woman wearing bold eye makeup

Photo: Fernando Milani

The Focus: Smoky, Seductive Eyes

The Pro's Secrets

1. Apply an eyeshadow primer that closely matches the color of your lids; a very thin layer is enough to keep the shadow from creasing, fading, or smudging—and won't make the color look cakey.

2. Use a brush to blend a shimmery lavender eyeshadow from your upper lashline to just above the crease of your lid. With a liner brush, trace the same shade below your bottom lashes. (Although the purple you see here flatters every skin tone, if you're pale—and a little color-shy—you can try a lighter shade.)

3. Apply two coats of mascara. A volumizing formula will add the length and thickness you need to match the dramatic effect of the colorful shadow.

Complete the Look
Blend a raspberry blush on the apples of your cheeks—make sure it's matte (shimmer on your eyes and face is too much of a good thing). A bronze lipstick is a perfect complement to bold, color-saturated eye makeup.

eye makeup kit

Photo: Fernando Milani

For Smoky, Seductive Eyes, Use...

Clockwise from bottom right:

Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Lashes Mascara ($25; Lancome-USA.com)

Estée Lauder Pure Color Liquid Eyeliner in Black Quartz ($21; EsteeLauder.com)

Yves Saint Laurent Ombre 5 Lumières in Midnight Garden ($56; YSLBeautyUS.com)

Complete the look with:
Guerlain Lingerie de Peau Foundation & Concealer Compact ($70; NeimanMarcus.com)

L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Le Gloss in Nude Illusion ($8; drugstores)

eyeshadow shades

Photo: Fernando Milani

Shimmery, Eye-Opening Shadows

CoverGirl Intense ShadowBlast Eye Color in Extreme Green ($7.50; drugstores)

Mally Beauty Evercolor Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow in Brown ($26; QVC.com)

Revlon Luxurious Color Diamond Lust Eye Shadow in Plum Galaxy ($5; drugstores)

Victoria's Secret Shimmer Fierce Liquid Shadow in Vapor ($10; VictoriasSecret.com)

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Amethyst ($24; LauraMercier.com)

Shiseido Makeup Shimmering Cream Eye Color in Techno Gold ($25; Barneys.com)

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Epatant ($36; Chanel.com)

woman wearing red lipstick

Photo: Fernando Milani

The Focus: Striking, Bold Lips

The Pro's Secrets

1. Choose a color a couple of shades brighter than your natural lip tone. As a rule, raspberry shades complement a fair complexion, true red flatters olive skin, and burgundies work beautifully against dark complexions.

2. Dab on the lipstick straight from the tube, but confine the color to the center of your lips. Then use your finger to blend the color out to the corners of your mouth. (Wedded to wearing gloss? Use the wand to apply a thin layer, concentrating the color on the middle of your mouth.)

3. Blot away excess color with a tissue so it becomes more subtle—and stays put. (If you're going with a gloss, don't blot, but do blend concealer around your lips first to prevent smudging.)

Complete the Look
Keep eye makeup minimal: Blend an earth-tone eyeshadow over your lids and apply one coat of lengthening mascara.

lipcolor makup kit

Photo: Fernando Milani

For Striking, Bold Lips, Use...

Clockwise from top right:

1. Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss in Underexposed ($18; Smashbox.com)

Complete the look with:

2. Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus All-Smooth Makeup SPF 15 ($33; Clinique.com)

3. Nuance Salma Hayek Flawless Mineral Cheek Trio in Apricot ($13; CVS.com)

4. BareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow 2.0 in The Enlightenment ($20; BareEscentuals.com)

5. CoverGirl NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara in Black ($9; drugstores)

lipstick shades

Photo: Fernando Milani

Richly Pigmented Lipcolors

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Perle in Mysterious Red ($34; YSLBeautyUS.com)

Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Tarnish in Busted ($18; Sephora.com)

Estée Lauder Pure Color Sensuous Rouge LipColor in Rose Exposed ($28; EsteeLauder.com)

Dior Sérum de Rouge in Sweet Pink Crystal ($34; Dior.com)

Chanel Rouge Coco in Etole ($32; Chanel.com)

Rimmel London Stay Glossy 6-Hour Lip Gloss in Yours Forever ($5; drugstores)

woman with glowing skin

Photo: Fernando Milani

The Focus: Gorgeous, Glowy Skin

The Pro's Secrets

1. You probably already use concealer to minimize blemishes, dark spots, and undereye circles, but it's worth taking the time to use a fine-pointed brush for precise application. And don't forget the inner corners of your eyes, where most of us have shadows.

2. One foundation does not fit all. Powder formulas give a natural finish and are easy to touch up. They're fairly sheer, though, so if you need more coverage, or have fine lines around your eyes and lips (which powder can accentuate), try a liquid instead.

3. For the your best skin, only better effect, apply foundation with a brush or latex sponge, blending back and forth (not just in one direction).

4. After you swirl a soft pink blush on the apples of your cheeks (blending it up a little toward your ears), lightly brush a honey brown highlighter just under the blush to give definition to your cheekbones.

Complete the Look
Trace a gray eyeliner (it's more low-key than black and flatters every skin tone) along your upper lashline, and dab a pink- or red-tinted balm on your lips.

skin makeup kit

Photo: Fernando Milani

For Gorgeous, Glowy Skin, Use...

From left:

Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer ($10; drugstores)

Stila Custom Color Blush in Self-Adjusting Coral ($20; StilaCosmetics.com)

Avon Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Liquid Foundation ($11; Avon.com)

Complete the look:

4. L'Oréal Paris Voluminous False Fiber Lashes ($10; drugstores)

5. Fresh Sugar Passion Tinted Lip Treatment SPF15 ($23; Fresh.com)
foundation and blush shades

Photo: Fernando Milani

Complexion Perfectors

Dior DiorBlush in Vintage Pink ($42; Dior.com)

Clarins Everlasting Foundation Compact SPF 15 ($35; US.Clarins.com)

Sephora Collection Colorful Blush in Raspberry Sheen ($13; Sephora.com)

Rimmel London Match Perfection Concealer ($6; drugstores)

Dolce & Gabbana Luminous Cheek Colour in Mocha ($44; Saks.com)

Smashbox Blush Rush in Silhouette ($24; Smashbox.com)

Clé de Peau Beauté Silky Cream Foundation SPF 23 ($120; NeimanMarcus.com)

Next: Check out fall's most fabulous nail polishes