Make-up mistakes men should not make

“Light, natural make-up can eliminate signs of fatigue and make one look well-groomed," says celebrity make-up artist Anil Sable, who works with Vicky Kaushal. “It is great to see male actors embrace make-up in real life beyond films, and talk about it."

Make-up artist Hinal Dattani, who works with Ayushmann Khurrana, Vijay Devarakonda, Allu Arjun and Siddhant Chaturvedi, among other, says make-up for men is underrated and “guy beauty" can be minimal and fun.

Sable, Dattani and digital creator-actor Ankush Bahuguna, popular on social media for his hacks with foundation, concealer, kajal and eye shadow, share their make-up tricks and advice on mistakes to avoid.

 

Also read: How celebrity make-up artists are trying to make beauty more diverse

 

DON’T SKIP THE MOISTURISER

Don’t forget to cleanse your skin properly and apply a moisturiser and sunscreen before applying any make-up. Use a mattifying powder to control oiliness. “It’s okay to not use the primer, but a lot of people, not just men, don’t moisturise their skin before applying make-up. Not prepping your skin before make-up is a big mistake," says Bahuguna.

Choose formulations that are hydrating to help smoothen skin texture or so that you can blend it easily with your fingertips. “A mistake men often make is overdoing the make-up. They start with too much product and it looks cakey or artificial," he says.

MATCH YOUR VIBE

Head to the make-up counter and get a beauty expert’s assistance to find the perfect match for your skin. If the foundation or concealer doesn’t match your skin tone, it can look unnatural," says Sable. Use concealer only where necessary—under the eyes, to cover spots—and you can skip the foundation.

Make-up has no rulebook, says Dattani, and it’s okay to go bold or minimal based on your vibe. “When it comes to guy beauty, I see the neck and ears don’t always match the face which bothers me. I like to run my foundation brush all over the neck and ears with the leftover product on my brush," he says.

REMEMBER TO BRONZE

Just applying foundation is not a great idea. You need to add definition. “Another common mistake is skipping the bronzer. Especially for men, if they want to highlight their bone structure, bronzer will give the face dimension. If you just use foundation and concealer, the face can look pale and flat. Warm up your face a little bit using a bronzer," says Bahuguna.

BLEND IN

“Another thing I’ve noticed is that guys often don’t blend their make-up properly, which can lead to noticeable lines and uneven coverage," says Sable.

Using one’s fingers, a sponge or a brush to remove excess product and create a smooth finish makes the overall look seem more natural and flawless. Skincare plays a huge part in the natural look too—if you’re not taking care of your skin before you apply make-up, it’s going to show. It will result in visible pigment, poor texture and tone, and it’s just not going to look good," says Sable.

UNDERSTAND YOUR FACE TYPE

“The biggest mistake I have made is not understanding that every technique doesn’t work on every shape," says Bahuguna. “I have hollow under-eyes, so the whole under-eye brightening trend doesn’t work on me and I have to approach it a little differently. Baking (setting concealer-foundation with loose translucent powder, which is then dusted off) my under-eye area also doesn’t work for me."

An oval face has balanced proportions, so you can't go very wrong; a round face could do with a bit of contouring on the jawline with blush angled towards the temples; soften the jawline of a square or diamond face with contouring; and for a heart-shaped face, contour the wide forehead.

REMOVE YOUR MAKE-UP

Cleanse, cleanse, cleanse. Double cleanse to melt make up—first with an oil cleanser, then a regular one to rinse it all off. “If you don’t do it thoroughly, it can clog pores. Removing make up is just negotiable," Sable says.

 

Dhara Vora Sabhnani is a Mumbai-based writer.

 

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