Natural light doesn't lie

Posted: Monday, April 15, 2002

Kansas City, Mo. - The rear-view mirror doesn't lie. That's what makeup specialist Kelly Norwood and her colleagues at the Bobbi Brown counter at Saks Fifth Avenue often tell customers.

They don't mean women should put on makeup while driving. (Because that would be wrong.)

Rather, it's a reminder that natural light is a girl's best (or most honest) friend when it comes to evaluating how makeup looks.

So even if you don't put your makeup on, like Norwood does, sitting in front of a bay window, at least take a hand mirror outside when you're done to check your handiwork, she advises.

That's because the lighting in your bathroom is probably working against you. Norwood warns that bad things happen to good faces when makeup is applied in poorly lit rooms.

One danger, she said, is the "lopsided" effect - when one side of a face has more makeup on it than the other. That can happen if bright light from a window throws half your face into shadow when you stand in front of the mirror.

And if overhead lights make it harder to see your neck, you're more likely to end up with a jarring "demarcation" line where your foundation ends.

Even if your makeup passes the rear-view-mirror test for evenness and balance, you will need to adjust it to adapt to various non-daylight settings.

Television journalist JaQuitta Williams, of KSHB-TV in Kansas City, knows all about makeup and lighting - "two of my favorite subjects," she said.

"I love light," Williams said, explaining that her African-American skin "soaks up" light. In poor light, she explained, "you look 10 shades darker than you are."

Just because she doesn't shy away from the "overwhelming" light levels on the set doesn't mean Williams would dare to face them au naturel. "You've got to really pack makeup on," she said, or viewers would see every tiny flaw in her complexion.

Because Williams is on the set for only two hours a day, her makeup has to work in office and outdoor settings as well, so minor adjustments are a must. "My mirror is my best friend," she said. "It stays with me all the time."

Of course, most of us will never be on television. But did you know your eye cream could sabotage you in flash photographs? If it contains sunblock, that is.

Any products that have an SPF on the label can act like reflective tape when a flash goes off, Norwood said. She learned that the hard way after seeing photos of herself in which she looked like a "raccoon" because the concealer she'd been wearing contained sunblock.

Checking your makeup in natural light is a must to see that it is balanced and even, but after that you need to adjust it depending on the situation you are going to be seen in, makeup experts agree.

For daytime office settings, stick to fairly matte finishes to achieve a soft glow, suggests makeup artist Lisa Rooney. You don't want an obvious sheen, which indoor lights will intensify, she says.

Women who prefer the "no-makeup" look need to add color for office situations to avoid looking "dead," Norwood said. She advises using pinks and rosier tones to counter the greenish tint of bad office light.

In the evening, smoky eyes that are too dramatic for the office can look sexy, Rooney said. But don't overdo it, she cautions: Blend eye shadow well to soften the look.

To go from office to evening without having to start from scratch, Norwood advises carrying a compact with compartments to hold small quantities of the most essential products. The most important adjustments for evening, she said, are to touch up concealer under the eyes, add more mascara and maybe intensify color on lips and cheeks.