How to Choose the Right Makeup Products

Base your foundation on your skin type. Skin can be normal, oily, dry, or mixed.

• Normal skin works well with mostly any type of foundation.
• Oily skin usually does best with powder foundations.
• Dry skin can benefit from tinted moisturizers.
• For mixed skin, liquid, cream, or mousse foundations are usually a safe bet.

Choose your foundation shade. For this you'll need to test product in person. Using tester products, apply a small amount of foundation to the back of your arm, which will usually be a skin shade close to that of your face. Also apply dabs of foundations a shade lighter and darker than the one you think will be your match. Once they've dried, see which shade matches closest to your skin. If you're torn between shades, err to the lighter shade.

Pick your eyeliner. There are a few types of eyeliner you can choose from.

• Pencils are easiest to use and blend well with eyeshadows.
• Powder gives a softer look, and the size and shape of the line is as easy to control as changing your brush.
• If you're looking for a smooth, sharp, or dramatic look (and you have a steady hand) liquid eyeliner could be the right choice.

Decide your eyeshadows. Shadows can be based on eye color or skin shade.

• Brown eyes match well with purples, blues, and metal colors such as copper, silver, and gold.
• For hazel eyes, dark purples, yellows, and greens work well, but not blues.
• For blue eyes, try cool colors, dark browns, or oranges.
• For green eyes, you may find smoky grays and charcoals, plum, violet, beige, or tan to be a good fit.
• When it comes to pale skin, avoiding darker and smokier colors is best; go with light earth tones.
• Vibrant colors are best for darker skin tones, but be sure to avoid ashy and white shades.

Figure out your best blush.

• Pale skin is easily complemented by light pinks and peaches
• Medium skin suggests using rosy pinks and darker peach shades
• For dark skin rose shades and deep oranges are great choices.