Eyebrows

Eyebrows can be very important for a round face and how they are shaped makes a big difference.

For a round face, eyebrows are shaped best when they have an angle at the center as shown in the picture below. They should be widest at the front, go up to a peak, and then come down and get thinner as they do. Doing this creates an angle and draws your eye upwards towards the angle, drawing attention away from the center of your face and upwards

mascara

The longer you make your eye-lashes, and the wider to the side, the larger your eyes will look. I have found that Clinique High Impact mascara is best, and I have used  A LOT of mascaras. It never turns out clumpy, and it does a great job of separating your lashes and lengthening. I can see a huge difference in quality between mascara brands. Although drug store brands are much cheaper, I have never found one that works half as good as Clinique’s does. 

http://www.clinique.com/product/1606/5416/Makeup/Mascara/High-Impact-Mascara/index.tmpl

Eyeliner

For round faces, it is very important that not too much dark eye-liner be used. This causes your eyes to look smaller and attention to be drawn to the inner corners of your eyes as opposed to the outer corners. When applying eyeliner, never make it too thick, and ALWAYS have it be thickest at the very outer corner of your eye.

When your eyes are open, you want to be able to see the eyeliner as well as part of your lower lid. Your eyeliner should never be so thick as to look like it is touching the crease when your eyes are open. For some, this means making a very thin line very close to the eyelashes. Because I have very small lower lids, I apply eye-liner as thin a line as possible, and sometimes stop half way in the middle of my eye.

If using a liquid liner, I like to make it just slightly thicker at the end, and extend just past my eye. This draws attention to the outer corner of my eye.

Eye Shadow- Contouring for Different Eye Shapes

Different eye shapes can be handled differently by contouring the eyes to enhance features you want to enhance or downplay features you want to downplay.

For eyes that are wide set- have a large distance between them- you want to emphasize the inner corners of your eyes so as to not make them appear so far apart. One way to do this is to put hilighter on the inner corners of your eyes to draw attention to them. As far as eye shadow goes, you want to make it slightly darker towards the inside of your eye and lighter as it goes out, and line your eyes starting at the inside and go half way out. Apply most  mascara on the inner lashes

For eyes that are very close set, you want to emphasize the outside corner of your eyes. To do this, you want to put the darker color on the outside half of your crease, and apply your lines from half way across your lid to the outside and extend slightly past the outside to create the illusion of your eyes being wider. Also, when applying your mascara, put most at the outer corners and use the brush to spread them out as wider as possible.

For small eyes, you want to focus on lighter colors to brighten your eyes and make them stand out more, and avoid darker colors as they will make them appear smaller.

The following diagram shows more specifically how you can expertly contour your eyes based on your specific eye shape

Clinique makes wonderful eye pallets that make it very easy to find colors that complement each other and can contour your eyes. In each pallet there is two colors, the base color and the contour color. The base color is the bigger swatch. 

http://www.clinique.com/product/1598/5463/Makeup/Eyeshadows/Colour-Surge-Eye-Shadow-Duo/index.tmpl 

Eye- Shadow Basics

For round faces, how you apply your eye makeup is very important. You want to draw attention to your eyes, particularly to the outward corners of them to make your eyes appear as big as possible as this will distract from the roundness of your face

My favorite product for eyes is cream eye shadow base. It can be used as an eye shadow alone or under eye shadow to make eye shadow last all day, without smudging. Many different brands make eye shadow cream bases, my favorites being Bobbi Brown and Clinique. If you are looking for a more budget friendly line however, Covergirl recently came out with a new line of eye bases that I have heard very good things about.
If you want to use the cream shadow solely as a base, you can get a skin color shade that will not add any extra color to your face but will serve the purpose of extending the wear of your eye shadow. For this type of cream base, I typically apply it from my eyelashes all the way to my brow, as you cannot tell you have it on. If you want to use it as a great long-lasting eye shadow or to complement the other eye shadows you are wearing, both Bobbi Brown and Clinique carry a wide variety of colors. In addition, Bobbi Brown has a line of glitter cream eye bases if you want it to really stand out or for a night out or a little extra fun (See links below).

http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/product/2331/8195/Makeup/Eyes/Long-Wear/Long-Wear-Cream-Shadow/index.tmpl 

http://www.clinique.com/product/1598/18485/Makeup/Eyeshadows/NEW-Lid-Smoothie-Antioxidant-8-Hour-Eye-Colour/index.tmpl 

http://www.covergirl.com/intenseshadowblast

Contouring your eyes is a great way to make them stand out. To do this, start with a base color. It is best to use a very pale color, such as cream light pink, light violet…etc. whatever color you would like, in a light shade. Next, use a color that complements your base, and is several shades darker. I almost always go with dark brown that has some sparkle to it to do the contouring. Apply this darker color IN THE CREASE. This part is the most important. You do not want it on the bone, but slightly below it. Right where your eye folds. If you have done this correctly, when you have your eyes open the color can only be partially seen and should not be totally obvious. As you can see in the pictures, when your eyes are closed you should be able to see the base color on the top and maybe the bottom, and the darker color in a half circle above it.

