How to Apply Makeup Like a Professional

Apply makeup like an expert.

Even without any formal training in makeup artistry, you can immediately improve the quality of your makeup application by using certain techniques and products. While there are are an unlimited number of methods that experts use to give makeup a distinctly polished touch, if you put only a few of these into practice, your makeup will look like it was applied by a professional artist.

Things You'll Need

• Moisturizer
• Makeup primer
• Foundation
• Makeup wedge
• Undereye concealer
• Translucent powder
• Brow-grooming kit
• Eye-makeup primer
• Eyeshadow base
• Eyeshadow
• Eyeshadow brushes
• Black creamy pencil
• Eyelash curler
• Waterproof mascara
• Highlighter
• Blush
• Lip color
• Lip liner
• Lip brush

Instructions

1. Always begin by applying an oil-free moisturizer to a clean face, so oils do not interfere with your makeup application. If your face still feels greasy after you have let the moisturizer be absorbed for about a minute or two, press a facial tissue all over your skin to lift away the excess. Squirt a pinch of makeup primer onto the center of your palm and apply this from the center of the face outward. Now you have a smooth base for makeup.

2. Apply a foundation that matches the skin tone on your jawline. The jawline is an ideal area on which to base the color of the foundation, in case your face and neck are naturally different in color. This puts your foundation in between the darkest and lightest colors on your face and neck area. The kind of foundation should also suit your skin type. For instance, dry skin looks better not with a matte finish, but with a dewy sheen. (It's the opposite for oily skin.) Blend the foundation into the skin with a makeup wedge so it appears naturally flawless, and not as though you are wearing a mask, as is the case when there are demarcation lines.

3. Cover dark shadows under the eyes with a creamy, salmon-hued concealer. Using a flesh-tone concealer can be risky, because you might end up with raccoon eyes if the shade you pick is too light. Pat away any lines in your application, and dust translucent powder on the area to keep the concealer from creasing.

4. Do not neglect the eyebrows. Brows frame the eyes and the rest of the face, so enhance their shape by removing the strays under the brow line, as well as in between the brows over the bridge of the nose. Trim any hairs that go past the brow line as well--or at least use a brow gel to hold the hairs in place after applying brow color. Brow color comes in the form of a pencil or powder; choose the shade that matches the brow color, or is slightly lighter if the brows are already relatively dark. Apply the product with soft strokes to mimic tiny hairs and to eliminate the appearance of any sparseness. You may also bring out the shape of the brow instead of simply filling it in. Your options include making the brow rounder or perhaps more angular, such as when you focus on the arches. Keep brows from looking harsh by combing them in place afterward with a spooly brush, which will lift away excess color. Invest in a brow-grooming kit to avail yourself of the tools listed in this step.

5. Smooth on an eye-makeup primer, from your lash line to your brow bone. After it is absorbed, layer an eyeshadow base over it, also from the lash line to the browbone. These two products are crucial for eyeshadow that stays put and appears vibrant. For eyeshadow, if you don't want to experiment with more intricate application methods, you can still look sharp by stippling on a midtone-to-deep shade of eyeshadow from the lash line to slightly past the crease. Use a flat-head eyeshadow brush for precision, using pressing motions throughout, as swiping on the color leads to eyeshadow fallout and sheer (instead of highly pigmented) color. Use a clean, fluffy eyeshadow brush to blend the eyeshadow from the crease upward until just under the browbone for a smoky, fading effect. Buff away any hard edges in your eyeshadow; not blending is one of the most common mistakes makeup novices and amateurs make.

6. Avoid an unstructured eye-makeup look by bringing out the shape of your eyes. You don't have to worry about drawing on a thick line, especially if you have shaky hands. Get a retractable creamy eye pencil in black and work the color into both your top and bottom lash lines. You aren't drawing on a line so much as making your lashes look thicker. There is also a technique common among celebrities called tightlining, where you run the pencil along the rim--or waterline--of your top eyelid for more defined eyes without any evident eyeliner (see Resources for photos). Try this method for sultry eyes with star quality.

7. Curl your eyelashes. This is one of the easiest ways to make your eyes pop. Run a black mascara through both your top and bottom lashes to lengthen and thicken them. Use a waterproof formula to prevent smudging on the undereye area, and make sure to dislodge any clumps in your lashes with the mascara wand. Add more polish to your eyes with a sheer, shimmery highlighter. Dab some on under the arches of your brows to lift them. Blend some on as well in the inner corners of the eyes, by the bridge of the nose, to add light to the area.

8. Choose the most flattering shade of blush and lip color for your complexion. Use a peach-toned blush and lip color if you have warm undertones in your skin, and pink-hued blush and lip color if your skin has cool undertones. You can also simply select a blush and lip color that are a slightly more intense version of the natural color on your cheeks and lips. Apply the blush to the apples of your cheeks, making sure to blend any obvious lines away with the makeup wedge so the color does not seem to be sitting on top of your skin, but appears to be coming from within. On your lips, apply the color--whether it is a lip gloss or a lipstick--to the center of your lips with a lip brush and blend outward. Give your lips subtle definition by running a matching lip liner along your lip line. If you want stronger color, line and fill in your lips prior to layering on the color.

Tips & Warnings

• Exfoliate on a regular basis to keep your skin smooth for makeup application. If you don't already have an eyeshadow base, you can use a nude eyeshadow or a creamy concealer in its place.

• Use your own retractable eye pencil, especially when tightlining. This avoids the spread of bacteria, which could lead to eye infections. If you are a professional makeup artist, sharpen your regular pencils in between each client and sanitize retractable ones by wiping them with alcohol.

Resources

• Photos of a tightlined eye