I see many clients who want to achieve the flawless complexions of the many famous faces gracing covers of today's magazines. Reluctant to say most are the result of excellent retouching techniques, rather than the skills of a celebrity makeup artist. I still believe flawless skin can be achieved with proper makeup techniques.

One face that comes to mind as inspiration for great skin is Jennifer Aniston. She always has an even consistent matte complexion in all of her photos. Jennifer Aniston is best know for her time on Friends. During the 1990s matte clear skin was all the rage.

To get her look you need to determine your skin type. If you have oily skin make sure to still moisturize, as your skin is over producing oil to compensate from under moisturizing or damage to your skin from drying products. Great moisturizers I love are Aveda's Tourmaline Lotion, Dermalogica and Neutrogena moisturizers. I like to use a foundation primer after moisturizing such as Smashbox's Photo Finish or Cinema Secrets foundation primer. This will prevent oil from ruining your matte finish and smooth out the skin. The foundation that works best for me for this look is Revlon's Shine Control Mattifying Makeup. You can buy it online and it can be hand applied and even airbrushed.

If your skin is normal to combo you can skip the primer unless you are having acne breakouts and go with a less drying foundation. I prefer water based foundations like Neutrogena which are oil free and possibly even a tinted moisturizer. Make sure to powder with a non cakey translucent powder to set the foundation.

Rihanna Makeup

If a dewy glowing complexion is your goal and want to get Rhianna's glow here are some tips.

One of my favorite products is Dermalogica's Day Bright. It's an iridescent spf moisturizer that gives your skin a healthy sheen. I often use this on top of a moisturized face, concentrating it on the cheekbones and bridge of the nose.

Dermalogica Day Bright

The foundation you pick can make all the difference. Some of the best ones I've used for this look include Revlon's Colorstay, Face Atelier's Ultra Foundation, and Temptu's SB foundations.

They are all silicone based foundations that glide on evenly and create a healthy finish. You can powder these products to get an even complexion but here is the way I like to apply them.

Kabuki Brush

First you will need a large bronzer or kabuki brush, similar to the one pictured above. Take your favorite liquid foundation and apply a dollop to the middle of your forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. Take your large brush and buff the foundation into the skin, making sure to always have the brush moving in a circular motion all over the face. This will blend the foundation perfectly onto the skin and minimize that mask look many women complain about.

After you are done blending, apply powder to the t zone (forehead, nose, chin) and under eye areas. This technique will leave your cheeks, brow bone areas dewy and natural looking.

Try these techniques out and switch between matte and dewy finishes to see which suits you best.

Vincent Ford
Los Angeles Makeup Artist