1. Create a canvas

Before you agonize over shimmer versus matte, a defined lip or a heavily lined eye, you need to prep your skin. But blending perfect foundation can take too much time and overwhelm an easy daytime look. Instead, skip foundation and follow these tips:

• Apply concealer anywhere that appears dark or red, makeup artist Brigitte Reiss-Andersen tells Martha Stewart Weddings. This usually includes applying concealer sparingly under eyes and around the nose. Cover up blemishes, too.
• To mix the perfect match for your skin, use Philosophy Supernatural Concealer, which offers three shades.
• Got oily skin? Dust on a little loose powder to cut shine.
• Even out skin tone with Philosophy Supernatural Air-Brushed Canvas for an airbrushed, natural finish.

2. Keep it simple

The easiest way to define your key features with little makeup is to use a natural blush, a coat of mascara and some lip color.

Cheeks

• Choose a natural pink or peach shade that complements your skin tone in a gel or cream formula.
• Apply color to the apples of the cheeks with your fingers, creating a just-pinched flush. Brush in a circular motion, blending towards the temples, suggests Real Simple.

Eyes

• When enhancing your eyes, the most important step comes before you set the mascara wand to your lashes — curling.
• After a few seconds with the eyelash curler, wiggle your mascara brush horizontally to coat upper lashes from root to tip.

Lips

• For a pretty daytime pout, try a natural gloss like Yonka Color SPF 10 Lip Balm, which provides a sheer tint along with sun protection. You don’t need a lip brush, so you can easily reapply throughout the day.
• If you want more color, iVillage suggests selecting the shade based on your skin tone:
  • Darker skin tones: a number of shades, ranging from the deepest reds to the lightest pastels.
  • Medium skin tones: shades with brown undertones, including mauves, most reds and berry tones.
  • Lighter skin tones: choose pinks and peaches and stick to sheer lipstick or gloss to keep the look from getting heavy.
• Want to experiment with the latest lip trends? This fall season is all about extremes, writes beauty guru Bobbie Thomas for MSNBC. Runways featured both black-red hues and pale, barely-there pouts.

3. Add eye-catching drama

• If you have a few extra moments, define eyes with a liner. Choose brown and smoky grays, which look natural on most skin types. How to line? Real Simple suggests:
  • Pull your lid taut, so you can easily trace your lid line.
  • Start drawing pencil liner two-thirds into the corner of the eye.
  • Keep the line as close as possible to your lid for the most natural look.
  • For a smokier, sultry eye, line the entire lid and smudge with a cotton swab. Smoky eyes aren’t about precise lines, so you can still achieve this look quickly.

See also:

Makeup for Dry Skin

Is Your Makeup Aging You?

Makeover Your Beauty Routine