Face powder.
Powder is an integral part of make-up. It is also something we use daily in body care, especially in hot and humid weather. There are three kinds of powders – loose face powder, pressed powder (also known as powder compact) and of course, talcum powder.
Loose face powder allows the colour of the skin surface to show. They are available in a range of colours to suit different skin tones, and provide a smooth, matte (non-shiny) finish to the make-up. The face powder should be one shade lighter than your foundation. Pressed powder or compact powder is thicker than loose powder and more solid. Pressed powders are also available in different shades.
Beige shades go well with most Indian skin tones. Some shades of peach also look good. For a sallow and more yellowish skin tone, avoid pink shades, but perfect for very fair skin. Trial and error helps in finding the right colour tone.
In makeup, powder comes after applying foundation. It helps to ‘set’ the foundation to give a smooth finish. In our hot and humid weather, powder can be applied by itself, without foundation, for daytime make-up. Carry some wet tissues and a powder compact in your handbag, to refresh the skin during summer.
After foundation, apply loose powder with a powder puff. Press the puff after dabbing it powder and move it on your face in a downward and then outward motion. Do not use an upward movement. More so if there is facial hair as it will make them stand up. So, press and roll downwards and slightly outwards. Be careful not too apply too much, especially near the eyes, because powder tends to settle in the tiny lines near the eyes. Brush off excess powder with cotton-wool.
A powder compact is very useful for touching-up your make-up, and is so convenient to carry around in the handbag. Sometimes, just touching up the nose and chin can be enough. In hot weather, a powder compact can be used instead of foundation too. You can refresh your makeup in the middle of a hot summer day, provided you have not applied foundation. Wipe the face with wet tissues or cleansing pad and then apply pressed powder from your powder compact. In no time, you will look and feel fresh.
