Last week I had the chance to attend a Mac Techniques in Milan, with uber talented Michele Magnani, Senior Make Up Artist for Mac Cosmetics Italy.

This workshop was focused on basics, because if you can do well the basis you can do then pretty much any experiment you want.

As you all know Mac cosmetics is leader in pro make up, with more than 200 backstages in one only season.

Are you ready to learn Michele Magnani’s tips and techniques at this Mac Techniques workshop?

First af all, each of us had a single seat with all brushes, tools and products we needed. Plus, there was a Mua every 2-3 seats to help us and to pick the right shade for each of us. Michele showed us the right techniques on a model and then he was helpful for each of our personal need looking at our own works and giving advices.

It all starts from brushes: they’re essential instruments.

Skin is a transpiring organ. We must pay attention on what we put it on and how we cleanse it. The better is skin the lesser we need make up. So, moisturizing and sunscreen are essentials.

When we use moisturizer we must appy it with upwards movements. Then it’s time for eye cream moisturizer: Fast Response Eye Cream is a good choice for bags under eyes.

Then we applied Primer (Prep + Prime). New generation silicons make a film on skin to hold hydration.

Don’t miss out lips! They deserve moisturizer too, with Lip Conditioner.

Spring/Summer Trend is a minimal look, in order to use small quantities of foundation, concealer… so, foundation and concealer have to be applied just in case and using small amounts.

How we can choose the right foundation shade? You have to try it on your lower jaw, then wait for a few minutes. If it disappear into your skin, then it’s the right shade. Concealer has to be the same shade of your skin, not lighter nor darker. And pay attention to your undertone! For under-eye circles is better a NW shade, which leads more peach and warm.

A great choice is Prep + Prime Highlighter (I’m using it in Radiant Rose and I loooove it so much!): apply it under your eye to create a triangle, along the sides of your nose and on the cupid’s bow.

It’s time for blushing. When you have a thin or very oval face you have to apply blush horizontally. If you have a round face, then apply it obliquely.

I am so, so happy that Michele taught me the right way to apply blush on my face: no need to sculpt, I have to apply it horizontally towards inner and upwards of my cheeks. Then a bit on my forehead creating a sort of rectangle. Warm pinks are the better choice for me.

Last but not least, powder to fix make up. Mineralize Loose Foundation is a nice choice because mica helps to reflect light and minimize imperfections.

Now we can do our eyes. Draw a line with an eye pencil (I used Prunella) along your upper lashes, when you arrive at the outer corner go uprightly and then go back towards inner corner but stop at the middle. Blend.

On the lower lashes draw a line in correspondence of pupil. Blend.

How to apply eyeshadows? Lightest colour on the inner corner and on the browbone, medium colour in the middle uprightly and the darkest colour in correspondence of your blended pencil. Then blend, blend, blend. Final touch: curl your lashes and then apply mascara.

Don’t miss out to fill in your eyebrows with light, little strokes (I used a mix of Eye Brow Lingering and Spiced)! It’s important to do the final part because people see us also from our profile.

For lips we used Prep + Prime Lip, then we filled them with a Lip Liner. If you like you can finish with gloss or conditioner.

Done! 🙂

I think it was really a great experience, in the next post you’ll read an interview with the very kind hearted Michele Magnani if you want to know his view about beauty, make up and his gorgeous work!

Have you ever attended a Mac Techniques?