I am a total klutz, and this hinders my ability to apply makeup neatly to some degree. This thread is to share useful tips that make it easier to apply cosmetics well, in spite of clumsiness. Here are mine. Please add your own, if you have any.

For blush and eyeshadow, try creme formulations rather than powder, because they can be easier to apply and blend (at least in my opinion). Nars makes some very good creme eyeshadows, and Paintsticks can make wonderful blushes, contour cremes, and highlighters.

Use the thinnest possible eye pencil you can find for applying non-smudgy eyeliner and filling in eyebrows. That makes it easier to make precise lines; a thicker pencil requires a steadier hand.

Make sure to use products that blend well, because that makes it easier to correct errors. Nars creme eyeshadows, MAC's Kohl pencils, Paintsticks, and Pigments all blend nicely.

If you find eye makeup difficult to apply correctly, put it on before putting foundation or powder on the rest of your face. That way, you can wipe off any stray stuff from the rest of your face without messing up your foundation.

If you paint your own nails and have trouble controlling the brush, don't worry too much about nail polish that gets on your skin; it peels off within a day, leaving a neat looking manicure. Scotch tape can help remove it even faster. I also notice that applying cuticle oil helps stray nail polish marks peel off.

this thread is sure to help me, if i find out about any handy hints i'll be sure to post

One thing I thought of:

If you'd like to use Pigments (or other loose eyeshadows), but are indimidated to buy them (or, take them out if you already own some)for fear of spills, then try putting a1/2 tsp. in a lil' sample container (you can get them at MAC, at craftstores like Micheals, or order them online thru Ebay and a host of other companies)...that way if anything spills, at least it won't be too horrible! I like to do this with my LE Pigments...Not so much that I'm clumsy; but my cat Stubby likes to jump up when I do my M/U...and he's clumsy!!!!!

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While applying eyeliner on yourself,.. try bracing your elbow on a flat surface. This prevents shakes/waivering and uneven lines,...

If you have an MU table,.. or stand that you use,.. try to organize the products you are using so that you dont have to reach across them,.. this will keep you from knocking them over,..

I also have a washable rug that sits under my makeup application area,. that way if I do have a spill I just grab it up and throw it in the washer later,...

Don't do you MU over the sink,.. if you drop something and it breaks,..spills,.. likely its going down the drain and wont be salvageable.

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"Random thought: I want a toaster that toasts the MAC logo onto my bread. It may only be psychological but it would make my toast taste so much better."

Don't put makeup on in a rush, it will almost never look 'right'.

Do your hair before putting makeup on, if you're anything like me, the heat from teh blowdryer/straightener/curling iron will make you somewhat sweaty/clammy, which is never a good thing.

thanks for you advices girls

If I want perfect liquid eyeliner I use a magnifying mirror and a thin paintbrush with a short handle, then I dont have to worry about the handle knocking things and I can totally see what I am doing because my eye is like 10X bigger in the mirror.

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I know what you mean about being clumsy - it took me about two years to learn how to do eyeliner AT ALL, and about ten years to master liquid eyeliner, and I still mess up HORRIFICALLY with mascara, lol!

My tips for idiots like myself are:-

GENERAL TIP FOR EYESHADOW/ MASCARA/ LINER:

when doing eyemakeup in general keep a q tip / cottonbud and some eyemakeup remover close at hand. It's the best tool ever for quickly undoing splodges and mistakes.

EYESHADOW:

A *slightly* damp brush not only stops eyeshadow from splodging quite so much (particularly if using loose stuff), it also intensifies the colour and helps it stick - particularly if you're not using a proper base (though I'd recommend you do - liquid concealer or UD primer potion on your lids help makes sure that eyeshadow is encouraged to stick in the right places). DO make sure to clean your brush after though (as damp tools harbour bacteria) and try to keep your eyeshadow as dry as possible - if you're using loose shadow, seperate it out before putting the damp brush in, if you get moisture into a product you again risk problems with bacteria, which can be VERY bad for your eyes.

I *totally* swear by the tip someone's already given above of doing your eyes before the rest of your face, too!!!

MASCARA:

One of my pet hates is getting mascara everywhere. To this day, I find great big globs of it go everywhere... and even once I'm done, it smears onto my blinkin' socketline when I next open my eyes wide... the best tip to avoid this is to apply your mascara looking DOWN, ie, hold a mirror at an angle below you, as you put it on.... and try to let it dry for a good few seconds before you open your eyes wide again or you'll smudge..... depending on how clumsy I'm feeling on a particular day, I sometimes actually do my mascara FIRST, before absolutely everything else, then cleanup after, and take a break to let it dry before I move on to the rest of my eye makeup, just cos I'm so blinkin messy with it!!

