One of the items on my winter bucket list, most of which is focused on “self-improvement” both internally and externally, is getting a professional makeup lesson.  On a day-to-day basis, I basically wear no makeup, and sometimes, for a night out, I may just throw on some dark eyeshadow, mascara and bronzer and call it a day.  Makeup is something that has always intimidated me because of a few reasons:  first, because I have a darker complexion, it seems tough to find shades that work well on me.  Second, I am not thrilled by the idea of buying a ton of colors and products only to find they don’t actually look right on my skin tone.  So, in my quest to beautify myself in this new year, I finally bit the bullet and set up an appointment for a professional makeup lesson at Alayne White Spa in Providence, which based on its reputation and  reviews, is one of the best in town.

In preparation for the lesson, I washed and moisturized my face and pulled my hair back.  I arrived right on time, and was greeted by the makeup artist, Jenna, who turned out to be awesome.  The first thing she did was put one of those microwaveable aromatherapy heat packs around my neck– awesome right?  She was so sweet and very encouraging, especially when I expressed how much I lacked in the makeup application talent department.

The flow of the lesson was as expected.  She asked me first about my history with makeup, and I told her it was pretty limited.  I also expressed how overwhelming the whole makeup application process was to me, which is why it was something I avoided for so many years.  She basically calmed my nerves and said there’s no right or wrong and essentially it is a lot of trial and error to see what works best for you.  Then, she asked what sort of makeup look I was after.  I stated that I wanted a very natural look that enhanced my features and that could be turned a bit more dramatic if needed for nighttime.    After this initial discussion, she got to work!

What I liked about Jenna was she asked me how comfortable I was with certain makeup products, like foundation or concealer, and then gave me her honest opinion on whether she thought I needed them.  She started with the foundation concept.  I told her I didn’t like the idea of heavy foundations, and she agreed I didn’t actually need them.  She recommended and applied a tinted moisturizer (from Dermalogica and I loved it!) that blended into my skin perfectly.  She informed me I didn’t need concealer, which I was happy  to hear since I wasn’t interested in having it applied!

Next she swept my cheeks with a nice rosy blush, right on the apples of my cheeks.  Then, we moved to the eyes, which is the area I really wanted to focus on and learn about.  I informed her I liked a bit of a smoky look, but more of  a daytime smoky look!  She took me through the steps of applying eyeshadow and eyeliner on one eye, and guided me as I tried it out on myself on the other.  I was so scared to do it myself, but with her expert guidance, it came out pretty good!  Here’s the eye shadow palate we used– we focused on the lightest shade over the entire lid, a plum shade and a dark brown shade. I loved that combo on my eyes!

After they eyes were done, she then asked me about lips. I told her I actually really disliked anything on my lips, and she totally understood. Lipstick and glosses are annoying to me– they get everywhere, and given the fact I drink so much, it’s almost not worth applying since it rubs off. She recommended simple chapstick if I ever felt like giving a little something to my lips.

We also discussed the use of powder– that for me it wasn’t necessary since I was going for more of a dewy, moisturized look. Plus, I have dry skin, and powder tends to look flaky on me. At that point, my lesson concluded. I have to say, my face looked incredible and she did an awesome job.  She also sent me on my way with some Dermalogica skin care samples, which was pretty awesome!  Unfortunately, my “after pics” didn’t come out that great, but here’s a few of me post make-up lesson!

I am so pleased with Alayne White Spa and Jenna in particular. She was so nice and very helpful! She was also very knowledgeable and really gave me the confidence to go out on my own and try all her techniques out! In fact, today, I am hitting up Sephora to buy myself some products to play around with, and I am so excited to do so!

The only tiny thing that could have been improved was the variety of shades and products Alayne White had to offer. For example, they didn’t have black eyeliner– only navy– which was odd to me. Even Jenna acknowledged that she didn’t have as much to work with as she would like to. All in all, that wasn’t a big deal for me, but it could be an issue for someone with a different complexion.

I am really so stoked to take my new makeup knowledge and apply it. This was truly one of the best beauty experiences I have ever had, and if you have ever considered getting a professional makeup lesson, my advice to you is do it! It is so worth it!

Are you a makeup wearer or lover? Are you self-taught, or have you been instructed in the ways of makeup?