The secret to getting illuminated skin

Sparkles, shimmer, glitter: the usual makeup suspects for a night out on the town. They can certainly add a lot of glamour to an evening look; however, these showy cosmetics are no shortcut to healthy and naturally illuminated skin. When makeup can be seen , it’s time to reevaluate your beauty routine and take a simpler approach.

Always exfoliate

A good place to start is by exfoliating your face two or three times a week to expose the freshest, newest layer of skin cells. This maximizes hydration absorption, instantly attracting surrounding light and making it bounce off your now-smoother complexion.

Conceal like a celeb

As a celebrity makeup artist, I often get asked how to use concealer like starlets do, who, of course, always look flawless. Truthfully, evenness of skin tone is priority number one. Nothing makes someone look fresher and more uplifted than spot-free, blemish-free, even-toned skin. My favorite products are hybrids that combine both skin care and makeup benefits, especially since cutting down the number of layers helps to avoid makeup meltdowns. I love using a treatment concealer like Veil Cosmetics Illuminating Complexion Fix . Not only can you immediately target areas of concern, like dark circles, dark spots, blemishes and skin dullness, but you are also contributing to the prevention of these skin flaws in the long run.

Go oil-free

Look for time-saving, oil-free, illuminating or brightening treatment concealers that grant hydration and that are non-irritating, while offering weightless, buildable coverage for both face and eyes. Always avoid wax- or cream-based textures, and look for more refined self-setting concealers. This means that a beautiful satin finish can be obtained without having to resort to face powder, which ultimately ends up looking cakey and emphasizing fine lines.

Know your skin's undertones

My last tip addresses skin’s undertones and choosing a shade that will seamlessly blend with your complexion. Gone are the days when one had to apply foundation all over the face -- you can spot-treat imperfections, conceal only under the eyes, etc. Great-looking skin appears untouched. Once you’ve perfectly veiled areas of concern, watch the magic happen!

From now on, whenever you want to achieve beautiful, even and illuminated skin, say goodbye to glitzy tricks or heavy foundations, and step out in broad daylight as if your skin was light-infused. As I always say: Makeup is a mask, beauty -- a veil.

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