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The makeup you put on your face is every bit as important as the clothes you put on your body. Do you have fashion sense as far as your makeup is concerned? Let us take some time to brush up on some basic makeup tips before you get dressed in your fashion finest and head out the door!

Eye Makeup Know How

Have fun with your eye makeup regardless of the color of your eyes and regardless of whether you decide to use a powder eye shadow, a cream eye shadow or a dusting of glitter for extra pizzazz when you are going out for a night on the town. You can choose to go with one shade of eye shadow or else you can go the dimensional route and blend two different colors of powdered eye shadow or maybe you can use a powdered eye shadow over top of a cream eye shadow. Powder-based eye shadows are best for those with oily or combination skin who tend to have oily eyelids as well. However cream-based eye shadows are better suited for ladies with dry skin. But never be heavy handed with cream-based eye shadows. Cream-based eye shadows usually come in small tubes that can be squeezed out.

When it comes to applying cream-based eye shadow, do so with your finger and gently spread it across the eyelid and extend it up to the brow line if you so desire that look. If you are new at wearing eye shadow and are not sure about what colors are suitable for your eyes, then err on the side of caution by starting out with a neutral shade in the beginning such as a light brown hue or the like until you become more confident with experimenting with other colors. To provide just a hint of subtle color, apply a gentle dusting of tan or bronze or go with a color that is transparent and shimmery.

When it comes to mascara, two coats should be enough to make the eyes stand out. Always give the first coat time to dry before you apply the second coat. This helps to avoid clumping. It is so easy to smudge mascara underneath your eyes or on your eyelids. If this happens then use a Q-tip dipped in eye makeup remover, Vaseline or just a dab of soap and water to promptly remove it. This may make it necessary to touch up your eyeliner and/or eye shadow but this is simply a minor inconvenience.

Eyeliner is a fantastic way to define the eyes and make them stand out. Always remember that a thin, light application on the top and bottom of the eyelids is best for daytime but for nighttime flair go for a more dramatic look by going darker and thicker and maybe even smudge it a bit (just do not overdo it and end up looking like a raccoon).

The best colors for eyeliners to go with any eye color are black and brown but gray, khaki, navy and plum are good choices as well. Most women favor charcoal black and basic brown. Use either an eyeliner pencil or a liquid liner. An eyeliner pencil is best for those with oilier complexions. When applying eyeliner, it is advisable to do so with a gentle hand. What you can do is pull the corner of your eye in an outward direction as this forms a line as straight as possible along your eyelashes. Eyeliner should begin at the inside corner of the eye and should extend towards the outside of the eye. Gently trace the line and make sure to keep the pencil angled in the direction of your eyelashes.

It is smart to place a dab of foundation on your eyelid to start and then dust some loose translucent powder over it to give your eye makeup staying power for the day (or night) ahead. There is no diehard rule about whether eyeliner or eye shadow should be put on first. I personally prefer to draw my eyeliner on first before putting eye shadow on but just for fun, try it both ways and then see which way works best for you. Eye shadow works best to make eyes stand out if you apply it in three tones as in the medium shade (the main shade); the darker shade which contours and the lighter shade, which highlights. Before putting on mascara take the time to use an eyelash curler for that curly wide-eyed look that is so sexy. Next comes the mascara stage. The majority of women look great in brown mascara, black-brown mascara, or simply black.

Foundation Know How

In order to know which foundation is right for your skin, you must first know for sure whether your skin is oily, dry or combination. If you have oily skin then look for foundations that state on the label that they are oil-control or oil-free. On the other hand if you have dry skin, you will need a more moisturizing and creamier type of foundation to suit your skin type. It is more difficult to find foundation for combination skin since it is partly oily and partly dry. Try to decide which your skin is more of and remember that the T zone of the face determines combination skin. Cream-to-powder bases are an excellent choice for combination skin.

