When I told my sister I was going on a date, she gave me two sage pieces of advice: “Don’t talk about the cats,” and “tone down the make up.” While they’re both pretty good ideas, it’s the latter that I want to talk to you about.
We all know that first dates are nerve-wracking, from picking an outfit to deciding whether or not to kiss him goodnight. However, if you’re a make up lover like me, you’re also going to be agonising about which shade of lipstick to wear and how made up to get.
So, this week, I sought to shed some light on the biggest first date make up dos and don’ts using everything I’ve picked up as a beauty blogger and some of the trusted opinions of my most eligible male friends. Let’s get started.
#1 DO Consider The Occasion
Source via weheartit.com
When you’re planning your first date make up, make sure to consider the occasion. It’s all about appropriateness and reading the situation. According to the lads of Facebook, an intense red lip and smouldering smokey eye combo will look seriously OTT for coffee at noon. Can anyone say, “Trying too hard?”
However, if you’re going out for cocktails in the evening, that same look transforms itself from high maintenance to seriously sexy in the blink of an eye.
Just apply common sense: if you’re going swimming (do people do that on first dates?), definitely skip the falsies and break out your waterproof mascara to avoid re-enacting a scene from Loch Ness instead of Baywatch.
#2 DON’T Try Out A New Look
Experimenting with different date make up ideas is great fun – as long as you don’t leave it until the big day. The last thing you want to do is attempt edgy cat eyeliner only to be left desperately un-smudging your accidental panda eyes ten minutes before you’re due to meet him.
If you really want to try out some hot first date make up ideas, do a practice run the night before to take some of the pressure off. Use the same policy with new cosmetics.
As tempting as it might be, don’t try out a brand new lipstick on date night unless you’re confident with its staying power and fairly sure it won’t end up migrating onto your teeth. Tried and true is best.
#3 DO Listen To Advice From Friends
We all have our favourite looks. However, we can get so used to our personal style that it can be hard to view our makeup objectively. My make up often treads the fine line between desirably edgy and full on drag queen.
It can be tricky for me to gauge whether it’s too dramatic for a first meeting or just right.
I’ve found that the best way to keep from walking out the door looking like a clown is to ask for a second opinion.
If you’re worried that your eyeliner is too thick or your lipstick is making your teeth look yellow, consult a sibling or friend – someone who knows when to be cruel to be kind!
#4 DON’T Be Upset If He Doesn’t Notice
After selecting relatively demure (for me) make up for my recent first date, I decided date two was the perfect time to break out to the wild colours I love. Safe neutrals were replaced by intense blues and a splash of purple in the crease. A later conversation revealed that my date couldn’t tell me my eye colour let alone what my make up looked like!
According to the men in my life, this isn’t uncommon or even a terrible sign.
Guys tend to get an overall impression of your hotness without revelling in the details (unless the details consist of a low cut top).
Keep this in mind before doing anything too elaborate with your make up. Give an impression of confidence and sophistication but don’t focus too much on the details – he probably won’t.
#5 DO Ask Him How He Feels About Make up
Sometimes the best way to figure out how to look amazing to a guy is to ASK. Some men adore Kim Kardashian’s pouty, highly contoured and incredibly long-lashed look.
Others prefer the natural, ‘no make up’ make up of the girl next door, e.g. a clean complexion, a little colour in the cheeks and just a hint of lip gloss.
Don’t let your inner feminist beat you up for asking a few subtle questions (and I do mean subtle!) about what your guy might like to see, but don’ take his answers too seriously either. At the end of the day, you should still be dressing for yourself!
#6 DON’T Believe Everything You Hear About Red Lipstick
Recently, there’s been some debate about whether men appreciate red lipstick or not. As a lover of bold, red lips, I immediately quizzed my male and bisexual female Facebook friends.
The ladies agreed with me on the whole: A well-done red lip paired with a neutral eye can look as classy as it makes us feel.
The men varied in their responses. Some expressed total indifference, while others pleaded, “not for a first date… it looks…full on and high maintenance.”
However, the surprising majority answered “always sexy!” and “very hot, I like someone with a bold personality.”
Just remember: The secret to rocking red lipstick is to pick a shade that complements your complexion and undertones.
#7 DO Wear Make up that Makes You Feel Confident
We’ve talked a lot about what might appeal to a guy in terms of first date make up. Now I’m going to ask you to discount all of that for a minute and focus on YOU.
The real key to perfect first date make up is to achieve a look that makes you feel attractive, completely confident and maybe even a little bit sensual. It doesn’t matter whether that that involves a lick of wild tangerine lipstick or a totally bare face.
If you’re not comfortable in your own skin, your date will absolutely feel it. There’s nothing sexier than a girl who knows just how worth it she is. Sure, he might not be mad on lime green lipstick, but if that’s a deal-breaker, maybe he doesn’t deserve to have it on his lips at the end of the night?