Faking It with Makeup

Skin, Lips, and Nose

To mask acne, start with a foundation primer in a tint to mask redness and smooth skin surface, says Douglas. "Use a moderate- to full-coverage concealer, then finish it up with a powder or liquid foundation." Pick a yellow- or subtly green-tinted concealer to help neutralize redness.

To even out a blotchy complexion, use a powder foundation or moderate- to full-coverage foundation. Masking scars requires a full-coverage concealer.

Products we like: Cover Girl Advanced Radiance liquid makeup, $12, and Stila Perfecting Concealer, $20, work wonders to neutralize spot blemishes and provide a perfect matte finish.

First, exfoliate your lips so you have a clean base to work with. Pearl suggests running a toothbrush and a dab of Vaseline over your lips to get rid of dead skin and encourage blood circulation, giving your lips a fuller look. Once you have a clean base to work with, apply specially formulated lip-plumping cosmetics. Many companies manufacture lipsticks and glosses with plumping agents, such as caffeine, dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline (a lipoaminoacid already present in skin), or cinnamon. Basically, all plumpers contain ingredients that mildly irritate your lips, encouraging blood flow and temporarily swelling your mouth into an Angelina Jolie-worthy pucker.

A full mouth can also be faked with traditional lipstick and liner. "The best way to get your lips to look full is by outlining your entire lip with a lip pencil and filling the entire lip in," says Pearl. "Then apply lipstick or gloss, using a light shade right in the middle of the lower lip to really pop out the lip." Not into lip liner? "Use a high-shine gloss or a subtle sparkle shine, which creates a plump look," says Douglas.

Products we like: Avon Beyond Color Plumping Lipcolor, $8, and Beyond Color Plumping Lip Liner, $7, are formulated with retinol and collagen to visibly reduce lip lines and fatten lips. If you're on-the-go, try L'Oreal Volume Perfect Lipcolour, $9.99, a dual-ended stick that has a collagen-infused primer base on one end and a richly colored lipstick on the other. For a glossy look, Freeze 24-7's PlumpLips IceSticks, $24, gives lips a sheer wash of color and contains a vasodilating ingredient that causes the blood vessels in your lips to widen and swell.

Draw a thin line down each side of your nose using a shadow or cream two to three shades darker than your natural skin color, says Pearl. Blend the lines so they're not so prominent, then powder to blend it into the rest of your face. Conversely, you can also draw a thin line of highlighter down the bone in the center of your nose, stopping just short of the tip, then blend. The gradation in color gives the illusion of a thinner, more defined nose.

Another trick to try is accentuating either your eyes or your lips, which draws attention away from the center of your face.

Products we like: Bare Escentuals i.d. bareMinerals All-Over Face Color in Warmth, $20, darkens any area that needs contouring.

Originally published on LHJ.com, July 2006.