale and Belle’s beauty blogger, Neisha Arora, got into a general discussion with the Delhi based celebrity makeup artist, Gomit Chopra, where he left her awestruck with his concept to using concealers in a darker shade (actually, the one that’s very very close to your natural skin tone). Yes! You read that right.

Concealers have never, never to be a shade lighter; and the concept backs it up with a science. This, perhaps, had to be a biggest, biggest makeup misconception been busted by this reputed makeup artist.

After ample research and practical observations, our beauty blogger, Neisha Arora, brings you a stunning feature for the month – how to do your base right and the tips to keep your makeup from oxidizing.

When on a makeup shopping spree, we have to, and we love to swatch bumper lipstick shades, the foundations, the concealers, and more. In cases of concealers and foundations, we do fall in love with the product shades and the textures, and purchase it only to find that it turned a shade darker (even more worse, turned orange!) when we’re home?

Does that sound you familiar? Have you experienced your makeup oxidizing on your face? Your makeup is not exactly the same it was on you an hour before you land up to your luncheon or to your prom? Isn’t it? This is the oxidization.

WHAT IS OXIDIZATION?

Oxidization is a process that shows up with a change in appearance of something upon its exposure to oxygen. Apples and potatoes turning brown after being sliced down is a perfect example to the same. Everything oxidizes, we however don’t notice it all because the rate of oxidation counts on the material. For instance, iron reacts with the oxygen to rust. But this could consume even years to happen.

MY SKIN HAS ACIDIC PH LEVEL. WHAT IS IT THEN CAUSING THE MAKEUP TO OXIDIZE?

This is by nature, the mineral composition in makeup that makes it susceptible to oxidation. Titanium dioxide, iron oxide, and zinc oxide are the three common minerals found in the makeup products. If these minerals are key in the composition, the makeup gets more likely and susceptible to oxidation. Titanium dioxide is more common as a white pigment. So, lighter the foundation or your concealer, higher has to be the concerned minerals’ ratio. However, oxides are not the only mineral ingredients prone to the oxidation process.

In context to the “acidic skin” theory, it won’t be appropriate to question an individual if there skin is acidic. Reason? Well, here’s a hard fact – we all have acidic skin! A normal and healthy skin has to have a low pH level referred as the acid mantle, a super fine acidic film on the surface of the skin that works out as a barrier to the bacterias, viruses, potential irritants and the contaminants from penetrating into the skin. The pH level can normally range anywhere between 4.2 to 5.6, however, the parameter can vary from person to person. The makeup coming in unison to different skin and their unique natural oils may also contribute to varying makeup reactions in every different individual.

And thus, the theory clearly outlines the importance of picking the right shade of the foundation and the concealer for a perfect and a clear canvas; afterall, the more nice a canvas is, the more beautiful it gets for the art of makeup to pop up.

THE VARYING SKIN TONE AND THE UNDERTONE

Indian skins have a varying skin tone. For instance, when areas around the nose and the mouth, the undereyes and the chin are darker, the cheeks are light. This variation makes it important to make use of different colours appropriately so as to strike out a balance.

Also, it is equally important for you to understand your undertone so as to get your hands on the perfect makeup product. There are different undertones – warm, cool, and neutral. To find out yours, check out your veins. If your veins appear greenish, you may have a warm undertone. If your veins are bluish or purplish, cool is your undertone. And, if your veins look pale, colourless or matching to your skin tone; you probably have a neutral undertone. However, if you still find yourself stuck, consult beauty experts at the beauty counters like Ulta or Clinique.

HOW TO DO THE BASE RIGHT?

CONCEALER:

#1: To Create that base right, pick a concealer shade that’s very close to your natural skin tone. Conceal your under eye areas drawing a triangle. Yes! A triangle. No dotting or swiping the product.

#2: Proceed by concealing the dark areas around the nose, the mouth, and the chin.

