How to Apply Perfect and Natural Looking Makeup Every Time!
Author: Steven James

Foundation is just that: the foundation of your look. For that reason, making sure you start out with the right color is really important. Regardless of your killer eyeliner, it'll still look dumb if you look like a tangerine. You need to look like you're not wearing foundation, but still look flawless. But how does one wear foundation without looking like it? Well, you need to match your skin's tone to foundation undertones. However, that is easier said than done. Finding the undertone of your skin can be tricky. You'll need to make sure the shade is right if you apply a small amount from your cheek down to your jaw line, and see if it fades into your skin.

Once you've found your color, there are rules for applying foundation. Lewis recommends applying your foundation to the middle panel of the face around the T-zone (nose, forehead and chin), and then spread it out onto your cheeks. You should only use a dime-sized amount of foundation for your entire face. Avoid the dreaded orange foundation line by matching your foundation to your true color. Yellow skin tones require a neutral undertone, golden skin tones need bronze undertones, and rosy skin tones, pink undertones.

Now that you've evened out your skin tone, it's time to put a little color in your cheeks - literally. You want to make sure you're blending very well for that sun-kissed look, which is very in right now. I recommends a pinky/coral shade of blush, because it looks great on everyone. Cheek stains are most natural blushers that last longer, and are great for those who don't like the typical "makeup look." Another color favorite, regardless of season, is bronzer. Bronzer is great because it takes you from Iceland to Madrid in a matter of seconds. Carmindy's trick for applying bronzer is fairly simple. Apply on the apples of your cheeks, temples and a little on the forehead, nose and chin.

The final touch for your face is highlighter. Highlighter is basically a shimmery, sheer shade that "highlights" your features. Carmindy applies a highlight shade under the eyebrow, in the tear duct and along the cheekbone. This opens up the eye and defines the cheekbones. The best highlight shades are light pink, white, vanilla, gold, iridescent and champagne.

When it comes to actual makeup application, eyes are the hardest. Anyone can slather on foundation, brush on bronzer or run highlighter under the brow, but how many women do you know who properly apply eyeliner and shadow? Exactly. First of all, choose your color. Carmindy recommends using eyeshadow shades that are the opposite of your eyes. Basically, if you have light-colored eyes, use deeper shades like brown, and if you have brown eyes, congrats! Any color works on you.

A good spring eye look, Brown said, is creating a soft, lush line instead of a hard line, and lighter, brighter colors around the eyes. A standard day time look, great for school and work, is a fairly simple six-step process. Start off with your highligher shade. Then choose another sheer shade to cover the whole lid up to the brow bone (sheer metallics are great for this). Then sweep a slightly darker shade over your lid, followed by a contrasting shade in your crease. Next, apply eyeliner. Black works for just about anyone. Eyeliner is a fun look, but be careful not to go overboard. Remember, goth is so '90s. Apply mascara, and presto! You have beautiful eyes!

A great way to make a lipstick last is using lip liner on the entire lip, instead of just outlining them. It provides a base for the lipstick, so it is less likely to wear off; when the inevitable does happen (i.e. coffee, food, men), you're not left with a garish line and nothing else.

 

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