Have you ever had that dream where you glance in the mirror and notice that your skin tone is perfectly even? And you have soft, hydrated lips, rosy cheeks and eyes that actually seem to sparkle? You think to yourself, it's a perfect beauty day.

� And then you wake up. The harsh reality is, when most of us glance in the mirror each morning, we're faced with dull skin, chapped lips and dark circles.

But there has to be some sort of middle ground, right? Well, it turns out, there is. Gorgeous skin, lips and eyes take a little work to get, but with the help of skin care and makeup experts, we can at least look flawless and natural (hint: a little ChapStick and tinted moisturizer go a long way). So while the fantasy might not be the reality -- everyone else will think it is.

Here's the thing: the better your skin is, the less makeup you need. So priority number one for a natural-but-better look is to get clear, even-toned skin. Susan Perry, a medical esthetician in San Francisco offers her best tips:

1. Cleanse right: it's the key to bright skin. Use a Clarisonic brush, $195 or washcloth to go over your entire face, massaging your skin to get a really deep clean. Follow up with toner.

2. Exfoliate: It'll help get rid of uneven tone and keep your skin clear. You can use lactic or glycolic acid peels or enzymes, like Peter Thomas Roth's Pumpkin Enzyme Peel, $44.

3. Protect your skin: Use sunscreen (of course!) to protect your skin from the sun, and try products with Vitamin C in them to correct existing sun damage and prevent more from showing up. Try Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Serum, $96.95. And for your lips, try ChapStick Ultra Moisture Daytime Formula, $3.99.

4. Dark circles: If you're struggling with them, try products with Vitamin C and Vitamin K to lighten the area.

5. Breakouts: If pimples are a frequent issue, see a dermatologist for treatment. But for the occasional breakout, DO NOT POP IT. Instead, apply a spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide to kill the bacteria and dry it up.

It takes time to get that flawless skin, so in the meantime, use Miami-based makeup artist Marissa Nemes' formula for glowing skin:

"Using your fingers, blend a tiny bit of your daily moisturizer with a small pump of foundation along with a pea size amount of illuminator. I like to use La Mer's Oil Absorbing Lotion, $190, with Giorgio Armani's Luminous Silk Foundation, $59, and NARS Cosmetics Orgasm Illuminator, $29. Blend all three products over your skin and you will instantly feel lightweight and flawless."

And to add a little glow to your lips, try ChapStick Ultra Shimmer, $3.99. It comes in two flavors -- Radiant Dew and Sparkling Citrus.

Even if you don't use foundation at all, you'll want to cover up any problem areas. New York-based makeup artist Quinn Murphy shares her musts: under the eyes, around the sides of your nose (for those pesky blood vessels), and any blemishes or other redness.

Unless your skin is completely flawless, you'll still want to wear a little foundation or tinted moisturizer. The key is to find one that perfectly matches your skin tone, so no one can tell you're wearing it.

To do that, try on foundation in natural light -- if you can see the product, then it's the wrong shade, says makeup artist Lori Hamlin. And before you buy anything, wear the makeup around for a few hours and see how it looks.