Let’s Talk Makeup: What Your Choices Are *Really* Communicating

I’ve spent a long, long time with a makeup brush in my hand, working on what feels like every kind of face imaginable. I’ve been behind the scenes on photo shoots, helped brides feel like their best selves, and coached people on how to look and feel powerful for a big moment. And after all that, the one question that always comes up is, “What does my makeup say about me?” People worry that a certain lipstick shade or eyeliner style has some fixed meaning, like a secret code everyone else can read.

Honestly, it’s not that simple. Your choice to wear a dark lipstick doesn’t broadcast your deepest secrets to the world. But it absolutely communicates something.

Think of makeup as a language. It’s a set of tools we use to present a specific version of ourselves—a version that might feel more creative, more professional, more protected, or just plain glamorous. My job isn’t to figure you out, but to help you use that language intentionally, with skill and purpose.

So, instead of giving you tired old labels, I want to pull back the curtain and share what I’ve learned from my chair. We’ll get into how the pros actually build these looks, the science behind why some products work and others don’t, and the common mistakes I see all the time. This is about seeing makeup as a craft, and learning to read a face for its artistry and intention.

The Real Foundation: It’s All About Science

Before we even think about style, we have to get our hands dirty with the materials. I promise, incredible makeup isn’t magic—it’s just a bit of practical science. When I’m training new artists, we don’t start with cool eyeliner tricks. We start with skin and color theory. Getting this down is the difference between your makeup working for you and you fighting with your makeup.

Color Theory in Real Life

You’ve probably heard about undertones, but most people are just guessing. Your undertone is the permanent, underlying color of your skin, and it’s usually warm (yellow, peachy), cool (pink, red), or neutral (a mix). You can have a foundation that perfectly matches your surface skin tone but still looks “off” because the undertone is wrong. A warm-toned person in a cool foundation can look a bit gray or ashy, while a cool-toned person in a warm foundation might look orange.

A quick way to check? Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist in natural light. If they appear more greenish, you’re likely warm-toned. If they look more bluish or purple, you’re probably cool. See a mix of both? You might be neutral. It’s a great starting point.

This stuff matters for lipstick, too. A classic example is a bold red lip. A blue-based red, like a cherry or raspberry, instantly makes your teeth look whiter. Why? It’s simple optics. Blue and yellow are opposites on the color wheel, so the blue tones cancel out any yellow in your teeth. On the other hand, an orange-based red can actually emphasize yellowness.

The Art of Light and Shadow

Contouring blew up, but a lot of people are just swiping it on without knowing why it works. The principle is ancient and simple: dark colors absorb light and make things look like they’re receding, while light colors reflect light and make things appear more prominent.

So when I apply a contour shade under a cheekbone, I’m just creating a believable shadow to make that cheekbone pop. Heads up: a lot of drugstore “contour” kits are just shimmery bronzers. Using an orange, shimmery powder to contour won’t create a shadow; it just paints a warm stripe on your face. You want something matte and cool-toned. For a great drugstore find, the NYX Professional Makeup Wonder Stick is fantastic and usually runs about $14. If you’re looking to invest, the Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick is iconic for a reason, but it’ll set you back around $32.

Why Your Products Aren’t Getting Along

Ever had a foundation that just pilled up or separated on your face? It’s probably not your skin—it’s chemistry. Products are typically water-based, oil-based, or silicone-based. Layering incompatible bases is a recipe for disaster.

For instance, let’s say you love a silicone-based primer, like the classic Smashbox Photo Finish, because it gives that super smooth canvas. If you layer a water-based foundation over it, like the MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body, you might see pilling. It’s like oil and water. The silicone primer creates a slick surface that the water-based product just can’t grab onto. To fix this, pair that silicone primer with a silicone-based foundation, like the NARS Light Reflecting Foundation, for a perfect, seamless blend.

Pro Techniques for Those Go-To Styles

Let’s break down a few classic looks. I won’t tell you what they “mean,” but I will show you how a pro puts them together and the kind of vibe they’re often used for.

The Crisp Winged Eyeliner

This look is all about precision and polish. It can feel beautifully vintage or cool and modern. Plan on giving yourself a good 10-15 minutes for this when you’re starting out—rushing is the enemy of the perfect wing.

• The Pro Method: A great wing doesn’t just float on your eyelid. The first step is always tightlining—using a soft gel pencil to color the upper waterline. This makes your lash base look solid and full. For the wing itself, map it out first. Look straight into the mirror, and with a relaxed face, make a tiny dot where you want the wing to end. Then, draw a line from the outer corner of your eye to the dot, and connect that line back to your lash line to make a triangle. Fill it in. It’s so much easier than one freehand swipe.
• A Tip for Hooded Eyes: By the way, if you have hooded eyes, this is a game-changer. Draw the outer shape of the wing while your eye is fully open and looking straight ahead. This ensures the wing is visible and doesn’t get swallowed by your crease when you relax your face.
• Picking Your Weapon: For beginners, a liquid liner pen with a flexible tip offers the most control. The NYX Epic Ink Liner is a steal at around $10 and works incredibly well. For a more high-end option, the KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner ($25) is a cult favorite. Gel pots, like the Inglot AMC Eyeliner Gel 77 ($21), give a deep, matte finish but definitely take more practice.

