Well, I'm 30 this month and so I guess I should pull my finger out and start wearing a bit of make-up. Years ago I used to play about with it a bit but I haven't got the foggiest what would suit me or where to start.

What sort of colours do you think would work on me? Should I just do eyes or lipstick or both or just shove a paper bag over my head? I don't fancy anything too heavy...

Help! Please

Am off to put a photo on my profile...

go to Douglas and ask if they can give you some ideas for a light daily make up. think they have make up artist there who can help you all for free

Dark hair, dark eyes, clear skin...

Bitch

Just kidding, you can wear all sorts! And I always think dark eyed girls can get away with just lashings of mascara and a swipe of lippy if they want to.

WOW- you are stunning, i dont think you need it but if you wanted to wear it then i would go for eye make up.....

god, you are very very naturally pretty
I don't think you actually need anything

if you enjoy make up because it is fun then I would try a lip gloss or some sparkly eye stuff - just a bit on your eye lids
I don't see what else would really work without detracting from your natural good looks

Thanks for the compliments

Are there no particular colours that would be best or I should avoid? I find the whole thing very intimidating and I think I'd probably be scared to have one of those free make up advice things...

are you eyes dark brown? some khaki would look nice, just a little on the top and underneath

yes, very fresh and pretty - I would kill to have dark hair and dark eyes
I'd go for perhaps a nice goldy bit of eye colour,just a dab and some tinted lip gloss - Lancome juicy tubes are great!
You really don't need anything more !

Yup southeastastra, dark brown. Are you talking about eyeshadow? Sorry to be daft but on top and underneath where?

I'll have a look at some khaki and gold too, maybe see if I can find the juicy tubes should I be looking at a pink shade?

something bright for eye makeup if you are going to do it I think
emerald green, or gold, or violet, or something
just a weeny touch of either eye liner across your lids or a bit of shadow colour
going for a natural look would be pointless as you already look naturally ravishing
so I would go for a fashion / fun look

yes i have dk brown eyes too and find khaki suits also dk brown. dab a little close to the lower lashes with a flat brush, looks less harsh than pencil.

Ah now I understand!

Hi,I'm dark like you, for daytime I use pinky brown lipstick as natural as poss, pink blusher, gold or mushroom eyeshadow and black mascara.

Some great advice, thanks people! A real boost to the self confidence too, I don't think of myself as any of the lovely things you've all said

I've got to go to the in-laws now but I'll check in again later.

I think I'm just going to have to get various colours on Monday and try some stuff out... No idea how to put the stuff on though

I went to a really nice local beauty shop and a woman showed me how to put it on

I hadn't changed my make-up for years; it looks fab now

as for eye colour with brown eyes you can get away with most things

Wow you don't need much make-up!!

I love Virgin Vie's face base - it's a powder foundation and gives a really nice light coverage. You don't need much but I find the Face Base evens out the skin tone nicely without looking heavy and "made up".

Then a little mascara, a smudge of kohl/eyeliner under the bottom lashes and some lip colour (I love Maybellines Superstay 16 hour wear - it's a sort of lipshine lip ink that stays on for hours, and has a gloss that you can put on over the top of the colour.)

Juicy tubes - a nice sheer berry colour, or there's a clear one with little irridescent sparkles that I like a lot

i think a greeny eyshadow would look great.... but not light green

i bought a lilac eyeshadow (after GOK recomended it!!!) and i have had loads of lovely comments about it

look at lauren on youtube for tips on applying make up she's great (can't remember her second name!)

oh yes, Lauren Luke ! will link...she's a star !

here DisplacementActivity - this girl is amazing,here's an example make-up girl Lauren

Sorry not to have been back, we ended up staying an extra night at the in-laws and I couldn't get at the computer...

I'm just home via the shop and have got some lovely gold, green and violet eyeshadows aand some mascara. Had no idea it was such an expensive game

BTW, It's Black mascara, hope that's right. Was wondering if I ought to have got brown? [clueless fool emoticon]

I'm hoping that I'm going to have some time to watch Lauren and have a go myself this afternoon. First I need to unpack a mountain of baggage and get some other stuff done.

