How to Get A Sophisticated Glow

Photo: Ondrea Barbe

You can spend ages trying to find a foundation that perfectly matches your skin tone—or you can acknowledge that there are only so many shades out there and blend your own. It’s what our makeup artist did here, mixing two shades of a full-coverage foundation stick to give Crystal an even canvas on which to build her beauty look. Below, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to the sophisticated makeup pictured above

1. Many women have darker skin on their chin and forehead—it’s where the sun hits—so don’t be afraid to use a few different shades of foundation. Make sure your formula has the right undertones. Crystal’s skin has warm yellow undertones, so she’s wearing a foundation stick with amber tones, like Kevyn Aucoin’s Radiant Reflection Foundation ($36).

2. Set the foundation with a correcting powder in the same exact shade as your skin. Too many women mistakenly use a lighter powder, which leaves them looking ashy.

3. Try using bronzer, like Nyx Powder Bronzer ($9), instead of blush. It lends a natural flush to darker skin. 

4. Fill in your brows with a shadow that matches your natural hair color.

5. Use a banana colored shadow, like Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow ($21), or a highlighting pen like M.A.C.’s Prep + Prime Highlighter ($26), underneath the brow bone, and an espresso-colored shadow on the lid.

6. Our artist layered clear lip gloss over a deep burgundy lipstick to highlight Crystal’s naturally deep lips. Try Lipstick Queen Lipstick ($22) in Sinner or Revlon’s Color Burst Stain ($8) in Crush, with Dior Addict Lip Polish ($33) on top for lacquered shine.