Avoiding Makeup Disasters

Since nobody else has your face, there are mistakes you're just going to have to make on your own. But the good news is that there are a gazillion mistakes other women have made before you. 

Here are some tips to get you started: 

1 Always start with a clean face. 

2 Never even consider using anyone else's makeup. 

3 Get a makeup kit with everything you'll need for the pageant
   already in it. Have someone do your makeup with it if you
   wish, but be ready to do the work yourself if need be. 

4 Get a good pageant foundation. Regular foundation is okay
   for daily wear, but when the heat is on, you want something
   with real staying power. 

5 Have all facial hair removed and eyebrows neatly done.
   Experiment with everything you need in advance. 

Selecting foundation colors is easy nowadays since modern foundations work with the color of your skin. They don't go on like a mask or theatrical makeup. Just pick the one closest to your natural skin color and it will help smooth out the surface and conceal imperfections. Pick eye colors that accent your own natural eye color. Don't try to find colors you like -- find colors that like you! Do not to encircle your eyes with black eyeliner. You want your eyes to look bright, not dark and hidden or like transplants from an old silent movie star. Get good, quick-drying mascara so that it stays on your lashes and doesn't end up on your lids. If you're going for a certain shade of lipstick, make sure the cheek color you select is in the same range. If not, the makeup will look clownish. When you're done, ask a trusted friend for an opinion, or take some photos so you can judge for yourself. And expect to give yourself a few yucky treatments. It's worth it to be able to make everything just right when it really counts. As Dolly Parton so aptly put it, "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta' put up with the rain."