I feel like a teenager

Hmmm I might join you. Am 37, have suddenly aged. Also brown eyes dark hair (although not as dark as our hair) so will maybe try some of these tips.

Never know how to put the bloody stuff on though.

black mascara is absolutely the thing to have !

hey, don't forget to post a picture with the make up on for your mumsnet beauty advisers !

my tips

foudnation

cream blusher on apples of cheeks
mascara
get brows done too

lip gloss in same shade as lips

thast for beginners

Tinted moisturiser

Pale beige / gold shadow on the lower lid

Black mascara

Bronzer on cheeks

Coffee colour lipgloss

you see godl looks shit o me
i think if unsre re eyeshadow leave it

displacement doesn't need foundation !

EVERYONE DOES

Ooh tescod is right, get your brows done, gives such a groomed look

no, look at her profile pic

ye si did

well then,she doesn't need foundation !

It's not an insult to advise someone to wear foundation

It can enhance a face and not mask it!

Ok what should I do to my eyebrows? I pluck them but it sounds like I'm not doing it right...

Foundation. Eeerm could be a problem! I have very dry and sensitive skin and am in a running battle to stop dry patches involving liters of extra strong moisturiser... Oh and what would I do about my mole if I wore foundation? I also have a problem with my nose sweating NOT a good look! The rest of me never sweats but my nose does it a the slightest chance... Foundation would probably be a Good Thing, I get quite pink across my nose and cheeks when I'm warm.

<overwhelmed>

<whispers> <the photo on my profile is a good one>

Oh sorry, just remembered that my grandma always said: "horse Sweat, ladies Gently Glow".

Please read last post with adapted text

horses

H I think you have a really fabulous face- you don't need make up to me. Great skin, lovely features.

If you fancy having a go though I think some really good base, mascara and a gold/neutral eye shadow, and clear gloss would make you look stunning. Soem cream blusher in the right warm shade/or good bronzer are life savers for me.

I know it';s not an insult to advise someone to wear foundation, it's just that Displacement's skin looked fine and dandy without, imo. Tinted moisturiser might be a good compromise if skin is v dry. Try Dr Hauschka Rose Day cream as a moisturiser - is fab.

I tried a sample of the cream MM recommends and it is lovely.

the little £3 trial tubes are great

I'll see if I can find that moisturiser over here MM. I'm using Body Shop "Hemp face protector for extremely dry skin" at the moment. It does the trick but isn't very exciting.

Dr Hauschka website

oh,that didn't work,damn...

try this

If you have dry skin, try Neal's Yard rose facial oil as a moisturiser morning and night. smell lovely, little bottle lasts forever and will give dry skin a lovely sheen.

if you have good skin, avoid foundation or heavy powders - you don't need them. Just a light powder to dust over nose and face to take down any shinyness.

Touche Eclat very good for bags under eyes and the odd spot. Expensive but again last forever.

Pale matt eyeshadow on eyes, swept over the whole socket, will 'open up' the eye area. Don't put it on too heavily though as it can settle in wrinkles (not that you have any I'm sure)

I swear by this Clinique blusher (fresh bloom). Invest in a good blusher brush - nice and fat. Swirl over entire palette and then brush onto the apple of your cheek in circular motions. Repeat with other cheek and then brush down nose and across forehead to get rid of any left on the brush (don't dip in the blusher again as will be a bit OTT on nose/forehead!). This makes me look healthy even when I've not slept for months - always get 'you look fantastic!' comments when I wear it. Expensive but lasts (there's a theme developing here).

Vaseline or gloss for lips - if you're not used to make-up, lippy is a nightmare to get right and takes a while to apply. I can never be arsed.

Good quality mascara.

If you want to go for the wow factor, a tiny bit of facial fake tan along with your usual moisturiser in the morning - by the time you get out you'll have a lovely glow.

takes 5-10 mins all in once you get hang of it

HTH

Looks lush! It seems it exists over here too, which is great because I already spend far to much getting stuff sent over from the UK

x sufi

Thanks!

mineral foundation seems nice and light - a kind of base/powder compromise ! Vaseline is great for lips and adds a bit of gloss to eyelids too

id buy chanel vitamlumiere

mac cream blush

Cheers Cod. Any idea about the mole and 'gently glowing' nose thing?

