How do you do your make up so you look like an adult?

[VirtualPointyHat]

Help me!

I have somehow reached 27 without being able to use make-up, it shouldn't be this hard should it?

When I put it on I still look how I did when I was 6 and "borrowed" some of my mums.

How do you do it?

Watch some Lisa Eldridge tutorials - she has done lots on how to apply natural-looking make-up, and once you have the basics down it'll be easy to build up to more striking effects if you want to.

My best advice is to start with a good foundation match and a natural-looking blush (try a No7 counter or similar where they will help you), a few really good brushes (the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and powder brush are both foolproof, and a bronzer brush or flat-topped brush is the easiest for applying blush), a decent mascara (No7 Lash Adapt is great and very hard to overdo), and a tinted lip balm like the Maybeline Baby Lips in cherry. Once you have the basics down, try adding eyeliner (grey, aubergine or brown is more flattering and grown up than black on most women) and lipstick (maybe starting with a 'my lips but better' shade and building up from there if you feel like it - again, best to go to a counter, as figuring out what suits you can be a long and expensive process otherwise). Have fun!

Book in a makeover at Bobbi Brown... She's a master when it comes to elegant, understated makeup. My mum and I did this a while back and loved it!

I meant to say - the things that determine whether your make-up looks properly 'you' and fully 'grown-up' are firstly whether the colours are spot on, secondly whether the application is competent, and finally whether you feel comfortable in it. With the right materials, the right tools (crucial, IME), and a little bit of guided practice, you'll have it down.

Using natural/neutral colours

Not using eyeshadow

Use light formulas (tinted moisteriser instead of foundation)

Watch some make up tutorials.

It's not hard to get natural make up down pat with a couple of run throughs. It only take skill if you are going for some 50's bombshell look, or want to use lots of eyeliner. Which is a bastard to get right.

Definitely book a make up session at one of the department stores (I always like Benefit). I agree a good foundation or tinted cream makes all the difference, the right shade should just make you look polished, not like you are wearing make up. Ditto a little bit of mascara and blusher or tint.

Well I've managed to be the wrong side of 45 and still can't do it.
If I wear make up it's mascara and bit of lip gloss.
That really is the best I can do.
As soon as I start to put other things on like eye shadow or blusher I just look like a clown.

Good advise above though. I might have to consider some of that advice too.

Advice DOH!

For lipstick - using a lip brush to apply makes it less full on and scary if you're not used to wearing it. You can also build it up. I'm quite a fan of lipliner too as then it's just like colouring in and helps stop the bleed.

Thanks ladies, I don;t want anything complicated - more businesslike I suppose.

I have good make-up, and when someone competent like DSis puts it on me it looks great.

When I wear it, it looks fine for 5 mins, and then I look like a goth panda mixed with the joker

what do you mean panda and joker?
Are you using too much?

my tips would be
book a consulation at a make up counter my favs are mac and bobbi brown - there may be a charge but its usually redemable when you buy some of the products they will help you find out what colours suit you
youtube tutorials
good make up brushes - im loving real techniques at the moment, can get some of them cheap in asda or on amazon if you want to buy online there is loads of them each with a different use and the real techniques websites will tell you which ones to use and where

experiment - i pay good money for the basics so foundation, powder and mascara and keep my good eyeshadows, blushers etc for going out but buy cheap versions to try out new colours/trying out youtube ideas and for going to work most days

re the goth/panda look - i dont wear mascara on my bottom lashes unlss im going out - clear mascara works wonders on there - if you have light eyelashes then get some lash dye and use clear mascara

a setting spray is good for making makeup stay on for longer MUA do a cheap one for a fiver - but i find if you can get the base right - moisturiser/primer and foundation then it lasts longer

woops went a wee bit long there

I have no idea if I am using too much, but it doesn't really stay where I put it :S

How quickly does it come off? It might not seem like you are putting on too much but if its running, it must be too much.

What are you wearing and what exactly is running?