When a woman chooses her foundation, she ought to use the base of the jawline as the testing point. The foundation must look natural enough to blend in with the neck.

Too much foundation is a common beauty sin for which the penance is a complexion that looks cakey. What to do? Apply a spare, thin layer of foundation, then add concealer and then a dusting of light powder.

Caucasian women often desire to achieve a "tan" look by going the route of applying foundations that are several shades darker then their natural skintone. The end result is a very heavy, faux look. The best way to achieve a tanned look is to simply dust one's self with a bronzer, the most effective way for giving skin the same look that the sun lends. Besides, when you have finished with the face, what about the neck, hands and the rest of the body? The other alternative to a bronzer is to simply hit the beach, but don't forget to take the IMAN Sun Defense products. All skin types need sun protection.

The lighting at cosmetic counters can fiercely effect the way cosmetics really look. All too often women purchase colors then arrive home to discover the colors do not look the same as it did at the point of purchase.

The best way to remedy this situation is by getting free samples of the color and then taking it home and applying it in some real lighting. Another effective way for women to experiment with new colors is by receiving a makeover, leave the store and then live with the look for awhile. Both of these tips can save women from the expense of investing in colors that she will never wear.

Many women fall prey to the allure of brightly colored cosmetics that override their best natural features and wind up with a face as bright and diversified as a box of Crayola crayons. Women, no matter what their skin color, should keep clear of colors that are garish.

Take for example the eyes: Women ought to resist highly frosted eyeshadows with large particle pearls and opt instead for colors that are neutral and closer to their natural skintone, i.e. taupes and browns.

Another area that can be confusing is lip color. Many colors can work effectively on women, but a complimentary lip color relies on a variety of elements. For example, a "strong mouth" - one that boasts reds, burgundies, pinks, etc. is most effective on a younger woman when the vibrant color can play off her youth and vitality. More mature women ought to consider relying on more pale soft colors that compliment and highlight her age and experience.

Dark circles and puffiness underneath the eye are a frequent beauty dilemma of many women. Unfortunately, in the attempt to improve the situation, may women wind up lightening the area beneath the eye which only serves to draw attention to the trouble spots. Under eye problems can easily be treated by following a few simple makeup steps.

• Apply a light foundation on the face.
• Apply concealer with a brush on the dark areas beneath the eye.
• Apply powder to the face on top of the foundation and concealer.

Many women experience discoloration in their complexion for many reasons. By applying foundation to these areas, the discoloration is effectively masked. In addition, since skin irregularities like freckles, age spots and hyperpigmentation increase the difficulty of achieving an even complexion, Iman developed a solution: IMAN Perfection Even-Tone Fade Cream, a treatment product that diminishes irregularities by literally fading them away.

One example of a common beauty need experienced by African-American women is discoloration of the lower lip, or "hyperpigmentation." In many cases, the lower lip is split - the bottom half being darker, the upper part of the lip being more red and pink. To create a lip that is all one color, Iman developed a solution: A treatment lipstick called IMAN Lip-Even. Lip-Even enhances the lips of African-American women by covering the lips with a flesh toned, neutral canvas that keeps lips from splitting and producing two separate colors.

It is possible to change the proportion of an area of the face that may be out of proportion compared to the face's other features. For example, if a woman has lips that are too full, she can simply apply a light lipstick to the center of the mouth and surround the area with a matte lipstick. This is an effective tool to keep lips from appearing too full.

Many women are too "heavy handed" when it comes to applying blush - applying too much when only a hint is required. Blush ought to be exactly that: A blush of color that appears to come from underneath the skin.

Many women of color - particularly African-American - are apt to experience a shiny complexion thanks to oil break-through. IMAN Cosmetics & Skincare Collection has a product called IMAN Under Cover Agent Oil Control Lotion that imparts a matte finish by eradicating shine on the skin's surface and minimizing pores.

Throw open the shutters that cover your eyes with the most basic and essential invention next to the wheel: The common eyelash curler. Eyelash curlers curl the lash upward and unveils the color of a woman's eyes hidden beneath the canopy of the lashes.

To accentuate the eye's upstairs neighbor, the eyebrow, a woman ought to apply foundation that is lighter than her natural complexion to underneath eyebrows to give the brow a lift. Applying foundation to this area helps give the eyebrow direction by camouflaging stray eyebrow hairs.