#3: If you have pimples or acne, make sure you consider DABBING the concealer product on it for a flawless coverage. Dab and blend the product around.

#4: If you have scars or may be cluster of redness on your cheeks, Hale and Belle recommends not picking the heads. Don’t ever color individual heads. It is important for the whole area to look seamlessly covered. So, go with the concealer over the patch, not every single head.

Recommended Product: MAC Studio Finish Concealer

With concealing done right, you’ll already get to see a significant change on your face, without foundation.

FOUNDATION:

When done with the concealer, apply foundation. Pick a shade that’s closest to your natural skin tone. Hale and Belle suggests not to ever go for a shade lighter than your skin tone or otherwise it will end up looking ashy, especially after you apply powder. To know the right shade, the trick is to swatch the product at the edge of jaw line. The one that appropriately matches your skin tone, it has to be your perfect fit. However, if you have a very oily skin, you can go for a little lighter shade to avoid oxidization.

Recommend Product: Lakme Invisible Finish Foundation – the product is semi-matte and so, looks like second skin even after you powder it.

Quick Tip by Our Beauty Blogger – No matter what you do, there has to be and there will be creases showing up around your eyes – the under eyes, the sockets, et cetera. To fix this, apply INGLOT TRANSLUCENT POWDER after foundation.

HOW TO KEEP MAKEUP FROM OXIDIZING OR TURNING ASHY?

Here is a compilation of a few tips by Gomit Chopra to help prevent the oxidation, or at least slow down the process.

Switch the Skin Care Regimen:

Having a too oily skin can perhaps contribute to oxidation. If you have a very oily skin, consider using an oil-reducing cleanser that effectively wipes out impurities while refining and maintaining a healthy low pH level. Similarly, a moisturizer that’s too nourishing can come out with similar effect. Try switching to a lightweight moisturizer.

Introduce Primer:

A primer creates a barrier between the skin and the makeup, making it resistant to reactions / oxidation. The Delhi based celebrity makeup artist, Gomit Chopra, recommends using the silicone primers. Reason? Being an occlusive agent, they are ideal for they render the best barrier between the skin and the makeup.

Recommended product: The PV girls love Benefit’s Porefessional (Price INR 1,300 at Benefit)!

Examine the Ingredients:

Look out for the ingredients of your makeup products. If you haven’t already, try introducing yourself an oil-free foundation to prevent the oils of your makeup reacting to the natural oil of your skin. Also, find foundations that inculcate antioxidants. The antioxidants help combat the free radicals which kicks of the oxidation. Vitamin E, Resveratol, and Green Tea are three most common antioxidants found in the cosmetics.

Make Sure You Keep Your Face Oil-free the Entire Day:

Blot your face before and the after the foundation to help prevent the oils seep through. You may consider using some oil-controlling powders like the Happy Skin Matte of Your Dreams Oil Control Mattifying Powder to help control the oil.

Look after your foundations:

The product in the bottles too gets exposed to the oxygen. So, it is always best to make sure the bottle is always tightly capped to help prevent the product from oxidizing. The liquid foundations lasts for about 6 months or may up to a year. However, they may oxidize over a longer course of time especially of the bottle isn’t tightly capped.

Try a Lighter Foundation If Your Skin is Too Oily:

If everything else fails to work out for your extra acidic and oily skin, you may want to consider trying a foundation in a lighter shade. It may take you through several trials and errors to understand how light you have to go. And so, “when you try on a foundation, see for the color changes after a few hours of the wearing before you settle on the perfect shade for you.“, suggests Gomit Chopra.

Bearing in mind that these tips are no ways foolproof for everyone has a different skin differently reacting to different makeup products. Oxidation does not limits to the foundations and the concealers, it can show up with any kind of makeup; however, foundations and concealers usually goes more noticeable.

NOTE: The products recommended in the article are personal recommendations by the renowned MUA Gomit Chopra, and not sponsored.

To know the key products of the esteemed makeup artist, Gomit Chopra; read this story.

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