Start out with a clean canvas. By this, I mean wash your face with a creamy cleanser. You can even use a face wipe. Boots No7 Quick Thinking 4-in-1 Wipes are good and you can get them at any drugstore. Apply a light moisturizer like Dove's Day Lotion. Hydrated skin is the easiest to work with. If you have severe dry skin (like me), use something a little thicker and creamier like Lierac's Anti-Aging Hydration Extreme Balm. The thicker the moisturizer, the longer you should wait before applying makeup. This shouldn't take longer than 5 minutes.
Once your skin is dry, take a cream concealer (like Bed Head Wipe Out Concealer) and apply it all over your eyelids with a concealer brush. You want to use a brush for this step because they pick up cream concealers best and help apply evenly. Many people don't wear concealer on their lids, but it's actually important. The skin on your eyelids is very thin, so any imperfections you may have show up the most there. An added bonus is that the concealer acts as a base for eyeshadow and helps it stay in place.
Dot a liquid concealer under your eyes. L'Oreal True Match Concealer works well. Liquid concealers are the easiest to blend and they give a good amount of coverage without looking cakey. Blend with your ring finger; it gives you the most control. Lightly pat the concealer into place. If you have severe undereye circles, you can opt for a cream concealer, but make sure to spend extra time blending.
Next, use the same liquid concealer and apply it to any trouble spots. For me, I tend to get redness around my mouth, and sometimes I'll have a few red blotches is random areas. Blend the same way you blended under your eyes--pat with your ring finger until the edges of the concealer are seamless.
Using a big fluffy brush, use a translucent powder to blend everything together even more. Almay Pure Blends Loose Finishing Powder in Translucent Shimmer is my fave because it adds just a hint of shimmer to give you a bit of a glow.And there you have it! Follow these steps and your face will look flawless. Just apply your normal makeup on top and you're good to go.