The Unforgettable Statement Lip

A bold lip projects confidence and sophistication. Its power is all in the clean, crisp application. To get this look right, you’ll want a few things in your toolkit: a gentle lip scrub, a matching lip liner, your lipstick, a bit of translucent powder, and a tiny flat brush for cleanup.

• The Pro Method: Longevity is everything. Start by exfoliating your lips. (Good to know: you don’t need a fancy scrub. A little brown sugar and coconut oil from your kitchen works perfectly and costs pennies.) Apply a thin layer of balm, then blot it off. Next, use a matching lip liner to not only line the lips but fill them in completely. This acts as a primer. Apply your lipstick, blot with a single ply of tissue, and apply a second coat. For a bulletproof finish, I’ll dust a tiny bit of translucent powder over the tissue while it’s on the lips before that final coat.
• Product Picks: For a classic, long-lasting red, you can’t go wrong with MAC’s Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo (about $23). A fantastic drugstore choice with a similar vibe is the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink in Pioneer, which is usually under $10 and seriously does not budge.
• The Cleanup Crew: The secret to a super sharp edge, especially with dark colors, is to take a tiny flat brush with a little concealer and trace around the outside of your lip line. It makes a world of difference.

The “I Woke Up Like This” Look

Ah, the “no-makeup” makeup look. It’s easily the most misunderstood and, frankly, one of the hardest to get right. The goal is to look healthy and polished, not made up. The irony? This “effortless” look can easily take 20 minutes to create.

• The Pro Method: The magic is in the skin prep—make sure your face is well-hydrated and primed. Then, skip the heavy foundation. Instead, spot-conceal only where you need it, like under the eyes or around the nose, and blend the edges with your finger so the warmth helps it melt in. Cream products are your best friend here. A cream blush gives a natural flush from within. Powder should be used sparingly, just on the T-zone. Finish with brows brushed up with a clear gel and a single coat of mascara wiggled right at the roots.
• Texture is Everything: To keep the illusion of real skin, look for products with a ‘satin’ or ‘radiant’ finish, not something that’s super dry or matte. The e.l.f. Hydrating Camo Concealer is an amazing budget find at around $7. For blush, the Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Blush (about $10) gives a beautiful, dewy finish that looks incredibly natural.

A Quick Word on Global Styles

It’s good to remember that makeup isn’t a universal language; it has powerful local dialects. What’s considered professional or beautiful in one culture can be totally different in another.

For example, many East Asian beauty trends, particularly from Korea, often emphasize a very different ideal. The focus is on achieving “glass skin”—an intensely hydrated, luminous, and dewy complexion. You’ll see softer, straighter brows, gradient lips that are darker in the center and fade out, and techniques to make the eyes look larger and more youthful. It’s a softer, more ethereal aesthetic. This stands in contrast to many Western trends that have historically favored a more sculpted, matte finish with arched brows and sharply defined lips. Neither is right or wrong, of course. They’re just different expressions of artistry, proving that makeup is, above all, a personal and cultural tool for self-expression.

Galerie d’inspiration

A study by the University of Brittany-South found that waitresses wearing red lipstick received approximately 50% more in tips from male customers.

While this might seem superficial, it highlights the powerful, often subconscious, signals we send. Red isn’t just a color; it’s an archetype. Wearing a classic like MAC’s Ruby Woo or Fenty Beauty’s Stunna Lip Paint isn’t about seduction, but about tapping into a legacy of confidence. It says you’re not afraid to be seen, a message that’s universally understood long before you say a word.

Is the “no-makeup makeup” look an honest one?

Paradoxically, it’s one of the most calculated statements you can make. It requires skill, time, and often, a curated selection of high-performance products. This look isn’t about hiding; it’s about broadcasting health, youthfulness, and an effortless chic. It whispers, “I am naturally this radiant.” Achieving this involves precise concealing, strategic highlighting, and using products like Glossier’s Cloud Paint for a seamless flush or Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint to perfect without masking. It communicates discipline and a quiet, confident self-possession.

The eyeliner you choose sends a distinct signal before you even finish your cat-eye. It’s a choice of dialect.

Sharp Liquid Liner: Think of the Stila Stay All Day or KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner. Its crisp, graphic line communicates precision, intention, and modernity. It’s deliberate and sharp, suggesting focus and an artistic, polished edge.

Smudgy Kohl Pencil: A pencil like Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On, especially when smudged, tells a different story. It’s softer, more diffused. It can suggest a relaxed sensuality, a touch of rock-and-roll rebellion, or a more approachable, less severe demeanor.

• A sharper, more defined arch
• A feathery, brushed-up shape

The secret? Your brow style sets the emotional tone for your entire face. A bold, sculpted brow, often achieved with pomades like Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow, can read as powerful, structured, and intentional—a boardroom staple. The softer, more natural “boy brow,” created with a tinted gel like Boy Brow or a clear one from Kosas, communicates a youthful, approachable, and effortless vibe. It’s the difference between a statement and a whisper.

The quickest communication shift: Changing your lip color. Swapping a daytime nude for a deep berry or a vibrant coral instantly alters the mood of your entire look. It’s the fastest way to transition your message from professional and understated to bold and celebratory, requiring just one product and thirty seconds.