I tried foundation once in my teens and ended up looking like a bit like Amy HouseWine did a few weeks ago.

that's why a brush on mineral foundation might be a good solution - doesn't get plastered on !

hold onwill ahev to read
will cook tea and comeback

Sounds like you need a bit of work on your skin

have a look at La Roche Possay

Very good for sensitive skin.

You will need a gentle exfoliator to get the dry patches off and then try the hydraphase xl day cream. It is for dehydrated skin, which means that it won't load the oily areas with too much well, oil

As regards your mole, well just apply the foundation as usual and then wipe it off the tip of the mole if it is gathering, your shiny nose can be sorted with oil blotters if it is really 'glowing' but to be honest I would get you to apply your foundation with either a sponge or a brush and that way you aren't introducing oil from your fingers. Blot it with a TINY bit of translucent powder to set.

i ahev the odd mole
if it gets foundaiton on it fine
its not a paste you know

og and see the chanel woman and get ehr to apply some. tell ehr you dont wnat a thick look.

re shiny nose i dont know... what about theose body shop papers?

recently converted to this stuff - amazing - like touche eclat for all over - i just use the tiniest bit, not full on coverage!
[[ http://www.boots-ysl.com/commun/desc_maquillage.php?var=ref=106556300000@seg=BEAUTE+DU+TEINT@ligne=@ name=boots@rep=commun@langue=us YSL]]

oh crap try again ysl

tbh if your coplaexion is god as it is id use a bronzer for daytime then foundation for night( sorry realise i am contradicitng self)

or put a thin tinted moisuriser all overhte nose and under eye thing and hten blend in( for ime those are the worst bits)

woudl thse sort out yer hooter?

aslo mo 7 do a pre make up thing for dicolourtion
i bet your nose is ifne

And if you do go to the Chanel counter get her to give you a sample of the tinted mosituriser also to try, really nice!

Oh, I thought foundation was a sort of thin paste (apart from the powder stuff). The revolting stuff that was smeared on me when I was 14 was. <shudders at the memory>

Nose isn't shiny (oh for a little oil anywhere on my skin!) its a bit sweaty . I have visions of foundation going all liquidy in the unfriendly conditions...

I think I'm going to need to go to a good cosmetics counter and look at the whole foundation, powder, bronzer, tinted moisturiser thing. It seems that putting anything on my skin apart from a heavy moisturiser pulls all the moisture out and gives me dry patches. I exfoliate as often as I dare and as long as I mositureise lots it's fine, exfoliating too often makes it worse .

id go upt to a counter and just be really honest and say i dont want more than a soft foudnation
some cream blush( deffo better than powder) and a good mascara... amybe also a nude lipgloss

do they haev mac in the netherlands?

any good coutner will test some on you

i always ask to go wiht a hand mirror to daylight or go for a prowl for an hour and then come back

if still unsure get a tester for home
if you expalion clearly then they will be able to help

No mac here any suggestions for another good one? I have seen ICI Paris & Douglas, no idea if they are any good, there are bound to be others.

You have a lovely natural pretty look which in my opinion is much more attractive than the made up look.If you can get away with not wearing make up, take advantage of it.

Thank you chocchild! What a sweet thing to say!

MargaretMountford just watched that Lauren link <faints>

WOW

Eye make-up like that is an art form in its own right! The look is amazing, can you ladies actually do that? Do you often? <stares in amazement> I think I left it far to late to start practicing .

Oh, and I think I made a BIG mistake when I got my eye shadows today. Bloody lovely colours though. They are this type. They had the blocks too . Can't get their link to the shop to work, but the colours are 49 & 92, I've got a light gold too but the number has fallen off.

Not quite sure what to do now

I just love watching her - I never do eye make up like that for myself !! I would just experiment with your eyeshadows - see how they work and what looks good - post the results on here !

