Make up is one of those things that is easy to teach yourself. With thousands of beauty blogs, YouTube videos and everything else out there, it's simple enough to find any hints or tips with ease. I'm self-taught, I've never had a make up lesson in my life, so if I can do it myself anyone can! The only thing I wish is that I'd known the following simple tips way earlier than I found them or worked them out. While there's no strict rules to make up, there are a few things you probably should or shouldn't do.

• Invest in a good primer, and choose wisely. First assess your skin type: is it dry, oily, "normal" (I hate that word *shudder*) or combination? Dry skin will need a more moisturising primer, whereas oily skin will need a mattifying primer. Find one that suits your needs and works for you. You may end up trying a few if you're anything like me!
• The same applies to foundation - find one that, again, works for you. This can definitely be easier said than done! Again, it's advisable to take your skin type into consideration as different foundations do different things on different skin. Usually they are quite clear which skin type they are best suited for, although the majority are usually for 'normal to combination' skin, and I can't say I've seen any specifically for dry skin, so you're possibly best off investing in a moisturizer and a good primer if this is the case. There are a few matte foundations out there for oily skin, although they all work in varying degrees.
• On to colour... pick the right one! Too light and you're going to look washed out, and there's going to be an obvious difference between your face and body. Too dark, and you risk looking orange, or just plain weird. If you want a tanned look, use fake tan - don't try to get the look with foundation, I beg you. (For me personally, I have to go for the lightest shade possible, and I aim for one that is ever-so-slightly too light because they seem to oxidise on me and go darker after a short while, although I'm not sure this is the case for everyone.)
• Try to find a foundation with a SPF to provide some protection from the sun, although this can be slightly problematic for oily skin, often making the oil worse, so bare that in mind.
• Don't forget your neck! There's nothing worse than a 'tide mark' - where a person stops their foundation at their jawline, leaving an obvious line. Chances are, your neck and your face are going to be slightly different shades depending on how much sun you get and yadda yadda. It's just one of those things, I think. Your make up will look better overall if you just spend a few extra seconds dabbing some foundation onto your neck and blending for a seamless finish.
• When it comes to concealer, it's not a miracle product. Unless you go for a super heavy duty one, concealer is designed for blemishes. If you have dark circles under your eyes, either through sleep habits, or genetics, a concealer alone can't hide these. Same goes with any redness. You need to invest in some kind of colour corrector. If you're battling dark circles, look for a yellow or orange corrector to counteract the purple or blue tones of your 'bags'. Redness should be counteracted with a green corrector. It's all basic colour theory, apparently.
• Your concealer should be one, possibly two shades, lighter than your foundation, and please always remember to blend it out... Realising you have white panda eyes isn't a nice feeling. 
• Powder should be used to set your foundation, especially if you have oily skin to prevent shine for longer. You can either use a finishing/setting powder, or any kind of pressed/loose powder, that's down to you, although one thing to bear in mind is that it's best to use a transparent/translucent powder on top of your foundation, so as not to alter the colour of the foundation.

Contouring & Highlighting ~

• Don't be afraid to contour. For the longest time I didn't contour at all because I was so scared I'd end up doing it wrong or something, but the difference it makes is amazing. It can take a few attempts to nail, but once your do, you'll notice the change.
• Never do one without the other. I can't stress that enough. Contouring is the idea of emphasizing your features where shadow would naturally fall, and highlighting where natural light hits most, to avoid the face looking flat. You don't find shadows without light, or light without shadows. 
• If you're unsure what you're doing, turn to trusty YouTube. There's a ton of how to videos!
• Blend, blend, blend... No muddy lines, please! Softening the darker contour is a must, otherwise you just end up with dark lines on your cheeks/down the side of your nose/along your jawline, and it's not the best look. 

• Start light, and build up. It's a heck of a lot easier to add more blusher gradually than to try to blend out clown cheeks. 
• Just applying blusher to the apples of your cheeks is not flattering - you end up looking overly flushed, or 'made up'. Good make up should be almost natural, after all. Blend the blusher back towards your ears to give a more rosy-cheeked, natural finish.
• Pick the right colour for you. This is all depends on the kind of finish you want. Peachy and coral tones are more natural, while pinks and reds tend to look more vivid. Which colour you choose is personal choice - try a few and pick which looks better with your skintone. There's no general rule of thumb here. Also, decide whether you want a matte finish or a shimmer finish. There are tonnes of different blushers on the market for you to try.
• Another general rule I found works well for me is to use peach or coral during the summer for a more natural sunkissed blush, whereas in the winter I use more pinky toned blushers to give the idea that the cold air has added colour to my cheeks. That's just me though!

