Part I is dedicated to doing small things that are available in the game. You generally like Lydia but you think she should be blonde? You can do that. Do you think Proventus Avenicci should have a beard? You can do that. However, this Part will only work with vanilla assets. No wild and crazy Apachii hairstyles with this (that comes later).

To do the simplest and easiest changes all you need is the Creation Kit (hereinafter always referred to as CK). To get that:

To work in the CK you need an esp (or esl for SE). There are two ways to do that.

1) You can go to Skyrim/Data and simply create a new file with an esp extension, or

2) You can open Skyrim, make some changes, and, when you try to save, give a name to the new esp that the CK will think that you're trying to make.

Now, to start off developing good habits. Whenever you are going into the CK to change the look of an NPC you should turn off the tintmasks, that is, you should make it so that the CK doesn't see them. The tintmasks are found here:

     Skyrim/Data/Textures/Actors/Character/Character Assets/Tintmasks

What I usually do is simply change the word "Tintmasks" to "aTintmasks". The CK doesn't recognize it and so things are happy. I'll say it again at the end but, when you're done, don't forget to turn the tintmasks back on.

When you open the CK, you'll get this:

The windows will be arranged differently. The layout you see above is the way it works best for me. If you spend much time in the CK you'll find the pattern that works best for you.

Click on Data and you will get ths:

As you scroll down you should be able to see anything that you have loaded. You must double-click any file that you want to be able to get to while in your session with the CK. For today's purpose this will only be the esp with which you are working. Then, with that file still chosen click on the "Set as Active File" button that I highlighted in red. Then, click the "OK" button to get started. The CK will automatically load any file that is required to make the ones you select work. Skyrim.esm will always be turned on by the CK. Please note: you can not make changes in an esm. It may look like you are but the CK won't save them.

Now, there is a lot of information to be had in the CK once you get started. This is NOT a general introduction. For today's purposes all you need to do is go into the Object Window (which is on the left hand sign of the screen in the image above) and click Actors (thankfully at the top of the list of things in that window). Then click on the the "Actors" in the next level of the tree. This should result in all the actors showing up in an alphabetical list. Bear in mind, if the NPC that you want to alter is from another esp you must also have loaded that esp (double click on it in the list in Data) at the beginning. Then, you can scroll down and double click on the NPC that you want (I chose Annekke Crag-Jumper) or you can type the name or part of the name in the filter (on the top left just below where it says "Object Window" and that will give you only a small number to choose from. Your result should look something like this:

What's really important to realize the first time that you come here is that this screen does NOT show everything. In fact, it doesn't show what you need to do what we set out to do. In the top right hand of the "Actor" box, just to the right of the "Animations" tab there are left and right arrows. You use them (initially only the one to the right) to show the remainder of the tabs that you can access. Tab to the right until you come to the "Character Gen Parts" tab. Click on that for everything else that you need for this.

Most of this is still irrelevant for what we are doing today. Let me point out the few things you might want to have access to. At the top near the center is "Face Complexion". From the drop-down list you can dirty up (or clean up) your actor. 

To its right is "Hair Color." From this drop-down you can choose to see if "blondes really have more fun." 

Below that is the "Face Tinting Color." Again, from the drop-down you can make someone lighter or darker.

Below that are the "Base Head Parts". When you choose (click on) one of these a drop-down menu appears in the box just below. Remember that all you will be able to choose from are the basic models provided by the game. So, while you can change someone's hair you only have the choice of stringy hair that Skyrim provides (and, of course, bald).

One more note. On the bottom there are two "Preview" boxes that you can tick. They will show (in the now empty space on the right of the box) either the full actor or just the head. My experience is that the one for the head tends to be glitchy and is best avoided. Instead, use the full one and use your mouse to zoom in on the face to see what your changes look like.

When you are done:

1) Click OK.

2) Click on the actor again in the Actor list (not double-click just highlight it). Then type Ctrl+F4. This exports any changes to the game from the CK. Failure to do this step is the cause of the infamous "dark-face" bug.

3) Save your changes in the "Data" screen (where you originally chose your esp) and close the CK.

4) Remember to turn your tintmasks back on.

Make sure your new esp is lower in your load order than anything else that might change the looks of your actor. Failure to do so will result in having down all this for nothing. You are now able to make simple changes to NPCs.