Makeup your way to looking fierce (By Whitney Patterson, [email protected])

Want to know how to get that flawless make-up look everyday?

First, you need to find the right shade of powder or liquid foundation. How do you know if you need foundation or powder, you ask? Well, it depends on the type of coverage you are looking for. If you feel that your skin is uneven and you want maximum coverage, you should go with a liquid or cream foundation. If you want to go for more of a natural look, you should go with a powder.

When you are choosing a foundation or powder for the first time, you should consult a make-up artist (the consultants at make-up counters in department stores are your best bet for some help. They do this thing all the time!) to choose the right shade that blends perfectly with your skin tone. There is nothing worse than having two different skin colors on account of bad foundation or powder! M.A.C. cosmetics makes great foundations and powders. Studio Fix is one of its most popular products because it is a mixture of foundation and powder that doesn’t make your skin look heavy or cakey.

If after you apply your base, if you have additional dark spots you should apply a concealer. As a rule of thumb, your concealer should be a little lighter than the color of your base so that the light will reflect off that lighter pigment and mask dark spots. Generally, concealer is applied under the eyes and to any additional dark spots you may have.

The next step is your eyes. This season it is all about slightly sheer shades of eye shadows that compliment one’s skin tone. Beiges, browns, pinks and golds are colors that work with almost every skin color. Good eye shadows to try are Lancôme Color Focus Palette (it comes in a set of four complementary colors) for $38, and M.A.C. eye shadows are a steal at only $13.50 each.

To make your gorgeous eyes stand out even more, you should apply eyeliner. A really hot trend right now is applying white eyeliner to the inside of your lower lid. This makes your eyes “pop” by giving them a baby doll effect, making them look bigger and brighter.

Last but not least, don’t forget mascara! Long, thick lashes are always in style. A great buy is Great Lash by Maybelline for $6.79. Always remember to curl your lashes with an eyelash curler. You can get one of these at any makeup counter or even the local drugstore for under $10. Curling your lashes is like a push-up bra for the eyes – it makes all the difference in the world!

Now for the finishing touches. Apply a little blush, light pink or a darker shade of pink to your cheek bones and the apples of your cheeks to look fresh and fabulous!

For your lips, this season is more about lipstick than super-shiny lip glosses. Four of the hottest lipstick colors this season are sheer scarlet, coral, spring red and pretty pink. When applying don’t blot your lips with a tissue – use the back of your hand to avoid getting any tissue fuzz stuck in your fresh new lip color. Another quick tip is to run a Q-tip around the edges of your mouth after applying lip stick for a more natural look.

With all these great tips, your makeup should look fierce and flawless everyday!

Whitney Patterson is a sophomore CCPA major and can be reached at [email protected].