The Makeup Artist Hack For Evening Your Body Skin Tone

Have you ever seen a celebrity on the red carpet and marveled at how flawless their skin looked from head to toe? It's because they're in on a secret that most of us don't utilize — they use makeup to even out their bodies. While we naturally put makeup on our faces, it may seem odd to us to extend the products below our necks. However, the skin on our bodies needs some attention as well, especially if we're going to be baring it in a revealing outfit.

Just like our faces, our bodies' skin tone can look uneven and have discoloration. Your chest is a delicate area that gets a lot of sun and is one of the first places to burn. Some people have veins or "strawberry" skin on their legs that they may want to conceal. You may be wondering how much of your expensive foundation you'll need to use on your body. Don't be alarmed — all it takes is a few drops mixed in with your body lotion and you'll look runway ready in no time.

Your body doesn't require a full application of makeup to even out your skin. You simply need a tinted moisturizer on the areas that you will bare to create a smooth canvas. Create your own by using a body moisturizer of your choice and mixing in a couple of drops of your foundation. You can use the back of one hand as a palette and once you've mixed the foundation into the lotion thoroughly, use your other hand to work it into your skin. For a larger area like your legs and chest, you can use a large brush or a self-tanning mitt.

Body oil is a great alternative to lotion and will give you a lustrous finish. For added sheen, you can top off the makeup with a highlighting cream or powder. Following the application, be sure to set your skin with an invisible powder so that the makeup doesn't transfer. You may want to avoid this hack if you're wearing white and stick with a self-tanner instead to even out your skin tone.

While mixing your foundation with moisturizer is a great way to even out your body on the fly, if you have the time, self-tanners are a great option. You can go to a pro for the best results but these days, there are so many DIY options to try. Prior to applying the self-tanner, make sure you exfoliate with a scrub or body brush for an even application. After you're completely dry, apply the self-tanner with your hands or a large mitt, which many brands provide. If you've used your hands, make sure you wash them afterward to avoid dark palms.

Working one area at a time, rub in the self-tanner using long, even strokes. We love the ones that have a tint so that we can see where we've applied the color. Once the color has developed, give yourself a once-over to see if you've missed any spots or have any unevenness, and go over those areas again.

Still want to even out your skin when stepping out in your outfit? You can dust a light coat of powder foundation over your body with a large, fluffy brush for a velvety finish. Powder foundations have more pigment than regular finishing powders and are great for evening out your skin in large areas. After applying, spritz some setting spray over the makeup and you'll be ready to show off your smooth, even skin.