Having a fresh, glowing appearance is a plus of a natural make-up look – one that really makes you look as if you’re wearing no make-up. If youth is not necessarily on your side, you can enhance your appearance and give yourself a natural finish. It takes a little effort until you get the hang of it, but then it’s really quite simple.

Here are a few hacks for getting a natural makeup look.

First things first: Prep your skin.

Before you put anything on your face, eyes or lips, begin by washing and exfoliating your skin to create a clean, blank canvas. Follow by slathering on a good moisturizer that contains SPF (sun protection factor). Your final prep step is to even out your skin tone. This will help minimize any acne, sun damage or dark spots you may have. There are many over-the-counter products that contain retinol, hyaluronic acid and/or vitamins are designed to help.

Cover the problem: Apply concealer.

A little concealer is fine, and it can actually really help. However, you don’t want to go crazy with it, or it will look cakey. You could also end up with raccoon eyes and not the softer finish you are going for. A pigment-rich concealer may be best – especially for camouflaging dark under-eye circles. Some make-up artists swear by using two or more different concealers so that you can get more of a customized look. Keep in mind that not all imperfections can be corrected with one product.

Create the base: Add some foundation.

Before you apply foundation or tinted moisturizer, fluff on some oil-absorbing powder to mask shine. If not, grab a foundation brush or sponge and gently apply foundation. You might want to add a drop or two of moisturizer. Do use a very light touch and blend carefully. What you don’t want to do is use a heavy or thick foundation because that will not give a natural finish.

Get cheeky with it: Buff your blush.

To achieve a natural make-up look, go with a cream blush in peach or pink – a warm shade – that gives you a light facial glow. Less is more when it comes to blush, so use a foundation brush to tone it down. You just want it to highlight your cheeks and not overpower them. The same is true if you want to use a bronzer. Gently brush it on the outside edges of your face and under the cheekbones. Remember that bronzer is supposed to just add a little glow rather than serve as a fake tan.

Define your eyes: Enhance their beauty.

If you really don’t want to do much to your eyes, concentrate on your lashes. Use mascara for a naturally defined lashes look, but don’t overdo it. Look for a brand that lengthens and separates your lashes to avoid clumps. If you want more definition, grab an eye pencil and just dot in between lashes; don’t draw lines around your eyes. With eyeshadow, choose a neutral color that’s just a little darker than your skin color. Brush it into the creases and along your lower lash line. If you want to brighten your eyes more, use a lighter color for the center of the lids, under the brows and on the inside corners. For a natural eyebrow look, apply brow cream or gel sparingly and use it only to fill in sparse spots.

Plump your lips: Pat on the color.

Choose a nude lipstick shade (light peach, pink or sand) or tinted gloss for a natural look. Instead of applying lipstick from the tube, use your fingertip or a lipstick brush to somewhat diffuse the color. Then buff it by using a make-up brush to lightly circle your lips. For the most natural look of all, just gently exfoliate your lips and add some lip balm.

Do you enjoy using make-up and keeping up with current trends? Consider a career in cosmetology. Florida Academy offers beauty and wellness programs that will teach you about hairstyling, cutting and coloring; nails; skin care; and make-up. Florida Academy is among a select group of learning institutions to partner with Make-up Designory (MUD) schools, offering additional specialty make-up courses such as airbrush, bridal make-up and high fashion make-up trends.

Call Florida Academy today and prepare for a career with a great future. According to O*Net OnLine, the demand for cosmetologists is projected to grow by 16% in Florida alone between 2014 and 2024!