To draw even more attention to your eyes and make them look even larger, a sparkly very pale color can be applied directly under your brow bone. Just make sure this color does not contrast too much with the other colors you choose- you want the attention it draws to be subtle- not look like a clown.

Hi-Liter

Hi-liter is an awesome tool for those with round faces. It helps draw attention to areas you want hi-lighted and works in the same way contouring does.

The areas you want to hi-light are the opposite of the areas you applied the darker shades to when contouring- the top of your eyelids right under your eyebrow, the top of your cheek bones, down the center of your nose, and in the center of our forehead

It is important to find a hi-lighter that is not too shimmery, especially if you have used a shimmery eye-shadow and/or bronzer

As I’ve mentioned before, you want the hi-lighting wants to be subtle, just as the bronzer.

This picture is a great demonstration of the areas in which you should hi-lite. 

Blush

On a round face, blush is a great way to add angles. If you’re using bronzer, apply the blush AFTER your bronzer. To create an angle on your face, apply the blush at a diagonal angle. Start at your temples, and create a diagonal line going down to the hollow of your cheek as shown in the picture below.

When applying blush, use either a flat brush, or squeeze your brush in the middle between your index and middle fingers to create a more flat shape and then sweep it diagonally from your temples to the hollow of your cheeks in a back and forth motion. DO NOT apply your blush in circles as this will go against the angle you are trying to create, remember to go back and forth to create a line. If the line is too blunt and needs softening, blend it a little with your fingers

Be careful not to use a blush that is too dark for your skin tone as this will create too sharp and obvious of a line. The point is to create subtle angles on your face and not making it obvious that you are using make-up to contour your face-the whole thing should look as natural as possible.

Blush is one of the only make-up factors that I consider to be the same any brand- blush is blush. I buy mine at CVS and pretty much use whatever is on sale that has the color I want. No need to buy your blush at a department store as I recommend you do with other components such as mascara, because blush for the most part does not differ much in quality and therefore almost any brand will do.

Bronzer

Before I begin, I must say that not everyone can wear bronzer. If you have very pale skin, i.e. you wear the lightest shade of foundation they make, there is no bronzer that is going to work for you. This applies to me. Although a very light bronzer can work for some pale skin, if you have skin that is very very fair, you will look orange no matter how light the bronzer is. If this applies to you, appreciate your pale skin and learn to play to its assets without bronzer. If you buy something other than the lightest shade of foundation, read on.

When it comes to bronzer, less really is more. When applying bronzer, you shouldn’t be able to tell you have it on. If you look at yourself in the mirror and think you look orangey, or even can see the bronzer on your face, you’ve overdone it.

Bronzer is not meant to be applied all over and it not always necessary. If you would like to use a bronzer to give your face a little more color, apply it to the places on your face that the sun naturally hits: the top of your forehead, cheek bones, and center of your nose.

Your best bet for a bronzer that looks natural is one that is not too much darker than your skin. The darker your skin is the darker bronzer you can use without turning into an oompah loompah. But just because you want a darker look does not mean you can just use a darker bronzer. If you’re skin is already not a little tan, it will just look orange.

It is best to apply blush AFTER bronzer to give it a more natural look. Bronzer can be used in the same way as foundation to contour your face and give it more angles

My favorite bronzer is Cargo, because it comes in a matte finish that doesn’t have any sparkle. As I usually use sparkly eye shadow and/or a highlighter, I don’t like to add extra sparkle with my bronzer.

Concealer

Concealer is meant to be worn on top of foundation, or alone. Concealer can be a great tool for mornings when you didn’t get a lot of sleep or could use a little pick me up, but is not really necessary for every day. Concealer is meant to cover the whole under eye area and can be blended with a concealer brush but I feel works better being blended with you fingers (particularly the ring finger) as this applies a little warmth to it and makes it easier to blend. You want to pick a concealer color that is just one shade lighter than your founation to brighten that area a little bit. Also, after applying, pat a pressed power on top of it to make it last and keep it in place. 

As for using concealer to cover blemishes, I have always found the to make the problem worse and more noticeable. However, that's just me. my concealer of choice is Bobbi Brown, but I have heard that Covergirl makes good concealer too.

