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Even the hottest A-listers have flaws: not-so-small noses, monster zits, thin lips, you name it. Who makes it all less noticeable? Their makeup artists, of course. The most talented of their kind spill their secrets, so you can fake perfection too.
Bigger, Sexier Eyes
First, reach for liner. Skip black — like an LBD, it narrows your shape — and use a colored one to define your top lash line, says celebrity makeup artist Carmindy. (Blues and greens not your thing? Reach for slate, which looks awesome on everyone.) Now, swipe a shimmery white shadow onto your inner corners in a sideways V shape to catch light, which widens eyes. Finally, make your eyelash curler your BFF. Crimping the top lash line angles hairs so tips are closer to your brows, expanding the entire eye area. Immediately lock in the curve with two coats of lengthening mascara.
Plush, Pillowy Lips
Grab a colorless lip balm with shimmer, and apply it to the skin just above your cupid's bow — the area below your nose and between the peaks of your top lip. Adding light to that area creates the illusion of larger lips, explains Carmindy. Then apply a moisturizing lipstick. Hydrating ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, bind pout-plumping water to your mouth. Make sure it has a high-shine finish; matte versions don't reflect light. Finish with a swipe of the shimmery balm on the center of your bottom lip.
Perfect-Looking Skin
Using a concealer brush, apply cover-up to any pimples, making short, quick motions, like you're spackling. Why a brush? The tapered bristles can get into the crevices of a blemish better than your fingers can, says Mally Roncal, celeb makeup artist in NYC. Be sure your concealer is made with zit-zapping salicylic acid; two separate formulas (zit cream and cover-up) layered won't stick to skin. Set everything in place with a skin-tone matching powder.
Killer Cheekbones
To make round cheeks look more chiseled, you'll need a highlighting powder and a bronzer that's two shades darker than your skin tone. (Get both in a multicolor palette, like the one at left.) Make a fish face, and dust the bronzer on the hollows of your cheeks. Smile, then brush the highlighter from the apples of your cheeks to your temples. "The contrasting tones define and shape cheekbones," says Los Angeles makeup artist Joanna Schlip.
Uniform Brows
If you've tried filling in a brow scar without much luck, check this out. "The skin on a scar is smoother and has fewer pores, so pencils and fine powders just don't adhere," says Carmindy. Tinted waxes or creams are a better-sticking option. Choose one in a shade that matches your brows, and make short, light strokes in the direction of hair growth. Finish by blending color through the entire brow (not just the bald spot) for an even, believable shape.
A Tinier Forehead
Bangs will instantly fill the gap between your brows and hairline. But if you'd rather not make the cut, reach for a matte bronzer (shimmer will spotlight the area's size) and a big powder brush. "Bronzer creates a shadow, helping a too-large area appear smaller," says Schlip. Swirl bristles into the bronzer, and tap off any excess to keep the shade light and natural. Sweep the brush along your hairline from temple to temple several times then in circles to blend.
A Slimmer Nose
Shrink a larger or wider nose with this two-pronged attack: Apply your usual foundation to your nose, then swipe a streak of highlighter down the center of its bridge and back up in a straight line. "The paler color sandwiched between the foundation-coated skin will make the sides of your nose appear darker and slimmer in seconds," says Carmindy. Set with translucent powder, which won't darken the illusion.
Bigger, Sexier Eyes
First, reach for liner. Skip black — like an LBD, it narrows your shape — and use a colored one to define your top lash line, says celebrity makeup artist Carmindy. (Blues and greens not your thing? Reach for slate, which looks awesome on everyone.) Now, swipe a shimmery white shadow onto your inner corners in a sideways V shape to catch light, which widens eyes. Finally, make your eyelash curler your BFF. Crimping the top lash line angles hairs so tips are closer to your brows, expanding the entire eye area. Immediately lock in the curve with two coats of lengthening mascara.
Plush, Pillowy Lips
Grab a colorless lip balm with shimmer, and apply it to the skin just above your cupid's bow — the area below your nose and between the peaks of your top lip. Adding light to that area creates the illusion of larger lips, explains Carmindy. Then apply a moisturizing lipstick. Hydrating ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, bind pout-plumping water to your mouth. Make sure it has a high-shine finish; matte versions don't reflect light. Finish with a swipe of the shimmery balm on the center of your bottom lip.
Perfect-Looking Skin
Using a concealer brush, apply cover-up to any pimples, making short, quick motions, like you're spackling. Why a brush? The tapered bristles can get into the crevices of a blemish better than your fingers can, says Mally Roncal, celeb makeup artist in NYC. Be sure your concealer is made with zit-zapping salicylic acid; two separate formulas (zit cream and cover-up) layered won't stick to skin. Set everything in place with a skin-tone matching powder.
Killer Cheekbones
To make round cheeks look more chiseled, you'll need a highlighting powder and a bronzer that's two shades darker than your skin tone. (Get both in a multicolor palette, like the one at left.) Make a fish face, and dust the bronzer on the hollows of your cheeks. Smile, then brush the highlighter from the apples of your cheeks to your temples. "The contrasting tones define and shape cheekbones," says Los Angeles makeup artist Joanna Schlip.
Uniform Brows
If you've tried filling in a brow scar without much luck, check this out. "The skin on a scar is smoother and has fewer pores, so pencils and fine powders just don't adhere," says Carmindy. Tinted waxes or creams are a better-sticking option. Choose one in a shade that matches your brows, and make short, light strokes in the direction of hair growth. Finish by blending color through the entire brow (not just the bald spot) for an even, believable shape.
A Tinier Forehead
Bangs will instantly fill the gap between your brows and hairline. But if you'd rather not make the cut, reach for a matte bronzer (shimmer will spotlight the area's size) and a big powder brush. "Bronzer creates a shadow, helping a too-large area appear smaller," says Schlip. Swirl bristles into the bronzer, and tap off any excess to keep the shade light and natural. Sweep the brush along your hairline from temple to temple several times then in circles to blend.
A Slimmer Nose
Shrink a larger or wider nose with this two-pronged attack: Apply your usual foundation to your nose, then swipe a streak of highlighter down the center of its bridge and back up in a straight line. "The paler color sandwiched between the foundation-coated skin will make the sides of your nose appear darker and slimmer in seconds," says Carmindy. Set with translucent powder, which won't darken the illusion.
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