Judging by Instagram, everybody’s an #MUA these days but only a true makeup artist knows these 8 terms below and what they mean when it comes to beating a face. If you’re looking to step up your makeup game or prove your skills to the world, here are 8 makeup terms and techniques you should become very familiar with very fast.
Fallout is what can happen when applying a powder eyeshadow without care. All it means is particles from the product have fallen onto other parts of your face — like the bridge of your nose or the top of your cheeks — where you don’t want it. To avoid this, a lot of makeup artists apply eyeshadow first so it won’t mess up the finish of their foundation, or you can just be extra careful about tapping excess product off of your brush before reapplying and use a primer to help shadows stay put.
What’s a primer? A primer is a product that preps various areas of the face for makeup and helps the product applied stay put longer. Some face primers can also reduce pores and correct a issues like dark spots and redness, and they be used to create either a matte face — no shimmer — or a dewy glow. Eye and lip primers are great for smoothing out the fine lines on each surface and ensuring the products don’t crease or bleed (i.e. that’s what it’s called when lipstick runs outside of the rim of the mouth).
Contouring is the big buzz word in beauty these days but few know what it’s really about, or how to do it correctly (no shade). The purpose of contouring is to emphasize or define certain features, like your cheekbones, and disguise or subtly change the shape others, like one’s chin or nose, via the use of shading with bronzers or darker foundations and highlighting with illuminators, concealers, or lighter foundations. Note the use of the word “subtly.” You should not look like the woman in the gif above when all is said and done. Blending is the name of the contour game.
Stippling is the process of applying liquid foundation in a dotted motion to achieve an airbrushed finish. This can be done with a beauty blender (as shown in the gif above) or a stippling brush for a more flawless finish.
Applying an eyeshadow wet is known as foiling because it creates a shiny, metallic-like finish. Loose eyeshadows and pigments work best for this method; for pressed powder eyeshadows you’ll want to check to be sure it can be used wet before dipping your brush into water and then the product, or else the texture may be ruined. 
The waterline is the inner bottom rim of your eye where pencil and shadow are applied for more dramatic eye looks. The tightline is the inner top rim of your eye where liner should go when creating a cat eye and the space where fake lashes should be attached.
