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Foundations, Primers, and More
For the prettiest, most presentable makeup look, skip the trends and follow these tips. You're guaranteed to look polished and perfect!

Buy the proper foundation. An off-color base will make every other cosmetic you apply look not quite right. Splurge on foundation at the department store, where you can ask for help in finding the right shade.

Prime your lids. Most women's eyelids are translucent, thereby looking darker or more blue than the rest of the face. This discoloration can change the color of the eye products you wear. Before you apply shadow or liner, prime lids with a special base for lids, or with a light swipe of foundation followed by powder. Not only will this even the tone of your eyelids, it will also make your shadows go on more smoothly and last longer.

Avoid contouring with blush. Sweeping on cheek color in stripes in an effort to create cheekbones only succeeds in making you look dated and like you're trying too hard. For a more classic, attractive look, apply blush to the apples of your cheeks in a circular motion, and avoid swiping the blush out toward your hairline.

Set makeup with loose powder. Loose powder is easier to control and more versatile than its pressed cousin. What's more, it sets every type of cosmetic, from foundation to eye shadow to even lipstick. Pick a loose powder with a yellow undertone to ensure it works with your skin tone, and apply with a fluffy powder brush:

Pluck meticulously. Even if you wear no other makeup, keeping your brows groomed perfectly gives you an instantly polished appearance. So pluck whenever you see a stray hair come in (they appear sneakily). That could mean every day, depending on how quickly your eyebrow hairs grow

More Makeup Tips
Use great brushes. Your makeup application is only as good as the brushes you use, because high-quality brushes allow you to apply and blend better than anything else. At minimum, you need a fluffy powder brush, a flat eye shadow brush, a tapered blush brush, and an eyeliner brush.

Line lips right. Lip liner can enhance a polished makeup look, but it must be imperceptible when you're wearing it. That means you should go for a liner shade that matches your lipstick exactly, or one that is so neutral, it blends into any color you wear. What not to do: Wear a lip liner that's several shades darker than your lipstick. That look is over:

Pick cream lipstick. The most wearable and polished formula for lipstick is a cream: It's long-wearing and gives full color, but has a soft shine and moisturizing properties, too. Avoid heavy matte lipstick and too-shiny glosses.

Find your perfect neutral shadow. The most versatile eye shadow? A neutral color -- with a hint of shimmer if you like that makes your eyes pop. Darker shadows tend to age the eyes and look costumey, not elegant. Some shades that fit: bone, taupe, light heather, and caramel.

Choose colors that work together. Your whole look will appear more subtle and polished if the makeup shades you wear all fall within the same color family. So if you love a cool white shadow, choose a blush and lipstick with a cool, pink undertone. Similarly, if your favorite blush is a warm peach, go for shadow and lipstick with a warm undertone, too