Help!

"My name is Liza-Marie Dick and I believe that you at Cosmetic Intelligence can help me. I need a new look because, I am -old and I look like 25. My face is greasy with pimples and dark marks and sometimes people harass me. At times I feel like staying at home because when I go out with my older sister who is 27, people always think I am older than her. I never wore make-up before because of the pimples on my face and I will like to experience a new look with make-up."

We met with Liza-Marie this week to give her a new look with hair and make-up transformations. Here is how it all happened:

Hair make-over

Hair stylist Ashvin Bally found Liza-Marie’s hair to be curly and disorganised. She had a very brassy colour which had grown out at the ends with dark roots. This brassy colour made her skin look sallow.

After consulting the colour chart with Liza-Marie, he decided to go with a warm dark brown to complement her complexion. Next, he decided to straighten her disorganised curls and to layer Liza’s thick hair to create movement and add lift, without sacrificing length. He cut and shaped her hair to suit her face shape, hair texture and personal style. He decided to go with a straight, edgy style to create flair and attitude to Liza’s look.

Make-up transformation

Step One: Groom the brows

Her brows were first groomed to create a nice frame for her face. The edges were trimmed to create a soft curve. Brows were brushed upwards and into place. Her brows were then filled in, to remove any obvious sparse spots with a dark brown eyebrow pencil and define the natural arch.

Step Two: Prepare the skin

Liza’s skin was first prepped with an alcohol based astringent to reduce oiliness and then moisturized with an oil absorbing moisturizer.

Step Three: Select and apply matching foundation

Liza’s skin tone was uneven and had dark marks and visible pores. A cream foundation matching her skin was used to even out her skin tone and blended outward from the centre of her face with a sponge.

Step Four: Highlight and contour

Her eyes and the bridge of her nose were highlighted with medium concealer to make her nose appear slimmer and to bring her eyes forward.

Strokes of a foundation one shade darker than her skin tone were used to contour the hollows of the cheek and the sides of her nose.

Step Five: Set face with loose powder

Her highlights were set with a powder one shade lighter than her complexion powder and her contours set with a powder one shade darker than her complexion powder.

Her entire face was then set with a dusting of loose translucent face powder in a deep shade using a powder brush.

Step Six: Eyes

Using a medium shadow brush, a gold powder eye shadow is washed over the entire eyelid. Rust and medium brown eye shadows are used on the eyelids to create depth.

Using a medium accent shadow brush a basic dark black-brown powder eye shadow is used to softly define the eyelid into the crease.

Using black eye pencil, line the top and bottom lash line. Emphasise the top lash line with a thicker line, especially as you work your way to the outer corner of the eye. Smudge into lashes with your fingers or a sponge tip applicator.

Step Seven: Apply false lashes

Curl top lashes to form a base and apply false lashes. Expert tip: False lashes stay in place better when you run a line of extra adhesive along the strip. When you do this, let the extra adhesive set for a moment to get tacky then apply. Start from the outside corner of the eye first, then work your way in along the lash line. When lashes are dry, curl again and sweep with a coat of black mascara, top and bottom.

Step Eight: Highlight the cheekbones

Dust soft rich aubergine powder blush into the cheeks. Dust a light coating of dark brown blush under cheekbones for emphasis.

Step Nine: Lips

Lips are lined using a dark currant lip liner and filled in. Then, using a lip brush, lips are covered with a soft barely pink lipstick, then a natural bronze lipstick is applied to provide a more natural look. Finally, a rich plum-wine lip colour was used to add warmth to Liza’s face.

Step Ten: Making the look last

To maintain a shine free appearance during the day, oil absorbing sheets were recommended to absorb oil from the face without disturbing her make-up. Translucent complexion powder matching her skin tone should be used sparingly to reduce shine. Adding too much powder during the day, will create a heavy made-up look.

Improving the condition of her skin

To improve the condition of her skin, Liza was advised to first seek the advice of a dermatologist. In the meantime, she should find a good product line and start a consistent skin care routine of cleansing, toning and moisturizing. This will improve the condition of her skin over time. She should also try to get one facial per month to assist in the rejuvenation of her skin. A minimum of 1.5 litres of water per day will also help keep her complexion clear.

Liza-Marie’s reaction

"I was stunned when I looked in the mirror," Liza says. " I had no idea I could look so glamorous. Walking into my village in Longdenville after my make-over, people did not recognise me. I really loved the cut of my hair and how it falls now. The make-up was not too heavy and had a nice natural look. It is an experience that I will not forget!"

Crysande Hoechst is a professional make-up artist. If you have any beauty questions you can send them to Crysande@gmx.de Call 646-0666 or 689-1527 to schedule your make-over consultation.

Win a free make-over!

Send a photo and a few lines describing why you need a new look to:

Cosmetic Intelligence Make-over Challenge

C/o Newsday People Magazine

Furness Building

#90 Independence Square

Port-of-Spain

Photography: Michael D. Sims

Hair Courtesy: Bally, 37 Murray Street Woodbrook. Telephone: 628-3013