make-up experts steer girls toward light colours, fragrances

How much rouge belongs on the cheeks? What colour should go on eyelids? And how thick can the eyeliner be?

Finding make-up in the right colour and amount is never an easy task. Young women just beginning to wear make-up often reach too deeply into the colour palette and also spray on too much perfume. It's better to use more discreet fragrances and to hold back when it comes to selecting and applying make-up; otherwise it can overpower an outfit.

"Girls have to find their own styles first and learn that they don't have to make a grab for so much colour," said Simone Bernard of Dr Scheller Cosmetics in Eislingen, Germany.

Less is often more. "They should create accents with a small amount of make-up," advises Annette Kreuels of Lancome in Dusseldorf.

One of the most common beauty mistakes is emphasizing the eyes as well as the lips. A woman who does not want to end up with exaggerated make-up has to decide which of the two will dominate, advises Antje Bruene of Germany's association of cosmetic vendors in Wiesbaden.

To create a discreet look, just a few make-up utensils are enough and saves money. Two musts are mascara and lip-gloss, the latter being especially trendy right now, said Bruene. In addition to many products with colour pigments, there also are lip-glosses in muted tones and colourless, flavoured lip-gloss.

Girls who have little practice in applying make-up can achieve a big impact with little effort using lip-gloss. Unlike lipstick, lip- gloss doesn't require the mouth to be prepped with powder or lined before it is applied.

"Lip-gloss is easy to apply quickly in the school yard," said Kreuels.

"Cautiously" is how beauty experts say girls should apply eyeliner. Heavy black lines can make the eyes look small. To avoid this, try out eyeliner in a discreet brown, Kreuels said. A little bit of colour under the eye or on the eyelid is enough to create an expressive look.

Experts also recommend lighter tones in eye shadow. These lift the eye and open the expression. In early spring, pastel tones are especially popular, said Bernard. Finding the right tone of eye shadow can determine an entire outfit.

Teenagers usually can do without a heavy foundation. A day cream with a bit of colour in it or a compact powder is usually more than enough for young skin.

Girls who have skin problems can choose an antibacterial make-up, Bernard said. If an occasional pimple appears despite the use of the cream, it's not necessary to cover the entire face. Instead the pimple can be covered with a concealer that also works as a disinfectant.

Whether there are pimples or not, it's very important to cleanse the face thoroughly every evening.

"Removing the make-up is very important. No matter how tired you are, the mascara must come off," said Bruene. Skin that isn't well cleansed cannot breathe and regenerate itself overnight.

Hygiene is also important in handling make-up. For example, Kreuels suggests washing out the sponge in the face powder compact once a week.

As for selecting and applying perfume, light, fresh fragrances are most suitable for girls, said Bruene. But everything should be measured carefully, especially when a perfume is worn repeatedly over a long period of time.

A girl's own nose can become "blind" to the scent and applications can become heavier every time, said Werner Hariegel of Germany's organization for perfume shops in Recklinghausen.

"It's best to ask a girlfriend her true opinion of a perfume," Hariegel said.

Those who can afford it should buy a few different perfumes so they can alternate wearing them, said Bruenes. And even though a lot of girls do it, perfume shouldn't be sprayed directly on a sweater or T-shirt. Perfume is meant to be sprayed on bare skin, Hariegel said.