Will do! DD has woken up poorly and has got a fever today so I'm not sure when I'll get the chance.

Ok, I've had a few minutes to play around and have put a photo on my profile. It looks AWFUL . It doesn't help that I took the photo myself, but still. All of a sudden you can see how wonky my eyes are. AAaaaghh.

no,it looks fine - what did you use ?

More mascara has helped a bit, but I definitely need to practice loads with it. Have got big lumps

Displacement, I prefer you in the second photo. Were you wearing makeup there?

Very nice

Just a little smoky eyeliner, neaten and draw in your eyebrows, foundation for a finished look - you are set. Your lips have enough natural colour but you can put some colour in for a more groomed look.

Ooops x.

I used some green slightly sparkly eyeshadow, mascara and some lip gloss improvised from a very old lip pencil and some Vasaline.

I'm getting more used to it. Was quite a shock!

! I have on today a bit of foundation (I look dead without),a bit of brown eyeliner,black mascara,a tiny bit of pinkish blush, dab of translucent powder and a bit of tinted lipstick/lipgloss..that's my usual thing - never usually add more as I'm not brilliant at it and hate to look as if I've put too much on

the greeny eyeshadow is nice on your brown eyes !

Blueshoes, the second photo is without anything...

Eyebrow advice is most welcome, can you be more specific, am a total novice

Thanks MM, I'll play around a bit more later if I get the chance.

looks great! leave your eyebrows they look perfectly proportioned.

lol i first looked at margaret's profile by mistake he's very cute margaret!

Oh you're beautiful, no enhancement needed really.

I never wear make-up and I do wish it was because I was as naturally pretty as you. Nope, am lazy oik who wouldn't know where to start.

I am no expert on eyebrows on anything make-up related ... but here goes.

For the eyebrows, I find that drawing them in really frames the face. I wouldn't pluck everything out and draw in back in - won't work unless you have a totally groomed look and get professional help.

Just look at the natural shape of the eyebrow and pluck out any stray hairs above and below that shape. Then use eyebrow pencil (dark brown for you) in light strokes, along the lines of and as if you were colouring in each hair for a natural look.

Personally I think the green shadow is too dark for daytime. Use a pale gold / beige shadow in the day if you want to try a look! They will create a more wide eyed look.

Try putting a TINY bit of vaseline on an eyebrow comb to give your brwos a slightly more finished look!

Oh meant to add, use a little eyeshadow to fill in any small gaps you might have in your brows!

I was indeed just about to try with a light gold, but I partially blinded myself and made my eyes all puffy taking off the first lot with baby lotion and cotton wool so will have to wait a while. How should I have got it off?

I'll try and do something about my eyebrows in the meantime

Well, you really need to look at your skincare me dear! Baby lotion will swell up your eyes and make them puffy and stingy, get a basic eye makeup remover! Don't get too hung up on your eyebrows / shadow. Just get the basics mastered first and everything else will come later.

Try some tinted moisturuser or a light foundation! Black mascara, lip gloss (lancome juicy tubes are THE best), little bronzer as blush and you are away!!

A bit late with that WatsTheStory, I now have the eyebrows of a pantomime villain! Picture on it's way...

baby oil is ok for make up removal - I use make up removing wipes (Boots unscented) and second Juicy Tubes - they are fab !

Displacement, first picture is now the best. Most natural and attractive.

Drawing your eyebrows instantly makes your face more dramatic and gives you a groomed look, but in a subtle way. I presume you are wearing mascara, another discreet accent.

Your skin is great so you only need light foundation. I find mineral make up quite good for casual days: LilyLolo. It works by dusting the powder foundation on and takes seconds to apply. I only use liquid foundation for work and more formal occasions.

I did say a tiny bit of vaseline to set them lol!!!!!

Ok, forget about your brows and just start on your foundation / tinted moisturiser!!!!

hno lily lolo takes a skille dhand imo
go and get a thin tinted mositrusier mascara nad a gloss nad begone wiht oyu

LOL! Just wait until I decide it's finally time to get a hair style

Thanks for all the help!