Tips to shine on competition day

Makeup on competition day is extremely important. I'm sharing these tips so you can do it yourself like a true professional.

Before competition makeup, as with any other makeup, you need to prepare your skin. And you achieve this by cleansing and moisturizing. Plus, the cream will absorb while you do your eye makeup, and when you apply the foundation, your skin will be perfect!

Important: exfoliate your lips before applying makeup. There are exfoliating products for lips. A homemade one is... with warm water and soap... gently rub your lips well to soften any dry skin. Then, with a clean towel (older ones are better as they're rougher), rub firmly to remove those dry bits. Afterward, apply a good amount of lip balm, and then you can start.

Another thing is to exfoliate your face. You should do this 10 days before the competition so your skin has time to regenerate and be perfect on that day.

Step-by-step competition makeup

Let's start with the eyes:

• Main eyeshadow on the entire mobile eyelid, dabbing to form a semicircle. Remember, always apply product first, then blend the harsh lines. That goes for everything!
• Transition shade: a medium brown to create a proper transition between the main shadow and the color of the brow bone. Apply this shadow with a blender brush... which is more "fluffy."
• Blend, blend, and blend like there's no tomorrow! Always drawing semicircles from side to side and in small circular motions.
• Highlighter shadow under the brow. With a small brush, if possible... just below the arch of the brow and a little to the sides, close to the brow.
• And then blend any harsh lines again with the blender brush. If you see that from so much blending, the main shadow on the mobile eyelid has faded, you can touch up whatever is needed.
• Glitter: Time to shine! With a flat brush, pick up the glitter (this time without shaking the brush). If you have a fix (a clear liquid setting product), sprinkle the brush with glitter and apply by dabbing it all over the mobile eyelid, just above the main shadow. If you want more glitter intensity, you can repeat the operation one or two more times!!!
• Eyeliner. First, with an angled brush. Take product (cream eyeliner is best) and start tracing the line along the lash line in the center of the eye. Then take more product and continue along the inner part of the eye (tear duct). Then, just where the eye ends, draw a diagonal line (as if it were a continuation of your lower lash line). Don't draw it too long! It's easier to extend it if it's too short. The easiest step is to complete that triangle and connect it with the line you created above. Fill in the formed triangle, and you're done. Remember, it's super important to have makeup remover liquid and cotton swabs to correct any mistakes.
• Eyelashes: You should have your false eyelashes already prepared (cut to your size). Apply the glue and wait 30 to 45 seconds. With tweezers, grasp the lash by the center and stick it in the center of your lash line, as close to your lashes as you can. Then attach the inner part of the lash and finally the outer part. If it's too far inward... since the glue hasn't dried yet, you can adjust and drag the lash outward to place it exactly where it should be. After attaching the lashes, apply mascara to blend the false ones with your own. It will look perfect!
• Lower eyelid. Don't forget the waterline and the lower eyelid shading!!! With a small brush, you can shade the lower eyelid area (along the lower lash line) with the main eyeshadow from the mobile eyelid, and remember the super glitter effect in the tear duct area and also along the lower lash line up to the middle of the eye!!!
• The waterline should be white in this case, because remember you are on stage and the goal is to enlarge your eyes so that everyone in the audience can see your wonderful big eyes!

After the eyes, we continue with the rest of the face for this competition makeup:

• Brush in the direction of your facial hair growth. Downwards on the side area and on the forehead with horizontal movements. Don't forget your nose. Apply the foundation with downward movements down to the middle of your neck, which is where it will blend with the self-tanner.
• Concealer. You know you can do it first, then foundation. It doesn't matter. With a "cat's tongue" brush or even better, with your fingers! Apply the concealer. With the brush, blend it with the foundation so it integrates perfectly. Remember the triangle shape. Keep a sponge handy to reapply it over the dark circles and absorb any excess (to prevent concealer from settling into creases).
• Set the foundation. With a powder brush (the big soft one), set that foundation with powder (in this case, they have color because we are going to increase your natural color by 3 or 4 shades). With the sponge... dab again if you have any leftover concealer.
• Set the concealer. If possible, with a lighter powder than the one used to set the foundation, so it acts as a highlighter.
• Contour the face. With a powder 2 shades darker than your foundation color. Remember: the cheekbone, beneath the bone. Draw a half-line from the top of the ear diagonally towards the corner of your lips. But don't go all the way down!! Only from the ear diagonally to the cheek, more or less... not too central. Contour the jawbone and neck. Remember there should be no harsh lines. Always with circular movements (the cheekbone is blended upwards! Not downwards! The neck and jaw the other way around, downwards, never upwards!) The nose... a little bit if you want, on the sides and on the tip.
• Highlighter: above the cheekbone, on the tip of the nose, and on the "Cupid's bow" (the upper part of the lip).
• Lips: Since you previously applied balm and exfoliated your lips, by this point in the makeup process, your lips will be perfect for makeup. First, apply lip liner, outlining your lips and even a little bit outside (very, very little) to give them more volume. Fill in your entire lips with the liner so the lipstick lasts throughout the show. Then apply lipstick. Touch up several times if necessary and correct with a cotton swab on the outside if you go outside the lines. Remember, you can always correct everything if you make a mistake. So, no nerves.
• Finally, you can apply gloss... but remember... very little and without touching the bottom so it doesn't spread!

And remember, if you forget something or it doesn't turn out right, it's okay, it won't be noticeable!

Remember that this time for makeup is for relaxing. It will be your special moment with yourself. Take at least 2 hours or more, as competition makeup won't be ruined if you do it in advance. I prefer you have extra time to touch up a thousand times. But don't rush or feel pressured to do your makeup, makeup is fun!!! J

Time to shine…