Shelby's Makeup Commandments for All Actors

by Shelby Sprigg, head of Hair and Makeup

Come to terms with this. You will be wearing makeup in the near future. Yes, guys wear makeup too. Really let that sink in for a minute.

1. Buy foundation. This isn't as hard as you think, I promise. Don't just go to a store and pick up a random bottle - I promise you, that won't work. Either a) take a friend to help match your skin tone, or b) look in a mirror to find another part of your body with the same tone as your face (usually, this is the side or underside of the hand or wrist, but not always).

2. Find a mirror and look at your face for a minute. Look closely. Acknowledge that you will be wearing makeup very, very soon. Maybe take a picture for posterity sake. Maybe write a eulogy. Do whatever you want to commemorate this moment, because hereafter, you will no longer be a makeup virgin.

3. Apply foundation. Make sure it's even, and don't layer it on like paint. You aren't covering your face in concrete. Just blend it into your skin, until your face looks even and flawless.

4. Now for the fun part. You kind of look like a piece of paper, because your face has no shading or color difference. So let's add those, why don't we?

5. Bronzer goes on first. This magic powder should be a little darker than your foundation, and should be applied carefully. So here's what you do: Get a little bit of bronzer onto your makeup brush. You're only using a little, so tap it against your wrist to dislodge excess powder. Make a fishy face in the mirror, and lightly trace those weird indents in your cheeks with the brush. Also add bronzer to your jawline. Trust me, it makes you look thin and angular, and your face will thank you. Run it from all the way behind one ear, along the underside of your chin, to the other ear. Blend the shadows into the foundation, so they don't just look like lines on your face. Now touch on your temples, and maybe the sides of your nose.

6. Blush is... optional. If you're going to use it, use it carefully. Because, seriously, if you screw this part up, you'll look like a clown. Just put a little on your cheeks, if you want. If you have naturally pink-ish skin, you really don't need to do this every time.

7. Add some highlights, if you want! This is a lighter powder that just makes parts of your face pop. Put it on the tops of your cheekbones, maybe on your forehead, maybe the tip of your nose. Who knows? Wherever the hell you want.

8. EYELINER TIME! (Or guyliner, if you like). Important notes here: If you're pale, blonde, or not really that confident, use brown. If you have dark hair or skin, go with black. Use a pencil, until you're more confident, and hold off on waterproof or smudge-proof eyeliners. Trust me, you'll probably have to try a few times before you get it right.

9. Mascara!! Yes, guys can wear it too! Don't do anything weird with your eyes; just look straight forward. And curl the mascara wand along your eyelashes. Some people say to hold the wand steady and blink to apply mascara, but I don't like this method, because your eyelashes will hit the tops of your eyelids when you open them again, and you'll inevitably get smears.

10. Lipstick or lip gloss is a nice finishing touch. 

Congrats! You're beautiful!

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