1. Moisturize! If your skin is dry, makeup will look flaky. If you have oily skin or are prone to breakouts, look for an oil-free moisturizer. It will make your skin look dewy and fresh without adding oil.2. Use the right tools. You don’t need a ton of expensive brushes, but it is worth it to invest in one fluffy, round tip blush brush. This brush is designed to make your blush application look natural. You’ll need another good brush if you use loose powder. Use sponge tip applicators for an opaque eyeshadow application and soft bristle brushes for a smokier eye look. Finally, those cosmetic wedge sponges that you see in the drugstore really are the best thing for smoothly blending your foundation.

3. To cover blemishes, first run a small makeup brush back and forth over a concealer stick, then dip in loose powder. Use the brush to dab the concealer and powder onto the blemish, and it will stay covered!

4. Use different shades of foundation to contour your face. Your primary foundation should exactly match your skin tone, but then use slightly lighter and darker foundations to emphasize your natural contours. This should look natural, so don’t go more than one shade lighter or darker, and be sure to blend. Use the lighter foundation to highlight the bridge of your nose and your cheekbones; use the darker foundation to shade the sides of your nose and the hollows of your cheeks.

5. For longer-looking, luscious lashes, use an eyelash curler. Remember to curl before applying mascara; otherwise, you’ll lose lashes and end up with clumpy mascara.

6. Drawing thick dark lines all around your eyes will make your eyes look smaller. To avoid this, don’t close the lines---line only the outside half of your bottom lid or don’t line the bottom lid at all.

7. If your eyeshadow tends to disappear by lunchtime, apply a little foundation and powder to your lids before putting on eye makeup.

8. If you can’t decide which colors to buy, go with neutrals: browns, peaches, and plums look good on everyone.

9. White eyeliner on your lower lid will help to open up your eyes. This is especially great for those mornings when you don’t look very awake!

10. When applying blush, be sure to tap off the excess blush from your brush. Apply in soft strokes or circles to the apple of your cheek (unless you’re going for the 80s punk rocker look---then by all means streak it thickly across your cheekbone).

11. Lip liner will help your lipstick last longer and will keep it from spreading outside of your lips.

12. Pale lipsticks (like frosty pinks) make most people’s lips disappear! If you want to wear pale pink, use this color for eyeshadow; wear a lipstick that is at least as dark as your lips’ natural color.

13. Adding a little gloss to just your lower lip will help your lips look pouty and “ bee-stung”.

14. The way to look tanned and glowy is not to use a foundation that is darker than your natural color, nor should you apply a heavy bronzer all over your face. Instead, use eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick in bronze and golden brown tones. You can also use a little bronzer (gently brush over cheekbones), but use it subtly and blend. You don’t want a makeup line at your jaw.

15. Rather than applying more powder during the day, which can end up getting cakey, use oil-absorbing blotter sheets. You can buy these in any drugstore.

Follow these tips, and you’ll be a pro yourself in no time. Oh, and one final tip that makeup artists swear by: practice, practice, practice!