Makeup enhances our best features and disguises those we hate. Gorgeous eyes stand out with some judiciously applied eyeliner and mascara and lips can be made to appear plumper than they really are with clever makeup.

The Right Tools
Quality makeup brush sets are essential. It is never a good idea to apply foundation, eye shadow and blusher with fingers. You will not achieve a good finish and using your fingers spreads bacteria.

Makeup artists only use quality makeup brushes, but they do need to be looked after properly. Wash your brushes out regularly, preferably with a very mild soap, and leave them to dry naturally. This will help to prevent a build up of dirt and bacteria.

Clever Contouring
Contouring is a clever way of shaping your face in a flattering way. Contouring will give you cheekbones when you have none and make a prominent nose appear narrower. Kim Kardashian is a huge fan of clever contouring. Her makeup artists use a combination of makeup shades to create shadows and highlights.

However, do remember to blend your contour shades in correctly. Nothing looks worse than a clear line between two different shades of foundation.

Concealing Blemishes
Concealer is a staple item in any makeup bag. You can use concealer cream to hide shadows and disguise zits. Concealer often comes in a lipstick tube. For best results, use a concealer brush to cover your blemishes and do not go too overboard with pale concealer around eyes, or it will look odd.

Kissable Lips
To create flawless lips, you must use lip liner. Lip pencils are the best way to accentuate thin lips or correct a wonky lip line. Your lip pencil needs to be super sharp or you will not be able to control it as well. Once you have drawn the perfect line, use a brush to fill in the main color.

Make sure your lip pencil matches the lipstick. Lip contour lines in a much darker shade are a serious makeup fail.

Avoid Raccoon Eyes
Dark, smoky eyes are very sexy, but dark powder often ends up sprinkled all over the upper cheeks, which can leave you looking like a raccoon. To prevent this from happening, dust a heavy layer of face powder below your eyes before you begin applying your smoky eye shadow. When you are done, dust it all away.

Apply Mascara Correctly
Most women apply their mascara from the root to the tip, working from the underside. This is fine, but if you want thick, luscious eyelashes, you need to apply your mascara on the top side of your lashes. Give your lashes two coats and they will appeal thick and full, then apply a third coat underneath as you usually would.

A Sun-Kissed Complexion
Bronzer is an easy way to give your face a sun-kissed look, even in winter, but make sure you apply it to your shoulders and cleavage as well.