By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS    

It’s the biggest trend in makeup in the United States and Europe, but for the Latin American woman, cozying up to the no-makeup makeup look is not all that easy.

And when it comes to adapting the natural makeup look, the hardest thing for Latino women is often giving up their eyeliners.

Most Hispanic women love their eyeliners, and many of them won’t leave the house without a heavy line encircling their eyes.

And while the exaggerated cat-eye look never quite caught on most Latin American countries, heavy smoky eyeshadows and butterfly lashes have been stables of the Hispanic women’s cosmetic wardrobe for decades.

But slowly, the toned-down trend of thinner lines and less flamboyant eye shadows is finally beginning to take hold, even among the most Chola-inspired Latino beauties.

So how does a diehard Penelope Cruz wannabe go cold turkey on her eyeliner and mascara addiction?

The secret to the no-makeup look is to show off your own natural beauty, using a minimum of cosmetic enhancement that simply evens out color and provides shadowing.

And that, requires weaning yourself off your eyeliner obsession.

In the case of no-makeup makeup, the star of your face is your complexion, so you need to start with fresh, clean skin that has been gently exfoliated to bring out your natural radiance.

You should then apply moisturizer and sunscreen and a very light foundation to even out skin tone.

Apply the foundation with a brush, starting at the rim of the face and moving in so that there are no telltale lines.

Use a shade that is as close to your natural color as possible.

Light liquid foundations and BB creams give a natural look and cover flaws without looking “made-up.”

Next, apply a bronzer or darker shade of foundation – again with a brush – from just above the ear and down along the cheekbone to give your face definition.

It is very important that you don’t use too much bronzer and that you blend it so that it looks like a natural shadow, not streaks of color.

The same process can be applied along the top of the forehead near the hairline and under the jaw to provide shape to the face.

Use a light concealer under the eyes to brighten and hide circles, and you can use that same concealer over the brow to help open up your eyes.

As a rule, most Hispanic women can skip the blush with this look because they already have radiant skin tones, but if you do want to add color to your cheeks, try to choose a warm tone and keep it to the apple of your cheek and blend, blend, blend.

If you want to use a powder to seal your foundation, keep it light and be sure your sweep away any excess that can make your skin look cakey.

Eye makeup should be simple and understated, using just a soft beige color along the crease and just over it to deepen the appearance of your eyes

Natural browns, beiges and earth hues are ideal for this look because they have soft, natural tones that give dimension without heavy colorings.

Use the same color that you used along the crease, or a slightly darker shade, to make a smudged line along your upper lashes.

Apply this shadow by dotting it on and then blending.

Add a light coat of mascara, and, presto, your eye makeup is complete.

Finish your look off with a natural shade of matte lipstick, or, if you want to make a statement, use a bright red color, which will look like the only makeup you are wearing.

Press the color on to your lips with your fingertips rather than applying it directly from the tube. Concentrate it in the center and blend out.

The finished result is a more beautiful, natural-looking you that is suitable for day or night.