Makeup Application and Color Theory
The color wheel
Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue; secondary colors (orange, green, violet) mix two primaries; tertiary colors mix a primary with a neighboring secondary. Complementary colors sit opposite each other and neutralize; analogous colors are neighbors and blend harmoniously; monochromatic uses one hue in varying values.
Undertone
Warm undertones read golden, yellow, or peach, with greenish veins. Cool undertones read pink, red, or blue, with blue-purple veins. Neutral undertones are a balance. Match foundation along the jawline in natural light - never on the hand or wrist.
Correction chart
- Green cancels redness (pimples, rosacea, broken capillaries).
- Peach or orange cancels blue-purple under-eye circles.
- Lavender cancels sallow, yellow tones.
- Yellow brightens dullness and mild redness on deeper skin.
Face shapes and shading
Oval is the balanced ideal; also round, square, heart, diamond, and oblong. Highlight (light) brings features forward; contour (dark) recedes them. Standard eye application: light on the lid, mid-tone in the crease, dark at the outer corner.
Sanitation in makeup
Use disposable applicators and spoolies, sharpen pencils between clients, scrape product onto a palette rather than double-dipping, and never apply mascara with a shared wand.
Traps
Correctors cancel; they do not match. Foundation is tested on the jaw. Thick, cakey application is usually too much product, not the wrong formula.
Rule of thumb: "Cancel with the opposite, enhance with the neighbor."