Foundation

Everyone’s different, but if I had to choose only one thing to put on in the morning, it would be foundation. I just feel it even’s out my skin tone and gives my face a more “porcelain” look. Also, having a round face, it makes it easier to countour my face if it starts all being the same tone with no blemishes or natural shading. When applying foundation, you can use two different shades in order to contour your face and add angles to give your face more of the desired oval shape. There are a few steps that must be followed in order to do this-

  1) Start with a foundation that matches your skin tone, and then get one that is only one shade darker

  2) First, apply the shade that matches your skin tone all over. Next, apply the darker shade to the hollows of your cheeks. If you can’t find them, suck in and apply the darker foundation to the part that is sucked in. Next, apply the darker shade to you temples, the area that is concaved between your cheeks and forehead. Make sure to blend this shade in very well so it does not stand out and there is not a line separating the two different shades. This may take  a little practice.

In my experience, I have found that liquid foundation works best. It is the easiest to blend and you can find ones that range from sheer to heavy coverage. It is very important when applying foundation to not apply too much to avoid looking “cakey” If you want a heavy coverage, do not apply more foundation, buy a foundation that is full coverage.

  I use Clinique foundation as I have found it is very easy to apply and it is what my dermatologist recommended to me. Also, for department stores, it’s not very expensive. If you prefer to pay less for your foundation, I recommend trying a few different brands and seeing which one works best for you. many drugstores will let yo return beauty products if yo are not satisfied.

Perfectly Real Foundation by Clinique. Works for almost all skin types and gives a very natural look. my favorite foundation.

Taking Off Your make-up

I will admit that I am horrible about taking off my makeup. I am too lazy at night to wash my face, let alone take off my makeup beforehand. For this reason, I keep some alcohol-free makeup removers next to my bed in my bedstand drawer and pull one out right before I go to bed and take off my makeup. In my opinion, this is the best way to take off your makeup, which really should be done every night; it’s an essential part of taking care of your skin. All you have to do with these is wipe your make-up off and throw it away. It takes two seconds. These makeup wipes can be bought at makeup counters such as mac, at drugstores by brands such as Neutrogena, or, my favorite place to buy them, Trader joe’s. Trader joes makes some out of all natural ingredients that work absolutely amazing and leave my skin feeling soft and silky. For dry/normal skin I highly recommend buying makeup wipes without alcohol in them, as they can really dry out your skin. Make-up wipes with alcohol should only be used by those with oily skin. Make-up wipes are also great for taking off make-up after you have messed up while applying your make-up and need to start over.

Sunscreen, Sunscreen, Sunscreen

The most important thing you will do in the morning is to put on sunscreen. If you don't have time to put on a single ounce of makeup, make sure you still somehow manage to get on a sunscreen of at least SPF 15. Sunscreen should always be worn under your foundation if your foundation does not have an SPF of at least 15. One problem I often run into when applying sunscreen under my foundation is that it makes it hard to apply the foundation as even and smooth. One solution to this is to buy a sunscreen by a makeup company that is specifically made to wear under foundation. My personal favorite is Clinique City Block, which comes in either SPF 25 or 40, and goes on very light and sheer and is very easy to apply makeup over. For those on a budget who do not want to spend $18 on a sunscreen, however, any drugstore brand of sunscreen works fine, my favorite being Nuetrogena. If using just normal sunscreen under your makeup, always make sure to wait at least 5 minutes before applying your foundation so the sunscreen has a chance to soak in and your foundation won't be as difficult to apply.

Clinique City Block

Tip # 1: Always Go With What You Like

The most important piece of advice I can offer anyone on makeup is to go with what you like best on you. Although I may make suggestions on what I feel will not work on round faced girls or will not flatter their face shapes, such as bright red lips or smokey eyes, it doesn’t mean you should avoid these looks if you love them on you. If a smokey eye is your favorite look, by all means go for it! The tips I give are merely suggestions of what I personally believe is flattering or unflattering- but I’m not saying that if you go with a look that I do not recommend that it will look bad on you. So my suggestion to experiment with your makeup- don’t be afraid to try new things. The best way to learn what works for you is to try different looks and discover what you like.

Why I Made This Blog

 I made this blog to share my make-up and beauty secrets with all the round faced girls out there. Not the rich round faced girls, the round faced girls on a budget, the round faced girls who barely wear makeup, the round faced girls who spend hours on their makeup- but ALL round faced girls. Being a round-faced girls myself, I have obtained most of this advice through personal experience, i.e. trial and error. I have always had a passion for makeup and learned early on that you cannot apply all makeup to all shape faces the same. There are definitely certain techniques, colors, products that complement each face shape, but considering most of my makeup applying has been done on my own face, most of what I have learned applies to those with a round face. I am not suggesting I’m any kind of expert or that what I suggest is the only way to do your makeup, it’s just what I have found to be most flattering. So to all the round faced girls out there who stumble upon my blog, I hope you get something out of it and most of all have fun experimenting to find the perfect look for you.