The right foundation balances your skin tone and makes your face come alive. The wrong foundation...well, we all know how unnatural a foundation that's too light or too dark can look.
To find the right foundation for your skin color, makeup expert Vincent Longo recommends this method: First test the base or foundation color by applying a thin line of color to the jaw line. This will allow you to compare color to the skin on the face as well as the neck to avoid any obvious differences. The color should blend perfectly with your skin tone.

As the seasons change, it's a good idea to adjust the color and texture of your foundation accordingly. While your sunscreen will protect your skin from changes in pigmentation, variations in climate may make a new formulation more comfortable. Summer foundations tend to have a sheer texture and are often deeper in tone, while a lighter shade with more complete coverage is often preferred in winter months.

We put this one to renowned makeup artist Vincent Longo, who told us the key to a good cover-up is choosing the right color. First, choose a concealer base that matches your skin tone. Avoid using a color lighter than your skin tone because it will only draw more attention to the problem area. Once you have the right color, apply the concealer by dabbing just a little of the product onto the center of the pimple, then blending it outwards towards the edges and into the skin.

They say the eyes are the windows of the soul. The undereye area reflects both your lifestyle and heredity.

If your circles come and go, they are likely a product of your environment and lifestyle - too much alcohol or too little sleep are common culprits. The good news is that often cremes and gels infused with vitamins and botanicals can help to soothe and diminish temporary darkness. Hereditary circles, on the other hand, are more challenging. Many new products claim to banish hereditary darkness, but consumer feedback is varied and the medical community is not promoting a particular ingredient yet.

According to Dr. Kathy Fields, vitamin K is currently being studied and may prove to be of benefit.

Until then, ladies, concealer may be your best friend (aside from mascara, that is)!

Cleopatra wouldn't go without eyeliner and neither should you! Modern technology has afforded us products that can literally wear for days without a smudge! (of course, we recommend you take your makeup off each evening).
Start with a shadow base like BeneFit F.Y. Eye to keep shadows and liners in place. Then choose a water resistant eyeliner like Sephora Artist Waterproof Liquid Liner or Bourjois Liquid Eye Liner.

If you prefer a softer, more subtle look, mix your favorite eye shadow with Paula Dorf Transformer. This solution instantly turns eye shadow into liquid liner. Just place a few drops into an eye shadow cover, dab a brush into the liquid, glide it along outer edge of the shadow, and then apply the mixture to the lash line.

Rich eye creams contain oils that break-down makeup, so switch to under eye gels like DDF Soothing Eye Gel when you wear makeup and only use eye creams at night.

And remember-any product will stay put if you top it with BeneFit SheLaq, a makeup sealant. Just brush this product over eyeliner, lipstick and brows to laminate the look.

"I am not a big fan of blush," says Fran?ois Nars. "Women wear too much blush. All of my shades are soft and have natural undertones." He recommends wearing blush on the apple of the cheeks for soft, healthy color. "Choose muted tones with a tiny bit of pink because those are the most natural tones," he suggests. Be careful not to overdo color.

Start with clean skin, and apply your moisturizer and liquid foundation - but hold off on your powder - that's the last step.

Apply the stain to the apple of one cheek and blend it out to your cheekbone, then repeat on the other side. You can use a sponge to blend a liquid stain, or try Lorac's Sheer Wash - it's a gel that comes in an easy roll-on applicator that looks like a mini deodorant. Just swipe the color across your cheeks and use your fingers to blend it onto your cheekbones. Remember to blend quickly - before the stain dries - or you'll end up with clown-like spots of color instead of a pretty, sheer flush. Don't panic if this happens on your first try, just dab a small amount of moisturizer or foundation in the center of the spot and blend in a circular motion to dilute and evenly distribute the stain.

The wind and cold of autumn and winter can cause major dryness for skin - especially for lips.
You can prevent chapping by applying lipsticks and lip balms for protection; however, if your lips are already damaged, you need treatments that will penetrate and heal.

First, you need to remove dry, dead skin. Then focus on treating and protecting the delicate lip area. English Ideas Lip Refine is an evening AHA cream that is specially formulated to smooth the texture of the lips (works on those wrinkles above the lipline too). Alchemy Lip Treatment Scrub is another great product to try. Now that your lips feel smoother, treat them with a wax-free moisturizer. English Ideas Lip Solution is a very soothing gel that primes your lips for lipstick. Alchemy Emergency Mouth Treatment is a great lip cream that comes in a handy squeeze tube. Also, try a lip stain by Philosophy or Benetint by BeneFit.

From bright bursts and ladylike washes to intense and sultry jewel tones, color was represented on all the spring runways and has been seen on the most famous faces.
"My spring collection is about celebration," says Lorac creator Carol Shaw. "The colors lift the spirits and incorporate textures that are foolproof, ageless and easily applied."

To avoid feeling overwhelmed, keep it simple. Test-drive each trend to see which one works for you and embrace it.

Start by selecting the tones that complement your skin. Go as bright as you dare - choosing the look that suits your personality - and experiment.

Pops of vibrant color on the eyes, lips, and cheeks is the look for the brave at heart, while color-phobes should stick to modern washes in tropical tones infused with shimmer to dazzle.

Indulge the vixen in you by lining with a deep shade and chase it with a vampy jewel-toned shadow.

Go for shimmery body creams infused with ultra-fine shimmer dust to give face and body a subtle, sensuous sheen. You can try Bourjois Ultra Metal Cream in Or. Avoid powders and gels with large pieces of chunky glitter-anything larger than a grain of sand- will end up making you look a little too glitzy and showgirl-esque.
Remember that less is more when it comes to the face - or you will risk looking more greasy than sexy-shimmery.

To get the look you're after:

Blend highlighter along the top of cheekbones, under eyebrows, and across forehead. Try Sephora Artist Pearl Cream in Gold. The effect you're going for is luminous and glowy.

Finally, if you're dashing from the office to a party, follow celebrity makeup artist Carol Shaw's advice: Keep a shimmery gold lipstick, like Lorac Lipstick in Goldie, in your desk. It's a great daytime lip color that does double duty as a highlighter at night. Follow the same application process for your face, and blend a touch of "Goldie'" across collarbones and on top of your shoulders, too.