Once you know what type of foundation you are looking for as far as consistency goes, you then need to determine which shade is appropriate for your skin. At the makeup counter of a department store or pharmacy choose a few colors that seem complementary to your skin type and then apply a few small dots of each to your jaw line and blend it in carefully with a makeup sponge. The goal of foundation is to even out skin tone and improve imperfections of the skin therefore the best color choice is one that replicates your natural color. Never test foundation on your hand because the skin on your hand is not the exact same shade as the skin on your face. Keep in mind that foundations that are yellow-based are warm shades and those that are pink-based are cool shades. Most women find that their skin looks good when they choose a yellow-based foundation but if you tend to be more on the fair side, opt for a pink-based foundation instead. Always choose a concealer (or cover stick) that is one shade lighter than your foundation for covering up blemishes and flaws in your skin. Foundation always goes on first and concealer is applied second.

Blusher Know How

When it comes to blush (or blusher as it is sometimes referred to) take a careful inventory of the dimensions of your cheeks and use a lighter shade to make your cheekbones stand out as best as they can and then use a darker shade (which is called a contour color) for the bottom part of your cheekbones (or the underside) for a receding look. Plenty of blushers come with two colors in one for this purpose. When it comes to applying blusher, you want to achieve balance from side to side and it is imperative that you blend it well so you do not end up looking like you are wearing Indian war paint! Blush is not meant to be too dark, too obvious or streaky whatsoever. The goal is to make your cheekbones stand out and to enhance your face shape as well as your fine bone structure. If you were blessed with high cheekbones then good for you but realize that there are ways to make your cheeks look even more appealing with the right amount of blush!

It is important to choose the right shade of blush for your skin tone. The four complexion types for all women include fair, medium, olive and dark. Fair skinned women should look for shades in peach or pink that have an undertone of beige-brown. Those women with a medium complexion means that there is an undertone of yellow to the skin and for that reason this complexion type needs to look for a blush in a pink shade (which can range anywhere from pale pink to a more vibrant and brighter pink). Olive skinned women with pink undertones should opt for a peach shade while women who fall under the dark complexion category have the most variety of choices for blush colors and can choose anything from a pink shade to a plum or even a deep burgundy shade.

Lipstick Know How

Lip liner (if you choose to use it) must be applied before lipstick. Always use a neutral lip liner or one that closely matches your lipstick shade. Never use a lip liner that is a darker shade than your lipstick as it will look uneven and if your lipstick fades first, you will be left with an outline around your lips, which it not terribly appealing!

To apply lip liner, begin at the center of your top lip and draw the line to the outer corner of each side of your lips. Always be careful to follow the natural line of your lips. In order to make it easy to sharpen your lip pencil, place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes before using.

Lipsticks come in creme and frost shades and both have their place when it comes to the wardrobe of any woman. In order to help your lipstick last as long as possible, apply a bit of foundation on your lips or a light dusting of face powder before you apply lipstick. Begin to apply lipstick at the center of your upper and lower lips and glide the color smoothly to the corners. Blot the lipstick if need be and then reapply it and carefully blot it again. Make sure it has not pooled in the corners of your lips or has not bled. Lipstick can be applied directly out of the tube or it can be applied with a lip brush. Professional makeup artists often prefer the lip brushes for a smoother and more precise application and it also means less lipstick will be used at once.

How do you know what lipstick shades are suitable for you? Be aware that if your lips are small you should wear light colors and avoid dark, dramatic shades. If your lips are on the big size then you can manage to wear shades that are in the brown, bronze and purple families. Brunette women are best suited to wearing earth toned lipstick shades such as brown tinted reds, cinnamon and terracotta. Redheads also should stick with earth tones for lipstick shades such as peachy shades of brown, warm terracotta and cinnamon. Blonde hair color comes in a variety of different shades and therefore the lipstick choices are different according to the different hair colors. Golden blondes should stick with apricot tinted colors as well as peach and coral shades. Light, cooler blondes look good in cappuccino hues as well as berry colors, mauves and wines. Blonde women with darker more olive skinned complexions should stick with earthy tones for lipstick shades such as browns, terracotta and warm peachy colors.