After 15 years of reading fashion magazines, and daily practice, I’m still not totally sure that I understand makeup application. And I’m not alone. That’s why lifestyle editor Melinda Mattos and I got schooled by makeup artist Whitney Sellors (www.whitneysellors.com), who made up each of our faces and explained the details of her pro techniques.

Apply foundation with a brush
Sellors starts by applying foundation lightly in the centre of the face and buffs it out, holding a brush near its base with the hairs splayed out. “[Blending] removes any brush strokes, and ensures smooth and even coverage,” she says.

Give cheeks TLC with HBC
After foundation and concealer, use highlighter (“H,” which could be a white or shimmery shade), blush (“B,” in cream or powder formulations) and contour (“C,” which is really next-level but creates great, defining angles).

The products should be applied in that order on a 45-degree angle, starting at the top of the cheekbone with highlighter, applying blush to the center of the cheekbone, and contouring underneath it.

“Blend, blend, blend,” says Sellors, who uses a powder brush to soften the look and avoid fake-looking demarcation between each product. (Don’t forget the temples and jawline.) Highlighter can also be dusted on any other areas that emerge, like the top of the nose and the browbone.

Create the illusion of shapely brows
Use an eyebrow pencil to shape the brows with short, light strokes, then go over it with an angled brush. Again: blending is key.

Sellors suggests blasting a spooly eyebrow brush with hairspray and running it over the eyebrow to set everything. An old, cleaned-off mascara wand works well. Even without plucking the brows, your eyes will look super-lifted.

Line those lids
Sharpen the eyeliner pencil first, and apply it to the outer three-quarters of the upper eyelid with short, feathery strokes. During my lesson, Sellors has me pull my lower lid down and to the side while I line the inside with black, which feels craaaaazy.

For a more intense eyeliner look, try using a vibrant shadow. This was Sellors’ suggestion when I showed her the bright-green eyeshadow palette that I only bought because it was called “Misfit” and never knew what to do with. Load up a skinny, dense brush and blow off excess shadow (wiping products onto tissue also works), then line eyes with bright colour. Build it up toward the outer corners and blend with a finger or Q-tip.

Use your fingers
Sellors uses her finger to sweep shadow over the eyelids, which gives a more intense wash of colour than brushes and a more nuanced application than foam applicators.

To create a dramatic look — perfect for Melinda’s onstage persona with her band, The Weirdies — Sellors applies brown shadow all over the lid, then presses bright pink in the middle of the crease, invisible until Melinda looks to the left or right. Hotness, basically.

Curl then jiggle
Sellors is a fan of the Shu Uemura eyelash curler, which she says is pricey but worth it. She recommends looking down while clamping the curler on the upper lashes, pumping it close to the base first, and then twice more as you move toward the ends.

When applying mascara, Sellors says it’s best to start at the roots of the top lashes and “jiggle it back and forth” to the ends for maximum fullness. Only a little should go on the bottom.

But Sellors’ top tip has less to do with technique and everything to do with attitude: “It’s good to work with what you have,” she says. “There’s no point in trying to change.... Makeup is for having fun and playing.”

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Pro picks
We asked Sellors about the must-haves in her makeup kit.

Budget-friendly faves
• Good sunblock
• Free makeup tutorials on YouTube
• Old mascara wands, cleaned and used as eyebrow brushes
• L’Oréal True Match foundation
• Brushes by Quo
• Marcelle eye-makeup remover
• Q-tips, for intensifying eyeliner, and to clean up mistakes

Worthwhile indulgences
• Chanel Pro Lumière foundation
• Cover FX concealer
• NARS The Multiple (for eyes, cheeks and lips) in Orgasm
• Brushes by MAC and NARS
• Shu Uemura eyelash curler
• MAC Plushglass lip colour

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