EYELINER:

cheat your way to perfect looking eyeliner with GEL EYELINER!!! It's WUNDERBAR and SO much easier to apply than liquid or (I find) even pencil and gives a FANTASTIC finish!!! Try a Mac fluidline and get a short, stiff brush - I actually use a lipbrush for mine, Bobbi Brown do an EXCELELNT brush for gel eyeliner too if you feel like being extravagant. I was completely cr@p at eyeliner before I discovered gels. Bobbi Browns is my favourite, but it's a lot more expensive than Mac fluidline.....

The secret to getting straight, even eyeliner (any type - gel, crayon, liquid, pencil) is to remember that it's easier to draw several SHORT, straight lines than to draw one LONG straight line all the way across your lid - so try the following and it simplifies thing a lot:-

1. start a third into your eyelid from the outside, stretch the loose skin of your lid straight with your free hand (because AGAIN it's easier to draw a straight line on a straight surface than a curved one - just common sense), and draw a straight line back to your eye's outer corner with the applicator/brush/pencil. Concentrate on getting a sleek, straight edge to the top of the line and don't worry to much if it looks a bit patchy on the bottom of the lid - we can clean that up in a minute.

2. Does that look OK? Straight? Even? Brilliant. Now go to the middle of your lid and do exactly the same thing - draw a line back to meet the start of the first line you drew. Looks like one constant straight line, doesn't it? And isn't this easier than trying to do it all in one go?

3. Again, straighten your lid out and do the final quick little "dash" line from your inner corner to the line you started at the middle of your eye. Now wasn't that easy? You have a straight even line of eyeliner which looks fab!

4. If you've any little "gaps" in the line (particularly down towards the lashes), don't be tempted to draw back over the line as you risk messing it up, just try to "fill them in" by smudging the liner thats already there to cover the area. If necessary you can touch up with a little bit of pencil or even eye shadow (I SO used to have to do this allll the time before my liner skills got better : get my top line sleek and perfect using liquid liner, then I'd notice "bald" bits towards the lashes, and would use a little black kohl to smudge over them, it worked fine, and was a lot less risky for a klutz like me than trying to fix them with the liquid)

5. Do the other eye the same, and now it's time to add a catseye "flick" if you want one. The best way I've found to do this is to look at yourself straight in the mirror, then on both eyes add a little "dot" just outside the outer corner of your eye, this represents where you want the tail of the "flick" to go. Rub out the dots if both eyes don't look even and keep going till you get the dot in the same position on both eyes.

6. If you've done everything as stated above, it should now be fairly straightforward to stretch out the skin again and draw a short little straight line joining the outside end of the long line to the little "dot" you've made for guidance. And it will look great!!!

LIPSTICK:-

One tiny tip for the clumsy: ALWAYS, ALWAYS check your teeth for lipstick in a mirror before you go out, it is SO not a good look!!!!


Hope these tips help x

In addition to being a congenital klutz, I'm a stroke survivor, with impaired vision and the use of only one hand.
But I've gotten pretty good at doing my makeup, I must say.
A few "tricks" I use:

• Use a "capelet"(available at beauty supply stores) to protect your clothes.
• Before applying eye makeup, put a thick coat of loose powder under each eye to catch "drips." When you're finished, sweep the powder away with your powder brush.
• When using gel liner, try using a very narrow sponge-tip eyeshadow applicator instead of a brush; it offers more control. You'll be surprised at how thin a line you can achieve if you go slowly and bear down lightly.
• Of course, use ONLY good tools. They make it easier to achieve a polished-looking result. Subpar brushes can ruin even the best technique.

If I can do it, anybody can!

I used to be horrible with the mascara wand, so I would do my mascara first so I could wipe it off of my face without disturbing my makeup.

Also, it's very hard for me to keep my lashes curled, so I curl first, primer, mascara, and curl again once it dries. Afterwards, apply another coat of mascara (or as many as you like). It doesn't take my lashes out either and stays curly all day.

Here's mine for clump-free defined lashes: Apply your first coat by holding the wand vertically and applying it to each individual lash using the tip of the wand. It sculpts each lash and give them better definition. After that apply your second coat as usual- holding the wand horizontally.

I also read somewhere to heat your eyelash curler for 10secs using a hairdryer before using. It helps your lashes stay curled for a longer time.

I feel alot more comfortable putting makeup on if I am sitting down, rather than standing infront of a mirror. I get the wobbles if i concentrate too hard! hahaha

A slightly damp foundation brush makes for a less streaky application. Spritz it with a bit of clean water (fix+ is great for this!) then get a bit of foundation on it and start applying. But not WET.
Tapping eyeshadow off of a brush helps prevent fall out, as does tapping it onto the lid instead of brushing it.
Use a clean blending brush to diffuse fall out from your eyeshadow under your eye, especially if it's a lighter, shimmery shade. it will look like it's part of the intended look. if it's a dark shade, remove it with a damp q tip.

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