After years of wearing a foundation shade that's a little bit off and trying to correct it by blending it down my neck or overcompensating with bronzer, I finally met my match. But all that trial-and-error could have been avoided if I had just taken the time to determine my skin tone. It takes just a few seconds and doesn't hurt at all (promise).

Stand in natural light and look at the skin on your wrist. If your veins look blue or purple, you likely have a cool skin tone. If they look greenish, you're warm. By choosing foundation that matches the undertones in your skin, you get a much more natural look (no more "too-pink" or "too-orange" mishaps).

Your skin tone doesn't just influence your foundation picks. It also can help you figure out if that eggplant shadow or cool-toned red lipstick will enhance your skin -- making makeup shopping so much easier.

Unless you're Tom Pecheux, you need to apply your makeup with brushes. Now, this isn't to say you need to run out and buy 100-plus makeup brushes, but having the basics that work with the products you use is essential. They help you get a precise, perfect application in record speed.

When I discovered my first concealer brush, it was akin to Columbus discovering America. Suddenly, I could conceal any pesky pimples flawlessly without looking like I smeared my finger into concealer and rubbed it on (which is pretty much how I was applying before).

If you only keep a few brushes in your arsenal, these are the other must-haves: a foundation brush for BB cream or base; an eye-shadow brush with densely packed bristles; a fluffy eye-shadow brush for blending and applying highlighter; a fluffy powder brush to set your makeup; an angled blush brush to help you define your cheekbones; and, lastly, a small angled brush that you can use to create a precise cat eye or fill in your brows.

It seems silly to spend a ton of time perfectly applying your makeup only to have it disappear by midday, doesn't it? When I discovered primer for the first time, it was the beginning of an obsession that's become well-known around the TotalBeauty.com office.

Primers are totally worth the extra five seconds it takes to spread them over your face -- and not just because they drastically reduce the need for touch-ups later in the day. They create a smooth barrier between your skin and your makeup, so your foundation not only stays on longer, it goes on a hundred times smoother.

Primers aren't just for your foundation. My smokey-eye routine was transformed when I discovered eye primers. (No more weird shadow creases!) Ditto lash primers; they make every mascara perform so much better.

I usually log about five to six hours of sleep a night. I manage to be peppy and alert the following day, but I'm not immune to dark circles and puffy eyes. That's why I had to become a master at covering them up. I've learned that if my skin looks sallow and dull, it doesn't matter if I'm wearing a perfect cat-eye or the brightest lipstick in my makeup collection.

I always start with a hydrating, illuminating eye cream and let it sink in to prep my dehydrated under-eye area. Then I dot a creamy, peachy concealer from the inner corner of my eye to the outer edge and blend it using my ring finger or a damp makeup sponge.

If I look extra zombie-like, I use a thicker concealer that matches my skin tone underneath the peach concealer. I always set it with a light dusting of powder.

One of the worst feelings in the word: You catch a glimpse of your reflection in natural lighting and realize that your face is two shades darker than your neck. Or your bronzer isn't blended enough. Or your supposedly subtle highlighter is as sparkly as a teen vampire. You can avoid mishaps like these by simply applying your makeup in daylight.

And if you're going to be in photos, make sure you take a selfie first. You should check for two things: that your makeup shows up (makeup often seems to disappear in photos), and everything is properly blended -- especially if you're wearing translucent face powder, which can make you look like you just stuck your nose in a bowl of flour.