Two of the first mistakes you might be making happens before you even put your makeup on. Always, always start with your best face possible, which means two things:

First and foremost, get periodic facials – monthly if you can swing it. With our February special, our Facial on the Go is buy one get one FREE!! Good through 2/28/15. Call today to schedule at either of our two locations! Regular facials keep your complexion in it’s optimum shape, and thus a beautiful blank canvas for any makeup you choose.

Secondly, always use a thin layer of primer on your skin. Not only does this keep your makeup from wearing off, it also fills in any fine lines your foundation may settle into and emphasize lines and wrinkles.

Trying to hide dark circles can backfire. The natural tendency is to use a too-light concealer which makes your makeup look caked on and even creates the illusion of under-eye bags. Instead, try applying a pink-toned concealer before you put on foundation.

Choosing the wrong foundation shade is also an easy area to blunder. If you test colors on your wrist while standing in the drugstore aisle, you’re doing it all wrong. Test a swatch on a clean face and make sure to look at it in natural light to determine the best option for you.

A stroke of eyeliner can transform the entire look of your eye, both shape and size. That means if done incorrectly, it can make your eyes look small and tired. A thick, black eyeliner on the lower waterline weighs down the eye and may end up making you look like a raccoon. For day, try replacing your black pencil with a nude one so that eyes pop and look wide-awake.

Back in the day, blush shades were bright and sparkly. File that under things better left in the past. Cool colors and bright pinks look costumey and unnatural. Get a youthful, healthy flush by applying a warm-toned blush on the apples of your cheeks and blending it out toward the temples.

We are constantly on the go and rarely take the extra few seconds necessary to make our makeup look flawless. Case in point: applying lipstick without lining the mouth first. Skipping a lip liner can make your pout look straight and lifeless and can allow lipstick to feather at the edges. Make sure to get a crisp look by lining all the way around the lips, emphasizing the Cupid’s bow. On the other hand, a liner shouldn’t LOOK like a liner. The color should be one that blends in nicely with your lip color, and doesn’t stand out on its own.

Health and Style Institute offers makeup application, starting at only $9.00. Come see us, we’ll show you how to implement these tips for your most flawless you!