Throughout my years as a makeup artist, I have always made the enhancement of women’s complexions a priority. But I advise them to decide on the effect they want to achieve. The choices include au natural or an all-out glamour, professionally made-up look.

If you decide you want to go natural, choose a light and sheer foundation to even out skin tones and erase shadows. But remember that moisturized skin will create a much smoother, more polished finish and will help hold color longer than dry skin.

An easy way to achieve a natural complexion is to use powder foundation brushed on the skin with a brush. If you select liquid or cream foundation it should be massaged lightly into your skin with your fingertips, then remove excess with a dry sponge. Begin at the center of your cheeks and forehead, and blend toward the edges of your face -- everywhere except on eyelids and under your eyes.

Also blend the product onto your lips to lock your lipstick in place. Unless you have very dry skin, finish with a light translucent powder to make the foundation stay fresher longer.

An elegant look is slightly more time consuming: Before following the steps outlined above, lightly apply concealer to neutralize dark shadows and imperfections. Apply concealer a shade lighter than your own skin to the inner corners of your eyes, the sides of your nose and any area where you need extra coverage, and then blend to a smooth finish.

Sultry eyes are a great full-glamour look and very hot on the runways. Eyes can smolder with dark, bright, even metallic colors. To get this look, apply dark shadow to the lids. Then use a pencil to create more intense color at the lash line. For a smoky look, smudge with a brush. And don’t forget the mascara -- apply two coats to upper lashes and just a touch to lower fringes.

If intense color is not your style, play it safe and harmonize makeup color with your skin and your hair. You can also focus on just one or two features. For example, a strong eye, a little blush and nude, soft lips -- or bold-colored lips with a soft eye.

For a fresh, polished look, eyebrows should be neat, but not too defined. Use the natural arch of your eye as a guideline when tweezing. Darken slightly with brow pencil, then blend with a brow brush.

The best new hues range from neutrals (light pinks and beiges) to stains of deep cranberry and red.

Layering is also popular for lips, especially with gloss. But remember, glassy, not glossy. Lips should be moist with a satin-like finish. For added definition, apply gloss at the center of your mouth, which will

make your lips look fuller.

Apply lipstick either straight from the tube or with a lipbrush. To keep lipstick from feathering, outline and stain your lips with either a nude liner or a liner that matches your lipstick color.

Blush should be the last makeup product you apply. With all of your other makeup in place, you can gauge just how much cheek color you need. The look for cheeks is a soft, natural finish. With a big, fluffy brush, apply blush in a soft, circular motion to the apples of cheeks or the raised part of your cheek.

Blend blush to just below the cheekbones and out to the center just before your ears. Look for natural tones -- the color you would blush naturally, such as pink, soft rose or a warm bronzer. For blush with staying power, pat cream blush on apples of cheeks only, then dust over with powder blush.