Make-up 101

You don't have to spend hours in front of the mirror in the morning applying make-up. Everyone has their own busy schedules, but taking that extra 10-15 minutes will give you the confidence that day to face whatever gets thrown your way. Here I will give you helpful tips to make applying your make-up easy and enjoyable!

1. Foundation/powder

The first step in applying make-up is finding the right foundation to match your skin. If you can't try it, hold it up next to your face to get the best match. An important tip: your skin is going to change with the seasons; so should your foundation. You don't want to be walking around with that fake baked look.

Application:
You are going to want to use a sponge wedge to apply your foundation. This smooth surface strokes it on evenly to get those hard to reach spots. Also, when you wear foundation on your entire face you are going to want to make sure to blend it into the edges of your face and down your neck. If you don't, you are going to appear as if you are wearing a mask and nobody wants that! Just remember: your foundation should be an exact match to your skin; it shouldn't be visible in any way. If so - you have the wrong shade!

Powder:
There are two types of powder you can use: loose and pressed. Lose powder gives you the most coverage. There are two types of tools you can use; a puff which will give your face that matte finish or a brush which will give you a lighter more blended look. Powder can be used to help fight that mid-day oiliness. Also, if you want to go more natural on those casual days without foundation, used a pressed powder to help make your skin look flawless!

2. The Eyes

The first thing you are going to want to do is pick a color of eye shadow that will compliment your eyes. Something you might not know is that you shouldn't match your eye color with the same color eye shadow! They will get lost. Dark eyes look good in grays, blues, purples, and greens. Light eyes look good in brown, taupe, and bronze shades.

Application:
If you are looking for something simple and fast, you are going to want to do something called the "Day" look. Smooth a medium shadow on your lash line up to the crease of your eye. Next blend a deeper shade into the crease and slightly above it. If you are looking for something sultrier, you are going to want something called the "Night" look. First use a dark eye liner pencil to line the eyes close to the lash line. Next apply a light shadow from the base of the lashes to the brow bone. Finish up the look by applying a deeper color in the crease - then blend.

Helpful Tip:
Are you one of those people who have problems with darkness under your eyes? Well I have the solution. If you use a shimmer of pearls, pinks, or white, it will diminish the appearance of darkness around the eyes; just brush it over your lid and into the corners of your eyes.

3. Lashes

This is the easiest of all. You only need an eyelash curler and optional mascara. Take the curler and gently place it at the base of your upper lashes so they fit between the curler pads. Then just simply press down for 5 seconds and repeat to the other eye. If you want, add mascara for that extra pop!

4. Lips

Picking a color:
When it comes to your lips, picking the right color can be challenging. The colors that you like the most might not flatter you. Light pinks and sheer textures are best for warmer weather. Dark wines and plums are best for the winter months.

• Olive skin: light browns and dark brownish reds

• Fair skin: browns, fair pinks, peach and dramatic red

• Dark skin: deep red with blue/purple tones and deep reddish-browns.

Application:
When applying lipstic or gloss, simply open your mouth slightly and say "OH" so that you can reach the entire surface. You can either apply it to your lower lip then smack your lips together to spread it, or apply it to both top and bottom evenly.

For some other good make-up ideas and more advanced tips, go to COVERGIRL.com