10 Makeup Tricks Every Women Should Know
1. Remove mascara marks without smudging
If you get mascara on your skin during application, simply let it dry and buff it off with a cotton bud. Trying to remove it wet will create a messy smudge.
2. Make your eyes look larger and brighter
Use a soft white or nude eye pencil along the lower waterline of your eye to instantly brighten and open the eyes up. Wearing black liner in this area can make the eyes look smaller.
3. Find the perfect application point for blush
Not sure where to apply your blush? Smile in the mirror; the fleshy part of the cheek (the apple) that protrudes is where colour should be applied. You can use lipstick as a cream blush - simply pat on with a fingertip and keep patting it out to blend.
4. Repair broken powder compacts
If your favourite eyeshadow or powder compact has broken, pour a little isopropyl alcohol (available at pharmacies) on to the broken pieces and push them back together in the compact. The alcohol will evaporate, and your shadow will be back in one piece.
5. Beat creasing
If your concealer is creasing under your eyes, try using a super fine invisible powder to set it. Try MAC Prep and Prime powder - this is a white powder that adds no colour or coverage to skin. Apply a tiny amount on a fluffy brush under the eyes to set your concealer.
If your foundation creases in other areas of your face too, apply the same type of powder on a small brush to set. This technique gives a more natural look than powdering all over with a large brush.
6. Make your lipstick last all day
Switch out your glossy lipsticks for a matte shade. Matte lipsticks last incredibly well, and are less likely to bleed out into the lines around the mouth. Always prep your lips with a thick layer of lip balm 15 minutes before you apply lipstick - wipe this off completely when you're ready, and apply a tiny amount of invisible translucent powder around the edges of your lips.
Fill in your lip line and the entire lip area with your lip liner, then paint on your lip colour with a brush. Blot on a tissue, and apply another layer of lipstick. Avoid wearing lip gloss over lipstick, as it will shift and move around quickly.
7. Conserve your foundation
Switch from a flat foundation brush to a fluffy stippling brush. Buffing foundation into skin requires less product, and gives a more natural look. Flat brushes tend to paint foundation on, and mean you end up using much more than you need.
Start in the centre of the face; this is usually where the most coverage is required. Slowly blend out to the edges of your face, and be sure to buff down the jawline so there are no noticeable lines.
8. Bronze and contour in a 'C' shape
Create a quick contour by using your bronzer in a C shape - curving under the cheekbone and working up to the sides of the forehead. Blend thoroughly, and start with minimal product before building up the depth. This will give you a natural, sun-kissed, modern contour.
9. Make your lips look plumper
To create bigger looking lips, apply your lip liner just outside the lip line through the centre of the lips. As you draw down to the corners of the mouth, veer on to your natural lip line. Fill in your lips with the liner, and top with a matte lipstick.
Desi Perkins has a great YouTube tutorial for this technique here -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxCT0M4i2c0.
For a quick, easy technique, mix a clear gloss with a highlighting powder and apply to the centre of the lips. Pat out and blend. This looks particularly nice with nude and pale pink lipsticks.
10. Rescue powdery, overdone makeup
Is your makeup looking cakey and dull? A spray toner will revive your makeup and give you a fresh dewy look. If you've applied too much powder or foundation, a few spritzes will create a natural finish. You can also spray your toner on to your foundation brush to blend your makeup out - this gives a lovely fresh effect.
Spray toners are excellent to travel with - spray on to bare skin for hydration and refreshment in the plane, or prior to applying your moisturiser.