&#91PHOTOGENIC MAKEUP&#93A painter and her photo-perfect palette

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&#91PHOTOGENIC MAKEUP&#93A painter and her photo-perfect palette

Our society is image-obsessed. When it comes to cameras, that can be a fun thing. Now that mobile phones come with cameras, laptops have camera accessories and digital cameras are smaller and more affordable than ever, instant pictures are becoming quite prevalent. You can take pictures at work, at an office event, at a party, anywhere. All you have to do is point and click and capture a moment.
When the camera points your way, you hope you’ll be looking good. If you don’t, remember these tips from Koh Jae-hee, a senior makeup artist at Bobbi Brown. For seven years, the last four at Bobbi Brown, Ms. Koh has been touching up the faces of Korea’s top models like Byun Jung-min, Oh Ji-young and Lee Eon-jeong. The company only hires people with backgrounds as makeup artists, which is one reason why Bobbi Brown has a leading reputation in makeup application.
For the IHT-JoongAng Daily, Ms. Koh coached intern Amber Kim, a student at Seoul National University, on photo-perfect makeup. Luckily for Ms. Kim, such makeup is more minimal then it used to be. “For photo shoots, people used to cake on the makeup,” Ms. Koh says. “You might look good on camera, but you had to take off all your makeup before you could show your face in public.” The procedure might be detailed, but the effect enhances your own natural style.

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Skin

1. Skin care comes first.
“In Korea, women like skin care too much,” Ms. Koh says. “Using many products at night may be beneficial, but in the morning, use creams sparingly. Too much lotion can cause makeup to clot or smear. Use an eye cream in the morning, not right before a picture. That extra step will help set the concealer.”

2. Clear skin tone is essential for good photos.
“No matter how perfect your skin may be, skin tone is rarely even. The darkest part of your face is often under your eyes. Dark circles there make you look tired, sick or even hung over. If you lighten those circles, you look more rested. You should always carry concealer in your purse, just in case. It makes such a difference in photos.” Using a brush, Ms. Koh applies Creamy Concealer in beige from the inner corner of the eye angled down toward the apple of the cheeks.
3. Most people test foundation on their hand, but it’s best to test it on your face.
“Choose a color that blends right into your skin. For pictures, yellow-base tones are better than pink-based colors.” Ms. Koh tests two of Bobbi Brown’s 12 Foundation Stick colors on Ms. Kim’s cheek before choosing the color beige.
“People often apply foundation over the entire face, but that’s not necessary. Cover the key points, remembering the nose and forehead.” She also dabs sheer powder under the eyes.

4. Blush gives a healthy glow.
Ms. Koh asks Ms. Kim to smile, and applies blush to her forehead, cheek and the bottom of her chin. She blends blush away from the nose toward the hairline. “Blush creates the illusion of a smaller face.”

5. Face powder to finish.
“For daily summertime use, this step is optional.”
Eyes

6. Match eyebrow and hair color, or go one shade lighter on the eyebrows.
Ms. Koh applies the color mahogany on the brows, shading from the arch to the outer tip, then from the arch to the inner tip. The goal is symmetric brows that aren’t too sharp.

7. Use flattering neutral tones for eye shadow.
“Be careful if you’re applying shimmering colors. Your eyes will look swollen, and the color will stand out, not you. If you want something bright, try blue, or match eyeshadow color with your clothes.” Ms. Koh first brushes on eyeshadow of a toast color, then goes over that with a Shimmer Eyeshadow in pale pink.

8. Eyeliners create depth in eyes.
“The problem is that pencil eyeliners tend to smudge on Asian eyelid creases.” Ms. Koh uses a gel-type eyeliner, applying it on the upper lid from the center to the outer edge, and again from the center to the inner edge. “You usually don’t need to line under the eyes unless you’re going for a smoky effect.”

9. Curling eyelashes opens up the eye area.
Ms. Koh applies Lash Glamour Lengthening Mascara.

Lips

10. Lipstick goes on before the lipliner.
Ms. Koh applies Lip Color in brown, then lightly goes over the edges with Creamy Lipliner in nude. She finishes it with Lip Gloss in buff, applying the gloss from the center out.

After the makeup session, Ms. Kim says that the most important thing she learned was the importance of undereye concealer. “It made such a difference,” she says as she gathers her purse and walks out for her next appointment. Seoul, and all you cameras out there, here I come.

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Do real men wear makeup?

Lipstick? No thank you, and no way.
If that’s your attitude towards makeup, gentlemen, be aware there are ways for men to get picture-ready without looking too feminine. The IHT-Joong-Ang Daily spoke with makeup artists for tips on preparing men for photo sessions. The key here is not perfection, but enhancing good areas, and covering flaws.

1. Cover up dark circles under the eyes, but make sure to choose a color that isn’t too light.
2. Use a light foundation to even out skin tone. A heavy foundation will look unnatural on men.
3. If you don’t have chiseled features, you can create a slight illusion of them by shading and highlighting certain areas of the face. When Lee Jin-soo, a makeup artist with Lancome, applies makeup on male models, he chooses a lighter shade for under the eyes and the nose, while going a shade darker on the edges of the face.
4. If drawing in sparse eyebrows, use an ebony pencil. Don’t make the eyebrows too dark. It’s important for men to look natural, Ms. Koh says.

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How to get ready (fast) for your close-up

Quick fixes for getting camera-ready:

The actress Seong Yu-ri and an editor at Seventeen magazine Korea swear by the Vichy Normaderm cover up stick. The formula includes Zincadone A for acne treatment; the stick also has a nude color to cover up blemishes. Cost is 18,000 won ($15).

Shu Uemura offers the Eye Correcting Pro Concealer for all eye-area problems. Mauve is for a transparent glow. Orange is to cover dark circles. White is for highlights, such as at the inner corners of your eyes. Yellow also counteracts the brown of dark circles. Cost is 30,000 won.

Natural skin look is more important then ever, according to Lancome’s Lee Jin-soo. Lancome offers a foundation called Photogenic Skin Illuminating Makeup. The oil-free formula adjusts to the effects of light so your skin looks picture-perfect ― indoors, outdoors, day or night. Best of all, it comes in a tube that you can carry in your purse. Cost is 47,000 won. For quick touch-ups, Mr. Lee recommends focusing on the eyes with eyeliner and a beige-tone shadow.

Estee Lauder’s make-up artist Jun Jin-young also emphasizes the importance of natural looking skin. Allure magazine gave the foundation So Ingenius a “Breakthrough Award” for the use of what the firm calls Quardracolor Technology. This foundation also reacts to light to create perfect illumination at any time. The coverage is sheer to medium. Cost is 50,000 won.

Tinted Moisturiser from Bobbi Brown is a light cover-up that’s good for daily summer use. The effect is also minimal enough for men to use before taking pictures. Cost is 46,000 won.


by Joe Yong-hee
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