As women, we wear a variety of hats and work in a variety of professions. Whether you're all business all day, running a business from home or the executive director of your household and the local car pool coordinator, you likely have events that you must attend which require evening makeup. If you have enough in the bank to hire a professional make-up artist to apply it, you're in luck because it can be a tricky and intimidating chore. If you're like most of us, you'll be left to do it alone.



So, how do you manage the darker and dramatic shades that bring your features to life at night? Before you get too nervous, relax. Fortunately, the most flattering evening make-up also happens to be the easiest for put on. Try just one of these easy makeup tips to make you appear relaxed and pretty for those party pictures.

For your eyes, try a jewel tone shadow or simply line your lids. Color on the eyes is always refreshing, regardless of the time of year. Try rich shades in emerald greens, purples, and sapphire blues. These are both flattering and eye-catching; as an added bonus, they compliment all eye colors. To create a smokier look, skip the shadow and simply line your lids with a charcoal, black kohl or deep plum pencil. Follow either of these with a few coats of volumizing mascara and your party perfect eyes can be done in 5 minutes flat.

Moving on to your lips, swipe a coat of gloss on or choose a deeper lip shade; it's really up to you. Either option is quick and easy. Gloss does double duty by not only dressing up your lips, but buy making them appear fuller as well. It only takes a little to get the effect. Dressy and sexy when applied correctly, a deep lip shade takes a bit longer to perfect, but it can be done. However, before choosing a shade, you may want to consult a makeup artist at your local cosmetics counter; that way you'll know you've got the right shade the first time.

Rosy cheeks make you look happy and really bring a light to your face. With a simple brush or two, you can wake up your skin and look flushed and exhilarated with minimal effort. To highlight your cheekbones, stick with softer shades and rub a cream blush on the apples of your cheeks; you can highlight the look by dusting your face with a sheer powder appropriate for your skin tone. If you'd prefer to go without the look of the highlighter, just tap the cream blush on your cheeks and head out the door.

Finally, remember these quick tips to make sure you continue to look great all night long; simple and easy, anyone can use them. Makeup artists have long been designing retractable lip brushes. For a quick touch-up during your night out, without having to carry both the tube and the brush, swipe your retractable over your tube before you leave the house and then pop it in your purse; no muss, no fuss. Use a matte lipstick or a long-wearing formula if you want to avoid the touch-up all together.

Self tanner used to be orange and fake looking, but not anymore. With the worry of sun damage on everyone's mind, self tanner has come a long way. Use it all year long so you'll have color in every season; even if your makeup wears off half-way through the night, you won't be left looking pale. Lastly, stock your makeup bag with blotting papers to keep the shine away as the evening wears on.