How to use pigments ?

Pigments are all the rage at the moment, and we’re hearing about those from M.A.C. and Make Up Geek all over the place.

But every time I read an article or watch a video that uses them, they’re mainly used for eye make-up. Of course that’s the easiest way to use them, but they can also be used on the mouth and even the complexion, and not just as a hilighter.

What are pigments? Basically, they are the raw material of the eyeshadow, just as in painting, once the pigments have been diluted they give THE colour. In make-up, of course, pigments are processed, so they’re not really raw, but they’re the closest thing to it.

They come in loose powder form, so beware of spillage, but they’re still super-easy to work with, blend and melt… for the eyes, it’s better to use them with a slightly fluffy brush, which will give better pigmentation (rather than a very dense flat brush that won’t give anything).

They can be used wet or dry depending on what you prefer, the highlights or even the intensity you want. Of course, they’re a little harder to get to grips with than classic eyeshadows, but they’re so much more beautiful and, above all, they offer so many more possible uses.

I’m not going to give you a lecture on how to use them as eyeshadow, but you can also use them as liner, either after applying your black liner (make sure you use one that doesn’t dry too quickly) by applying them directly on top, or by using them damp with a bevelled brush. Personally, I prefer the first technique, with the black underneath I find it more intense, but it’s really up to each person’s taste.

On the complexion, use a touch of luminous pigment in a neutral colour to mix with a foundation that you find too matte, too heavy, it will immediately give it the light it needs without making you look like a disco ball. They can also be used as a blush or highlighter, for the second we’re used to going gently so there’s no risk, but as a blush be really careful to use small touches, it’s much more pigmented than a normal blush, so use a big brush to blend it in, but the result is really pretty.

Last but not least, there’s plenty of fun to be had on the lips! You can either find a pigment in the same colour as your lipstick and give it a little imperceptible pep by putting it on top, or you can use a pigment in the same tones but much lighter, as I did with Faded, and then you’ll keep the base colour but it’ll be all the brighter for it. Finally, with a liquid lipstick, have fun, mix all kinds of pigments and look, it can give very pretty things (of course I show you all this in the video below).

There’s so much more you can do with them, because of their shape, the uses are endless. What’s more, as you don’t need much, it’s quite economical, even for MAC for once ^^, I haven’t tried the Make Up Geek ones yet but I’ve heard so much about them that it won’t be long before I do.