IBV C69: Let’s Learn about Makeup!

Upon arriving at the studio, I was first guided to the makeup room to get my makeup done.

“Okay, let’s start with your makeup, Yuki-kun!”
“Yes, please go ahead!”
As I took a seat, Ito-san said that.
Getting my first professional makeup done is a bit nerve-wracking…

“Ah, before we start, I’ll give you a quick rundown on the proper order of makeup application.”
“Huh? Are you sure?”
“I bet you’ll have other chances to dress up, Yuki-kun, so I’ll teach you! Just the basics, though. If you want more details, you should ask someone who knows.”
Ito-san added that she could also help when she had time.
“Thank you so much!”

“All right, first, let’s wash your face.”
“Huh? My face?”
“It’s better to do this in the morning, but first, clean your face with this cleanser,” she says as she hands me a cleanser.

“Oh, by the way, do you have dry skin, Yuki-kun?”
“No, I think I have normal skin.”
“Good. If you had dry skin, there’d be a different approach.”
“But the basic is starting with cleansing, right?”
“Yeah, and use lukewarm water when washing your face.”
“Lukewarm water, got it!”
I then used the cleanser Ito-san gave me to wash my face.
There was a tap with warm water, so I used lukewarm water.

“Okay, next, apply this toner with this cotton pad.”
“Got it!”
The cotton pad she hands me is something I’ve seen my mom use at home!

I apply the toner on my face using the cotton pad.
“Put a generous amount! Then spread it around gently.”
“Ah, I see!”
I apply more toner to the cotton pad and continue.
It feels easier to apply with more on it.

“That’s the bare minimum done!”
“It’s surprisingly easy.”
“Normally, women apply a lot of toner on the cotton pad, thin it out, and make a mask for their face to absorb the ingredients better.”
Ito-san demonstrates this by thinning out the cotton pad into several layers.

“Women have it tough…”
“This is just the beginning, you know?”
“Really?”
“There are things like face massages, too. There are various methods, but they help reduce facial swelling, prevent smile lines, and have many other effects.”
It was a brief explanation, but it still seemed like a lot of work.

“J-Just thinking about it sounds tough…”
“Honestly, if it’s too much hassle, just cleansing and toner should be fine, especially for a boy.”
“I-I see…”
“But let’s do a proper job today!”
“Understood!”
“Now, apply this.”
She hands me an unfamiliar makeup product.

“What’s this?”
“It’s like, um, skincare? It’s an all-in-one type that takes care of most needs in one go.”

“Wow, there’s stuff like that, too?!”
I take the skincare cream and apply it to my face.

“I know we’re shooting indoors today, but apply this sunscreen next. There’s lighting and all, so just to be safe.”
“Yes!”
“Make sure the sunscreen blends well all over your face.”
I apply the sunscreen, making sure it blends well.

“Now, this!”
“What’s this?”
“This is a makeup primer. Applying it helps the foundation that comes next adhere better.”
“I see…?”
Another unfamiliar term, but it must be important, I guess.

“Like the sunscreen, apply it thoroughly! As long as it blends well, there’s no problem.”
“So the same as before!”
I apply the makeup primer all over my face, making sure it blends well.

“Great! Normally, we’d use concealer next, but your skin is pretty clear, and there’s nothing to hide, so let’s move on to the important part – the foundation.
Have you seen your mom or someone use it at home?”
“Ah, yes, I’ve seen that!”
What she showed me looked familiar, something my mom also used at home.

“Most guys think makeup is usually about foundation and lipstick.”
“Frankly, I thought so too…”
I feel embarrassed thinking makeup is just about foundation and lipstick…
There’s actually so much more to it.

“Anyway, this is called powder foundation, which is a bit lighter on the skin.”
“I see.”
I wonder if there are liquid foundations, too.
I don’t really understand the difference…

“We’ll apply it lightly on you since heavy makeup might look odd.”
“Okay!”
“Put some foundation on half of this sponge, then spread it from the center of your face outward. Adjust the thickness as you see fit.”
“Got it!”
Ito-san took charge of applying the foundation.

“For areas like the sides of your nose and around your lips, use your index finger to press down on the sponge…
For your eyes, apply it thinly from the inner to the outer corners. The skin around the eyes is thin, so be gentle.”

“Once you blend it into your face line, the base makeup is done!”
“I-It took quite a while…”

“Makeup is a time-consuming process, you know.”
“I’m experiencing that firsthand…”
“Now, normally, we’d move on to eyebrows… but in your case, they’re already pretty thick, maybe because you’re a boy. Honestly, they don’t need any enhancing… and they’re well-groomed… perfect…”
“I-Is that so?”
I didn’t quite understand what she meant.

“Did your mom say anything about it?”
“Uh, she told me to regularly trim and groom my eyebrows?”
“That’s like premium education…”
“Huh?”
“Amazing. She knows how to bring out your best features…”
“Wha…?”
Ito-san seems to be complimenting my mom.

“Well, we can’t do much about your eyebrows, so let’s just do the eye makeup.”
“O-Okay?”
“Eye makeup is about enhancing the area around your eyes. We’ll extend your lashes using mascara. For you, a natural look is fine, so we’ll go with light pink. Anything darker might look off.”
“I’m already lost…”
“Ahaha, too much information? Just remember up to the foundation, and you’ll see a noticeable change in appearance.”
“O-Okay, got it.”
Then, she quickly fixed up the area around my eyes and applied a light pink lip color to my lips, matching the shade around my eyes.

“When I think about it, eye makeup might be hard to do alone at first.”
“I’ll try my best to learn…”
“There! All done! Take a look in the mirror.”
I looked in the mirror, and there I was, transformed into a beautiful girl, at least in appearance.
Makeup is amazing…

“W-Wow! This is incredible! I look like a totally different person!”
“It suits you well!”
“Thank you so much!”
“That’s it for my part!”
“Thank you for your help!”
“Don’t mention it. Next, you’ll need to learn how to touch up your makeup or remove it.”
“Okay!”
“Now, head out of this room, and the dressing room is to the right. Follow the instructions of the staff there.”
“Okay!”
Following her instructions, I left the room and entered the one on the right.

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