Primer

The one thing you can't get through the holiday without: primer. Makeup aficionados know the power of a great foundation before foundation. A primer creates a smooth canvas and extends the life of other products. And the revolutionary technology has spread far beyond the face. This season, keep hairstyles in place, bold lip colors crack-free, and nail polish vibrant with the help of primer. Find out how to prime from your head to your toes when you read on.

Makeup artists are the masters of stretching out products, mixing and blending them to create a variety of results. And while your everyday primer might seem like it's just for prepping the face, it turns out there are a surprising number of ways to utilize this skin smoother beyond its primary purpose. See four tips for priming like a pro, with advice from the experts at Benefit and Sephora, when you read more.

The color wheel is used by professional makeup artists time and time again to help disguise discoloration on the skin, as well as find the best shadows for any eye color. Learn how to use this tool at home to raise your application skills to megastar status.

• Emphasis: Color theory can be used to bring out your best colorful feature — your eyes. When you arrange two colors from the opposite side of the wheel next to each other, it makes them both pop. So blue-eyed beauties should look to orange and golden-toned shadows and liners. Green-eyed girls look to purple or rosy shades for an extra bright look. And for the brown-eyed babes, practically every color can work for you.
• Corrections: If you're looking to reduce the appearance of a mark, dark spot, or pimple, turn to a colored primer or concealer to balance out the area. So, if you're attempting to shade in visible blue under-eye veins, reach for an orange concealer. Have rosacea or a red-toned pimple? Dab on a bit of green primer to erase it. Just remember: put an unwanted color in its place by looking to the opposite side of the wheel to find its balancing match.

Source: Flickr User glovsky225

Orange might not look good when it's streaked across your skin à la a bad self-tanner incident. But when used for color-correcting the complexion, the warm hue is perfect for balancing out unwanted cool tones in the skin. There's more to this carrot-y shade than that, though; find out more when you keep reading.

You can try to grasp the purpose of each and every shade of color-correcting concealer on the market until you're blue in the face. But why do that to yourself? Speaking of blue, it turns out the icy hue doesn't have to leave you looking like an extra on The Smurfs. So what can blue do for you? Let's first look to the color wheel for guidance. Oh color wheel, tell us your magic ways.

Not only does blue add radiance to the complexion, but it also assists in reducing the appearance of minor imperfections. And if you have deeper skin tones, blue might be your cure to quelling under-eye circles. Another cool tip is that blue, the opposite of orange, can also help to neutralize overly Oompa Loompa-esque pigments caused from self-tanners.

In addition, purple, lilac, and mauve shades (which are somewhat close to the blue color family) can neutralize sallow, yellow tones. Hues of purple also can brighten olive skin and balance out yellowish blemishes on most skin tones. Try: Make Up For Ever's HD Microperfecting Primer in Blue or Mauve ($34), Givenchy's Mister Mat Mattifying Foundation Primer ($33), or Signature Club A by Adrienne's Anchorwoman Blue Dark Circle Cover ($16).

Source: Flickr User Linzi Clark /

A few weeks ago, Kim Kardashian posted an Instagram of herself getting her makeup done, complete with yellow streaks over her entire face. The reason? Yellow primer is a complexion-brightening corrector that helps even out the tone of the skin prefoundation. But that's not all. Now that we have you covered (heh) on the benefits of green correctors and pink correctors tones, let's take a closer look at the warming, brightening capabilities of yellow.

• You glow, girl: A yellow powder or primer can add an instant glow to the skin, create a lightening effect, and help to erase the signs of fatigue. How can you not love that?
• Get the red out: Yellow helps to soften and balance out pink tones, and it's also great to use for neutralizing pink-toned blemishes and fading out under-eye circles. Yellow correctors, when blended onto the eyelids, create a clean slate on which you can apply your eye makeup.
• Try: Benefit's Lemon-Aid ($20), Nyx's Hi Definition Photo Concealer Wand in Yellow ($5), or Napoleon Perdis's Mighty Concealer Pen in Mellow Yellow ($29).

Source: Flickr User Linda Cronin

When it comes to makeup shades, pink is one of the most flattering hues on the eyes, cheeks, and lips. But when it's a pink concealer or corrector palette, however, just how does it fit into the mix exactly? Get the scoop when you read more.

Ever been confused by the multicolored concealer palettes you see at the stores? The confusion stops here. Over the next few days, let's explore the art of these color-correcting concealers, starting with green. Wicked Witch of the West? Don't think so, my pretties. When it comes to color correcting, it's all about using the color wheel to figure out a balance.

Green, for instance, is opposite of red on the color wheel. In theory, it will neutralize any unwanted red hues from things like acne, rosacea, birthmarks, port-wine stains, ruddiness, pimples, and even scars. But do green correcting sticks, powders, and primers work? When it comes down to it, yes, but to find out a few ways to avoid looking as if you've been hit with a bad case of food poisoning, just read more.

I constantly crave the flavors of Spain. Though Spanish cuisine varies tremendously across the different regions, they all have one thing in common: the use of fresh, local flavors. Spanish cuisine is heavily influenced by its climate and geography.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the best way to describe Spanish food is the generous use of olive oil and garlic in dishes. Spain is the number one producer of olive oil, so it seems fitting that this ingredient brings together so many delicious elements. Spain has direct and abundant access to some of the best seafood in the world, and the cuisine offers everything from octopus to razor clams. Meat is also an important part of the Spanish diet and culture, specifically cured pork like jamón serrano and beef (eaten more rarely). Wine is a regular part of mealtime, similar to other Mediterranean countries. Fresh ingredients are of the utmost importance in Spanish cuisine, and because of this, dishes tend to be on the healthier side.

In Spain, dinner is typically eaten late at night (beginning around 10 p.m., but some even sit down to eat as late as midnight), which explains why tapas are a very significant part of Spanish culture. Tapas are small little meals, usually packed full of flavor, meant to be enjoyed while slowly sipping wine and conversing with friends. The cultural phenomenon of tapas is an important reminder to slow down and savor all of the flavors of life.

As I mentioned before, regionality is hugely important when it comes to Spanish cuisine. Typical meals in Galicia are vastly different from those in the Basque region or Andalusia. Still, there are a few common dishes and terms you should know about. Keep reading to learn more!