Asian women represent a huge variety of skin tones and facial shapes. From fair ivory to deep mahogany, makeup choices that complement and accentuate this unique and beautiful group of women need not be a mystery. Keep reading to learn a few basic makeup steps.

Foundation first

For the best makeup application, start with foundation. Foundation masks uneven pigmentation and discoloration, smoothes the skin and can even temporarily fill-in fine lines. How to pick the perfect one? Follow these simple guidelines.

• Formula: If your skin is dry, a creamy formula which adds moisture is best. For anyone with more oily skin, opt instead for a powder foundation or an oil-free liquid formula, such as Joey New York Pure Pores Minimizer Foundation. The oil-free formula will not aggravate acneic skin and will minimize the appearance of large pores. If you prefer a powder finish, reach for Colorescience Retractable Foundation Brush SPF 20.
• Undertone: Many Asian women have a yellowish undertone, yet mistakenly opt for foundations with a cool, pinkish undertone. In order to get the most natural looking foundation coverage, and avoid a pale or washed-out appearance, go for foundations with the correct undertone. When choosing a color, remember that foundation oxidizes with exposure to the air or natural oils from the skin and that it will actually darken — both in the bottle and on the skin. To avoid contaminating foundation in the bottle (and slow down oxidation), always apply foundation to the face with a cotton swab, and refrain from letting fingers touch the lip of the bottle. A perfectly matched foundation should disappear into the skin and look seamless along the jaw line.

Enchanting eyes

Beautiful and exotic, Asian eyes often have a unique bone structure. However, many Asian women feel that their eyes are too small or that the upper eyelid is too domed for expressive, colorful eye makeup. Not true! There are a multitude of application tricks which will open up the eye area and draw attention to this beautiful feature.

• Eye shadow: To make eyes seem bigger and brighter, start with a lighter shadow which will make the eyes 'pop'. If desired, add some depth with a darker shadow, but use a light hand when applying dark shadow as this could potentially make the eyes look smaller. Try DuWop Eye Duet, Macchiato; a light brown shadow which can be applied to the whole lid and a dark brown to smudge at the lash line. In general, look for flattering tones of earthy brown, rust or beige to complement an Asian complexion.
• Eye liner. Continue to define eyes with eye liner. A thin, precise line of black eyeliner is sophisticated and works well during the day. At night, add eye liner along the lower lashes, as well. For a sexier, more dramatic look, makeup artist Taylor Chang-Babaian suggests smudging with a brush for a soft, sultry look. Colorescience Eye Pencil, Pitch Black is a sooty black, suitable for all skin tones. And don't stop with black. Navy, forest green and royal purple are also excellent choices and will complement most skin tones.
• Mascara. Chang-Babaian advises Asian women to use "mascara on both upper and lower lashes", rather than merely applying mascara to the upper lashes. Because Asian women typically have dark hair, their eyelashes also tend to be dark, making black, black-brown or dark gray mascara the optimal choice. Try Colorescience Mascara, A Cup O ’Joe for thick, lush lashes.
• Brow Wow: Asian women often have sparse or thin eyebrows and a great solution is brow powder, which will color and fill-in sparse brows. In addition, brow powders tend to look more natural than pencil and last longer, further enhancing those beautiful eyes.

Something to blush about

Artfully applied blush adds color to the face, and makes the complexion glow with health and vitality. For a really natural look, choose a hue that most closely resembles a natural blush. For medium skin tones, good options are warm peach, rosy pink or soft bronze. DuWop Cheek Venom Sidewinder is a warm, peachy glow that is designed for all skin tones. For more drama, reach for deep rose, mauve or coffee tones: Colorescience Retractable Blusher Brush in Gingerly Speaking.

Lips of luxury

With lipstick, lip gloss or lip balm, the sky is the limit! Choose colors that reflect both your personality and fit the occasion. To keep lip color in place all day, first line the lips with a coordinating lip pencil. Liners add definition and delineate the shape of your lips. Plus, they stop lipstick from fading or bleeding into fine lines. Warm peach, rust, raisin or orange-red are popular, natural color choices for Asian skin tones and are universally flattering. iQ Chroma Lip Fix Lip Defining Duo, Peach is both a lip liner and lip stick, all packaged in one convenient tube — perfect for tossing into a handbag or briefcase. Want a subtle, more natural look? Color in your lips with lip pencil after lining them and top off with clear or peach lip gloss.

Another classic look for lips is red. Red lipstick is sexy, daring, sophisticated, and — with the dozens of color choices available today, finding a perfect red lipstick is a breeze. Choose vibrant, glowing reds: Colorescience Lip Candy Glaze Chocolate Covered Cherry is a shiny red, flecked with hints of gold. For extra shine over lipstick, to soften bold color, smooth on Philosophy Sweet Coconut Milk Shine, a shimmering, clear gloss that will also look great alone.