The 5-Minute Makeover

It's a new year, and time for a clean slate. What better excuse to make over your look? Thanks to some effortless tips and savvy choices, looking gorgeous this year is one resolution you don't have to break. Give yourself a once-over and start thinking about what you want to change. Read on, and follow these tips to uncovering your most beautiful, best self in 2009!

Consider change:
The first step to switching up your look is to open up your makeup bag. Assess what you want to keep, what you can toss and what you'd like to update. It may not require as much as you think, says Achelle Dunaway, makeup artist for e.l.f Cosmetics. "Just replacing two colors with something different, like a dark purple eye shadow and subtle pink lip gloss can create a whole new you," she says. Try: Ck Calvin Klein, Purple Variation Eye Shadow and Bare Escentuals Sweet Pink Lip Gloss. 

Feel free to experiment:
Choose colors that complement you, but go with hues that you might normally shy away from to make a noticeable change, advises Dunaway. For instance, if you're always reaching for nudes and tan on your eyes, go for a bolder, brighter hue on your lips. "Shades of pink are very wearable and work for everyone. If you have a warmer skin tone, try a tint with red and orange undertones. For a cooler, paler skin tone, a hue with blue undertones is best," she adds. Try mineral lipsticks like those from Pure Minerals. 

Get into neutral:
It's wise to stick with a basic, soft palette of neutrals for everyday that gives your look a fresh edge and can be blended with deeper, brighter colors, says Dunaway. Opt for a peach, khaki, soft pink and tan eyeshadow palette, like Cargo Essential Eye.  For cheeks, a natural rose blush like Lorac Blush Rose , is flattering to most skin tones, and lights up a lackluster complexion.

Seek out shimmer:
Want to look younger in an instant? Try dusting a sheer, light-reflecting color like Laura Mercier Mosaic Shimmer Bloc on cheekbones and browbones; the lightweight, pearly formula gives a natural sheen that deflects away from fine lines and wrinkles. And to wake up tired eyes, Dunaway suggests lining pearly white shadow like Christian Dior Eye Show in White Disco, on the inner corner of your lid and lashline; the vanilla hue brightens up dark, droopy circles.