This is the perfect time of year to glam it up. Winter’s blah won’t leave you looking dull and faded if you go bold and dare to don the bright, bold colors of the season.

Start with a fresh canvas. Trade in that barely-there powder puff from the beach and opt for a moisturizing foundation and loose powder to set the stage for eyes that pop and lips that don’t stop. Apply your foundation in downward strokes that go with the natural growth of the fine hairs on your face – everyone has them; work with them not against them for a super-smooth finish. Use your loose powder before and after applying color to both blend and set. You definitely don’t want bold colors to crease or smudge.

Your eyes are smokin’! Smokin’ greys and charcoals that is. Pair smoky grey shadow applied over the lids and along the crease with a pearly sand highlighter along your browbone. Add a generous line of charcoal liner along both top and bottom lashes. Finish with a coat of jet black mascara for a look that will stop traffic. Want to go one step bolder? Add false lashes and top with two coats of mascara to lift and blend.

Whatever your color palette, add a bit more shadow color than you normally would, line a little heavier and use a second coat of mascara on the outside lashes to create a dramatic eye-popping look. At the center of your lid, top your regular warm eye shadow with gold glimmer and your cool shadow with silver glimmer.  

When your eyes dominate your look, make your lips simple, but not understated. Go ahead and pair a bright red lipstick with those smokin’ eyes. Just don’t top with shimmer or too much shine.

Baby, keep talkin’! Get conversations going with lips that say it all: rich salsa red, deep raspberry and currant, chocolate and even electric pink for the really bold. Go bold with lipstick and accentuate with gloss for more staying power. Use high-shine and shimmering gloss and don’t fear a second coat.

When you’re stepping out lips first be prepared for touch-ups by taking everything you put on with you. The bolder the lip color, the more you need to pay attention to touch-ups. You can make it easier on yourself by adding a little foundation to your lips as you apply it to your face. Dust your powder on there too. Add a lip primer to help hold you color in place and prevent feathering. And, most importantly, line your lips and fill in completely. When your black cherry lipstick has faded, your raspberry liner will still be holding strong.  

Blend your eye color by using vivid matte shades and lighten with highlighter shadows until your look is polished and balanced.

Cheeks are one area you never want to go bold on. Instead, use a cream blush or cheek tint to create a flushed look on the apples of your cheeks. Add a translucent shimmer to you cheekbone and temple and blend.

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