from beauty pro Linda Cantello

Keep it real
Stop primping and fussing. Pro makeup artist Linda Cantello wants you to look subtle and chic

In a world gone wild for faux eyelashes and powder puffs, pro makeup artist Linda Cantello (above) shuns the red-carpet love affair for gobs—and gobs—of makeup. The artistic advisor for Yves Saint Laurent Make-up, she helped spur the trend for low-key beauty à la Kate Moss, a personal muse and friend. (Let’s remember, girls; there was a time when leaving the house with just a touch of eyeliner and lip gloss was mind-boggling.) Wearing barely any makeup herself, Cantello reveals her secrets to gorgeous everyday beauty.

Secret #1
Buy the right base. “Choosing the wrong shade of foundation is a dead no-no.” Cantello suggests getting out of the store (“It’s never the right light”) and checking the look of a new shade in natural light to ensure you’re choosing the perfect tone for your skin.

Secret #2
Put down your eyebrow powder and stop filling in your over-plucked eyebrows. “It looks great in a photograph but, in real life, people will look at you askew.” Just leave ’em alone and have them professionally shaped once you have enough regrowth.

Secret #3
Let your skin glow. Use a highlighter rather than shimmer to bring light to your face. Cantello notes that “women wear shimmer all over their face and they end up looking greasy.”

Secret #4
Blend, blend, blend. Love your metallic eyeshadows and eye pencil? Blend them together with a slanted round brush to make any hard lines disappear. The aim is to look sultry, not stuck in the ’80s.

—Juliette Lie