Makeup is a part of may daily routines, but getting it right can sometimes feel like a ton of wasted time and effort. If you’re feeling lazy but want a high-end look, the tiniest tweaks can sometimes make a world of difference. Rather than investing in a new and expensive line of products to get that look right, get to know these useful hacks to up your cosmetic game ASAP.
1. Create a bold brow
Even with no makeup, a bold brow will give you a strong, clean look in no time. If brows are patchy, filling them in with pencil can make a bigger difference than you think. When buying, get one shade lighter than your actual brow color, otherwise the change will be too dramatic.
2. Line the lips
Even the most expensive lipstick can look cheap when it bleeds outside the line. Did you know that you can skip lipstick all-together and apply a light layer of lip liner to create a fuller look? Buy a lip liner that’s the same tone as your lip color, or just slightly darker.
3. Work the cheekbones
Highlighter can make a world of difference! Get a highlighter that matches your tone and sweep it across the highest part of the cheekbones, going from under the iris to your hairline. This adds a youthful, fresh glow as opposed to blush, which can age you.
4. Longer lashes
Forget heavy eyeshadows — lengthening your lashes through mascara (clear or black) will make your eyes look brighter, wider, and more awake. Apply a thin layer, so things don’t get clumpy.
5. Switch sponges for brushes
Here’s some bad news — sponges soak up bacteria and other germs, as opposed to bushes, which can be washed weekly. Brushes are surprisingly effective for foundation and concealer — especially kabuki brushes. If you use a sponge, try to keep it for single-use applications only.
6. Use highlighter on your lips
Just a dab of highlighter on the center of your upper and lower lip make them look bigger. If you want Kylie lips ASAP, all you need is to swap out lip gloss for liquid highlighter, which is always a foolproof beauty hack.
7. Green primer to help discoloration
Discoloration is a common skin issue for people. If it has a red undertone from too much fun, tinted face primer can do wonders. Try to search for one that’s tinted green, which actually combats those reddish tones and makes your skin look more even, with foundation or without.
8. Avoid pressed powder
Lots of women apply pressed powder after foundation. A better solution? Use a makeup-setting powder instead, or even better, a setting spray. This will seal your look just as well and provide a matte look on shiny and greasy problem areas. You can even place a drop of setting powder in your regular foundation.
9. Hide lipstick cracks with lip gloss
Do you deal with unevenness and cracking from lipstick? Avoid dry looks by layering on a lip gloss of a similar shade. The additional shine will make your lips look bigger and juicier than ever.
10. Get eyeliner of different colors
People think that more is more when it comes to getting a dramatic eye look, but the key is actually switching up the colors so you can get a new effect. Black eyeliner can look stark, so if you want to soften things up, go for gray instead. For smokey eye, use a brown shadow.
11. Brighten eyes with white liner
If you’re looking tired but need to fake a full night of sleep, white eyeliner is what you need. Dab it at the corners of your eyes for a more energized look that doesn’t make it look like you’re loaded with makeup. An amazing hack if you’re looking to skip the under-eye concealer.
12. Get a lip exfoliator
No matter what lip product you use, when it’s placed on top of dry, chapped skin, it doesn’t look great. Make sure you buff that dead skin off with a lip exfoliator, so that your product goes on smoothly — and stays on. You can even do this at home with coconut oil and rock salt or brown sugar.
13. Get the right foundation by testing on neck instead of arm
The worst makeup faux pas you can make is going with a foundation that’s too dark or light for your skin tone. We’ve always been told to color test on the inside of our arms, but our face and body are sometimes different shades due to sun exposure, so it’s best to test colors on your neck instead for better accuracy.
14. Avoid matte
If oiliness is a problem, don’t run towards matte! This mistake can make skin (especially mature skin) more dull, and less vibrant. Instead, always go with fluid, sheer products, which add shimmer and moisture.
