Why Wear Makeup?

You Don't Need Makeup to be beautiful. We all know gorgeous women who never touch the stuff, as well as less attractive women who are never seen without a full face of paint. Makeup helps those of us who wish our cheekbones were higher, our skin more evenly toned, or our jaws more prominent. Makeup is also a way to celebrate those features we love and want to draw attention to, such as almond-shaped eyes or a rosebud mouth. And lastly, makeup is fun - or should be. From an unusual shade of eyeliner and long, flirty eyelashes, to a brighter-than-usual lipstick and a bit of sparkle across the cheekbones ­makeup is the grown-up equivalent of playing dress-up.

Complexion Perfecters

I have been on photo shoots where the makeup artist spent most of his or her time working on a model's skin. At first, this didn't make sense to me: Why not devote more energy to features like the eyes or mouth? Then a makeup artist explained to me that skin is the foundation of the complete look. If skin looks flawed, no one will look past it to see the eyes or mouth: That made sense. After that, I made more effort with foundation, coverup, and powder, I also started looking more closely at my skin-care regimen - after all, makeup can help hide skin glitches, but it can never be a substitute for good skin care.

Considering Foundation

A lot of people are hesitant to wear foundation, or "base" as it's somtimes called, because they're afraid of an unnatural result. Yes, foundation can look like a mask, but only if you choose the wrong product or apply it incorrectly. Take the time to think through a foundation regimen so that you achieve results that suit your skin and your lifestyle.

First, decide how much coverage you need. Sheer foundations - also known as light or natural coverage - provide a see-through wash of color with only enough camouflaging power to hide minor imperfections. Moderate coverage is a good choice for those of us with some discoloration, a few acne scars, maybe some freckles, or broken blood vessels. Heavy coverage foundation offers the heaviest coverage. It is good for covering burns, birthmarks, bruising, melasma, and scars.

It is important to consider your skin type. If you have dry skin you should avoid oil-free and oil-absorbing makeup, which will give your skin a parched, flaky finish. Those of us with oily skin should eschew moisturizing makeups that will make skin look slick and greasy, and normal skin types should stick with a formula for normal skin. Most cosmetic companies make several types of foundations, each geared toward a different skin type. If you are having trouble deciphering foundation formulas, ask a salesperson ­they're paid to help. If you're in a drugstore, look for clues on the product's label or packaging.

Choosing a Product

Don't be afraid to experiment with different products. Most foundations are liquid or cream, but some come in cake form and are applied with a sponge. Another type of foundation is wet-to-dry - you apply it with a damp sponge and it dries to a powdery finish.

Do not use foundation to change your skin color! These products are designed to enhance your complexion, not to alter it.

Be Sure to choose the right shade. Avoid overtly pink, peach, orange, or russet shades, which rarely occur in nature. To create a flawless finish - and to prevent a masklike look - a foundation's color must be matched as closely as humanly possible to the color of your own facial skin.

If you're in a department store or makeup artist's shop, a salesperson can help you find your perfect match. If you're in a drugstore, search for testers and a mirror.

You will achieve a more even finish if you apply foundation correctly. Dot the makeup onto your forehead, nose, and chin, and then blend it down under the eyes, outward to the cheeks, and toward the jaw. This keeps makeup concentrated in the area of the face where most of us have the greatest number of imperfections, and also keeps makeup from building up at the jaw line, where it can look fake. You can use your fingers to do the blending, or you can use a makeup sponge. Just be aware that a sponge absorbs some of the makeup, which means less product on your skin and a sheerer finish than you'd get if you were using your fingers.

Using Concealer

I love concealer. Also called coverup, this highly concentrated product is like a super-coverage foundation. I use it on a bright, broken blood vessel on my nose and on the small dark patches I have on each cheek. Other people pat it under their eyes to lighten up dark circles, or dab it on pimples to mask them. When choosing coverup, look for a product that is a half shade to a shade lighter than your complexion. The most popular concealers come in swivel-up sticks that look like lipsticks, although they are also available in small tubes or pots, or containers with sponge-tip applicators. The thicker the formula, the more concentrated the product, and the better the product's ability to hide skin glitches. Thus, the stick usually has the greatest coverage, followed by the pot, tube, and sponge-tip container respectively.

If you've ever wondered about those color­tinted coverups, here's the scoop: Yellow-tinted shades lighten brownish discoloration and purplish or grayish scars, while green-tinted shades help neutralize redness.

If you've got particularly good skin, you can skip the foundation outright and simply pat a bit of concealer onto areas that you feel could use some help. Alternatively, you can use concealer in conjunction with foundation. Although some makeup artists apply concealer under foundation, I agree with those professionals who use concealer as a finishing touch to cover those things that foundation couldn't. Besides, if you apply concealer after the foundation, this helps prevent concealer from being accidentally wiped away. When applying coverup, use your third or fourth finger, and liberally pat the product onto the area to be covered. You can use a makeup sponge, but the sponge absorbs so much of the product that you're better off with your finger. Whatever you use, remember to pat, not rub, so that you don't accidentally wipe off any makeup.

Powder: Pressed and Loose

Powder is terrific for setting foundation, absorbing oil, and creating a flawless finish. I prefer loose powder because of its natural-looking, slightly see-through finish.

Unlike loose powder, pressed powder contains extra ingredients to bind powder particles together so that they stay pressed in a compact. Unfortunately, these binders can also clog pores and contribute to pressed powder's heavy look. Still, I do keep a compact of pressed powder in my bag for quick touch-ups when I'm out.

Translucent powder is a sheer shade that works well with most fair skins, especially those with a bit of pink. The rest of you, however, should look for a powder in a shade that is not only near your own skin tone, but that contains no unnatural looking pink, peach, orange, or russet tones. One last powder point: Many cosmetic companies make powders with additions, including UV protection, moisturizers, and zit­zapping ingredients - something to consider if your skin has special needs.