What you need
- Lip + Cheek in a warm red or rose: the color that does most of the work.
- Contour, one or two shades deeper than your skin.
- A light Highlight, one shade lighter than your skin.
- Your base Highlight, only if you want it.
Not sure which shades are yours? The quiz picks all four for your skin level in about two minutes.
Step by step
- Color. Swipe a short stripe of Lip + Cheek on the top of each cheekbone and blend it up and out with your fingertips. Tap what is left on your fingertip onto your lips.
- Shape. Draw a thin stripe of Contour just under the cheekbone and blend it upward so it melts into the color.
- Light. A small swipe of your light Highlight on top of the cheekbone and down the bridge of your nose.
- Base, if at all. Only where you want evening out, usually around the nose and chin. Everywhere else, let your skin show.
Why color goes first
Most of what makes a face look tired is losing color, not uneven skin. When the color goes on first, you find you need far less of everything else, and your skin still looks like skin.
Make it yours
Going out at night? Use a deeper red and layer it a second time. Lazy morning? Skip the Contour and just do color and light.