4 Easy Ways to Highlight Your Natural Beauty

Photo: Sergio Kurhajec

Fab Freckles

Gladys Torres
Actress, 25

"I was raised in Puerto Rico, where a full face of freckles like mine isn't common. I'd sometimes cover my face with heavy makeup to hide them. I never felt very attractive."

How She Learned to Love Her Look
Five years ago, Gladys moved to New York City. "Here, everyone is different," she says. "It allowed me to appreciate the particular kind of different I am."

Making the Most of It
Gladys should play up those freckles. "Because they're common in kids, freckles signify youth," says Chicago plastic surgeon Steven Dayan, MD. "Usually freckles are combined with a genuine flush, also common when we're young. So the overall effect is a bright, attractive vitality."

Easy Enhancement: Blush

Dress, Banana Republic, $178. Necklace, Maro Bicego.

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook/Studio D

Get Gladys's Look

Since Sonia didn't want to mask Gladys's freckles, she just smoothed on tinted moisturizer (try Algenist Repairing Tint & Radiance Moisturizer SPF 30). She then gave Gladys a smoky eye using brown and black shadows (we like Tory Burch Pas du Tout Eye Shadow Palette), creating another point of contrast. Sonia used a peachy pink powder blush with a rose gold undertone (Sonia Kashuk Sahara Sunset Highlighter in Arabian Dreams is a good one) and, to keep the focus on the eyes, a spicy nude lipstick (such as Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss in Nude-Light/Medium).

Photo: Sergio Kurhajec

Silver Foxiness

Joan Zingarelli
Freelance consultant, 54

"I was worried that going gray would age me. Sometimes I still wonder whether I'd be treated differently as a brunette."

How She Learned to Love Her Look
About 11 years ago, after missing three salon appointments, Joan noticed "an interesting white patch" in her hair. So she got a new shorter style that accented the gray and asked her friends, "Doesn't this look great?" "Inside, I was still coming to terms with it," Joan says. "But I don't want to be a slave to dyeing."

Making the Most of It
With gray hair, you probably need a little extra effort like a gloss or highlights, since the lack of contrast between your hair and skin can make you look washed out. "Gorgeous silver hair can be very distinctive," says makeup artist Sonia Kashuk, founder of Sonia Kashuk Beauty. "So own it by combining it with vibrant makeup. Just a bold lipstick or a touch of blush is enough to give you a stunning look."

Easy Enhancement: Bright lipstick

Top, NYDJ, $88. Earrings, Efva Attling.

Photo: Sergio Kurhajec

Get Joan's Look

Joan's gray had developed a yellow tinge, so colorist Rick Wellman of New York City's Sahag Workshop suggested a shampoo and conditioner with a slight purple or blue pigment, such as Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Shampoo and Conditioner. ("Purple neutralizes brassiness," Rick says.) He also recommended a chic cut with a distinctive shape "because gray hair can easily look unkempt." And consider a glaze with a hint of violet, which will counteract any yellow and add shine.

Sonia opted for a wash of pale pink on Joan's lids (we like Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye Color in Mousseline) and a touch of petal pink blush (try Nars Dual-Intensity Blush in Adoration). To highlight Joan's beautiful mouth, Sonia chose her Sonia Kashuk Lustrous Shine Lip Crayon in Orchid. "It's bright, but not severe," she says.

Photo: Sergio Kurhajec

Brow Wow!

Tchesmeni Leonard
Freelance stylist, 25

"In middle school, it was cool to have superthin eyebrows—so I tweezed my bushy ones until they looked like little axes."

How She Learned to Love Her Look
Tchesmeni just needed to see someone rocking full brows. "After I noticed J. Lo's, I immediately started growing in mine," she says.

Making the Most of It
Even naturally bold brows need a little care. "We're often reluctant to play up strong features," says Sonia. "But Tchesmeni's more prominent brows create a perfect frame for her gorgeous eyes."

Easy Enhancement: Brow cream

Sweater, Banana Republic, $79. Earrings, Robert Lee Morris Collection.

Photo: Jeffrey Westbrook/Studio D

Get Tchesmeni's Look

Surprisingly, Sonia didn't even pick up her tweezers. "Leaving the hairs underneath the arch makes Tchesmeni's brows look more natural," she says. "Plucking them into a defined line would seem too harsh." Instead, she filled in sparse areas with a brown brow cream from her Sonia Kashuk Arch Alert Brow Kit. "In general, go for one shade lighter than your haircolor," Sonia says. Afterward, she combed them with a spoolie brush, then used clear brow gel (we like Rimmel London Brow This Way in Clear). She kept things light with a touch of champagne shadow (YSL Couture Mono Eyeshadow in Toile is good) on the inner corners of Tchesmeni's eyes, along with several coats of black mascara (we like Benefit Roller Lash). After dusting a peachy blush on the apples of Tchesmeni's cheeks (try Mary Kay Mineral Cheek Color in Shy Blush), Sonia dabbed a little highlighter along her cheekbones (Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight is a good one). The final step: a coat of pink lip gloss (get Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquer in Hey You).

Photo: Sergio Kurhajec

Noble Nose

Jeanette Bronée
Health coach, 52

"Growing up, I never felt as beautiful as other girls because I had a big nose. I worked on developing my personality because I thought, 'At least I'll have character.'"

How She Learned to Love Her Look
A nose job was always in the back of Jeanette's mind, but fortunately, that's where it stayed. "In the '90s, I was studying feng shui, which teaches that a big nose is a sign of good health," she says. "So I decided to be proud of mine."

Making the Most of It
Jeanette has mesmerizing eyes and glowing skin, but she wasn't drawing attention to them because she thought her nose made her face look too masculine for makeup.

Easy Enhancement: Eyeliner

Top, Phase Eight, $160. Necklace, Jill Golden.

Photo: Sergio Kurhajec

Get Jeanette's Look

Sonia wanted to bring out Jeanette's best features. "Defining the lashline puts the focus on Jeanette's eyes," Sonia says, "and nude, natural makeup colors accentuate her warm olive skin." Emphasizing Jeanette's eyes also helped balance her prominent nose. Sonia traced Jeanette's lashlines with black pencil (try Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil in Onyx) and swept soft brown shadow (we like Maybelline New York Eye Studio Color Fusion Molten Cream Eyeshadow in Taupe Craze) across her lids. Then she dabbed a rosy cream blush (like BareMinerals Pop of Passion Blush Balm in Natural Passion) on the apples of Jeanette's cheeks and used a sparkling nude gloss (try Dior Addict Gloss in Fastes).