Maybe this scenario sounds familiar: you go to the department store, have the makeup artist do your makeup for you, and you walk out looking ready to grace the pages of a magazine. But when you try to recreate the same look with the same products several nights later, you do not look anywhere near as good as you did when the makeup artist did your makeup. Now why is that? According to makeup artist Gretchen Foster, the way you apply your makeup is even more important than the actual products that you use. Here are several of the top makeup application techniques that will make you look as if you got your makeup professionally done.

Proper lighting is one of the most important parts when it comes to makeup application techniques. Foster says that if you apply makeup in the wrong lighting, the shades and colors of your makeup will look completely different when you walk out into the natural light. First and foremost, avoid fluorescent lighting, which tends to wash the skin out by giving it a bluish green tone, not to mention that it brings out skin imperfections and blemishes. Try to aim for natural lighting, ideally near a window, but if you have to use artificial lighting, make sure that the lighting is directly on your face so that there are no shadows interfering.

Foundation is the most important part of your makeup routine, as it provides the background against which the rest of your makeup will be applied. Make sure that the foundation you choose matches your complexion, and when choosing a color, do a test patch first. If the color disappears and matches the rest of your skin, you have found a good color. But if the color stands out and looks either too dark or too light, then you need to find another color. Blending the foundation into the rest of your skin is one of the most important makeup application techniques, because you do not want to have a dramatic color change by your jawline. Be sure to apply foundation past your jawline, in order to create a smoother effect.