• This one is simple - find which shape suits your face better, what kind of arch and whatnot. You'll soon see the difference having the right eyebrow shape makes to your face.
• If you choose to pencil/powder your eyebrows in, make sure you use the right colour. The general rule I hear most is if you're a blonde, choose a colour two shades darker than your hair, and if you're a brunette, choose a colour two shades lighter. 
• However, you might find this rule doesn't work for you. For example, I have blonde hair, but use a dark brown for my eyebrows, since I'm not a natural blonde, and having light eyebrows just doesn't work for me on a personal level. 
• If you have vibrant coloured hair (such as bright red, pink, purple, blue, whatever) you can either match your eyebrows to your hair which is always funky, or you can go for darker brows which is equally as striking.
• Highlighting your brow bone can make a massive difference. Try it out, and see for yourself.
• And remember; eyebrows are not meant to be twins, they're sisters!

• Never be afraid to blend your eyeshadow. Unless you're doing a cut crease look, eyeshadow should be blended out and softened for a more finished look.
• A dab of white eyeshadow on the inner corner helps open up your eyes, and make them look brighter. White eyeliner along the lower waterline has the same effect.
• Blending some of your chosen eyeshadow colour along your lower lashline can help you look more put-together, depending on the look you're going for.
• Bear in mind that black eyeliner can make small eyes look even smaller, so try to avoid putting it all around the eyes if this is the case. If you have small eyes, using a black pencil eyeliner from the outer corner and smudging it partway along to upper and lower lashline is possibly your best bet. 
• When it comes to applying liquid or gel eyeliner on the upper lashline, use small strokes rather than one long stroke, since it's easier to get a more precise, smooth line this way. Also bear in mind that it's easier to add more than take it away, so start thin or you're liable to end up with a mega thick line.
• If you ask me, you don't have to curl your lashes. It all depends on how they naturally curl or grow. Me personally, I have to curl them the wrong way on my right eye since they get crushed and over-curled while I sleep somehow. Some people won't need to curl, some will. Try both, see how you feel.
• Mascara is another one of those things you need to try and try until you find the right one for you and what you want it to do. For longer lashes, choose a lengthening formula. For fuller lashes, choose a thickening formula. For both, look for a false lash effect mascara as these tend to do the job nicely. One or two coats is usually ample - any more and we start getting fat, clumpy lashes and that's not a good look on anyone!
• If you're prone - like me- to smudging mascara everywhere during application, especially when trying to do those pesky bottom lashes, use a credit card as a barrier between your lashes and skin. Et voila! No more smudgy mess!

• Have several lipstick colours and types. Don't be afraid to change it up and experiment with what looks best on your skintone. Lipstick is available in every colour, every shade imaginable so the possibilities are endless. 
• Investing in a lipliner is a great idea, especially if you use more vivid or darker lip colours. Not only do you save a little lipstick if you fill in your lips with the lipliner first, but lining the lips prevents bleeding at the egdes and keeps them looking crisp.
• Overdrawing your lips (applying lipstick outside of the natural lipline with the goal of making your lips look bigger than they actually are) is something that's quite difficult to master. You run the risk of adding too much and looking rather.. well... daft, sorry to say. 
• There are alternatives to overdrawing, the simplest being to use a small amount of highlighter on your cupids bow, and an equally small amount of contour under your bottom lip. These give the appearance of fuller lips without.having to take your lipstick outside your lipline. 
• It's simple, but check your teeth after application... We don't want any lipstick there! One way of stopping this happening is to make a tight 'o' with your mouth around your index finger, and slowly pulling your finger out, transferring any errant lipstck to your finger as opposed to your pearly whites.
• On the subject of pearly whites, if you have slightly yellowed teeth through smoking or coffee, red lipsticks can emphasize this fact, so be aware of that.

• Bear in mind that what works for others, may not work for you. Your best friend might swear by a foundation, but it might not suit you. Your sister might look amazing with a certain lip colour, but the same might not apply to you. Make up is a very personal thing.
• Find out what does work for you. Not just in colours, but in application. Some people find they achieve a better finish with a beauty blender or a foundation brush, but you might find using your fingers works best for you. This is something you'll only discover with time and experimentation.
• Replace your make up regularly. Whether it's finished or not, abide by the little indicator on the back of the product. If it says it has a life of six months, don't keep it any longer than that. The shelf life is there for a reason, and using a product for longer than recommended can open you to the risk of bacteria. 
• On the subject of bacteria, any brushes you use should be washed regularly. It's advisable to give them a quick wipe with a make up wipe after every use where possible, too. I've used both proper brush cleansers, and plain soap and water, and both work equally well. Shape the brushes when wet to keep their shape, and put them on top of a towel on a radiator or windowsill to dry.
• Never pump wands of any sort - you'll get air in, and the product will dry out faster. You can revive dried out products by popping them in a mug of hot water for a few minutes to warm and melt the product inside a little.

What's your top make up tip?