A swipe of white liner along the waterline; a color corrector for under-eye circles; eye drops for brighter eyes: We’ve heard these beauty hacks a million times over, but we’re still no more likely to pick up a bottle of Visine.
So instead of giving you the same ol’ boring makeup pointers you’ve been reading in magazines since, well, forever, we tapped top beauty experts such as Romero Jennings, Robin Black, and Jamie Greenberg to deliver tips and tricks that are truly novel. Read on for the 25 best makeup tips of all time according to the pros.
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“To avoid your eyeliner ghosting you by midday, use an eyeliner pencil dipped in gel liner to apply color to your waterline; it glides on easy (no watery eyes!) and stays put longer. Then, set the gel liner with a matching powder eyeshadow for stay-all-day power.” –Marlena Stell, founder of Makeup Geek
“The key to a slide-free foundation is primer, but more important is the type of moisturizer that you use. Heavy moisturizers will break down primers and even help melt your foundation in humidity. I recommend the lightweight Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel. It’ll give you maximum hydration without any oily build-up; plus, it’s refreshing and feels like it is cooling down the skin as it hydrates.” –Romero Jennings, M.A.C. Cosmetics director of makeup artistry
“The most unlikely thing that I carry in my professional makeup kit is Scotch tape. It’s perfect for last-minute flaky skin removal (just pat gently on dry skin), to prep lips for bright lipstick (it removes the little flakes without being damaging), as a quick way to clean up any eye shadow fallout without messing up your base (tap lightly to pick up shadow pigments), and it makes a great stencil for creating really dramatic eyeliner shapes.” –Robin Black, photographer and makeup artist
“Run out of color corrector? Ban under-eye discoloration with lipstick. In a pinch, you can use a matte peach (for porcelain/fair skin) or coral ( for medium/deep skin) lipstick to neutralize dark circles. The warm, orange tint works to counteract unsightly blue or purple tones, and the creamy formula is easy to blend into the skin.” –Marlena Stell, founder of Makeup Geek
“While I’m not a proponent of overdrawing your lips in an unrealistic way, I do think women often underestimate the size of their lips. If you apply a lip primer or touch of concealer before lining the lips, you’ll see your lip line extends beyond the “color” of your lips. Powder the lips before lining to ensure your pencil catches and drags smoothly. I like Guerlain Liplift Lip Primer and Shiseido Translucent Loose Powder.” –Ashleigh Ciucci, an NYC-based makeup artist
Source: Instagram
“Medium to olive skin tones look sunkissed and healthy with bronzer, but bronzer can be too dark on fair skin and too light for dark skin. If you’re fair, choose a warm peach to kiss your forehead to cheekbones. This is a chic alternative to looking unnaturally bronzed-up. If your skin tone is dark, use a shimmering—not glittery—gold powder across the temples and cheekbones. This mimics the glowy properties of a traditional bronzer.”–Ashleigh Ciucci, an NYC-based makeup artist
“I love making eyes look bigger with Ardell Individual Lashes or by filling in my top water rim with Makeup Forever Aqua Black and using the Laura Mercier Flat Eye Line brush.”–Jamie Greenberg, celebrity makeup artist and host of “Pretty Little Pranksters”
“When using a tinted brow gel, control the application by applying a coat of clear brow gel first. The clear will help dilute the tinted so that you’re able to build color as you choose. Products du jour: Benefit Gimme Brow and Great Lash Clear.” –Ashleigh Ciucci, an NYC-based makeup artist
“After applying blush , I like to blend the sheerest foundation around the outside to hide any hard edges. This gives a natural believable effect.” –Valery Gherman, a makeup artist who works with Emily Ratajkowski and Lily Aldridge
When primers and powders don’t work in the humidity and sweat, try using milk of magnesia! Although originally formulated for your stomach, the active ingredients in the formula help to mattify the skin and even help with acne-prone skin to help minimize large pores.” –Maya René, an NYC- and Chicago-based makeup artist
“Clean up graphic liner with an angled brush and non-oil-based eye-makeup remover. It’s more precise than using a Q-tip and the non-oil remover will prevent product breakdown. I like M.A.C #266 Brush and Make Up for Ever Sens’Eyes.”–Ashleigh Ciucci, an NYC-based makeup artist
“One thing I reach for that you might not expect is a fine-art brush for my eyeliner. They last ages and are firm but really thin for a great result on the lash line. Plus, they are so much cheaper. I normally buy a few each time and get rid of them once they start to fray and don’t make my life easier anymore.” –Charlotte Hayward, a hair and makeup artist who works with Emma Watson and Kiernan Shipka
“For a flush that looks like it’s coming from within, apply a cheek stain to your bare skin; don’t be afraid to go kinda bright. Follow with your BB Cream or light-medium coverage foundation, and you’re left with a subtle rosy glow.”–Ashleigh Ciucci, an NYC-based makeup artist
Source: Instagram
“Powdering your face when you are sweaty traps the excess oil, bacteria, and grime right up against your pores where they are likely to cause breakouts. Instead, try Japanese charcoal blotting papers to suck up the oil on your skin and reduce bacteria.”–Robin Black, photographer and makeup artist
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“I have a laissez-faire approach to those annoying last-minute breakouts. Instead of attempting to conceal the pimple, I simply dot directly over it with a dark-brown eyeliner and pretend it’s a beauty mark. Add a bit of red lipstick and suddenly you are channeling old Hollywood glamour rather than concealing a breakout.”–Robin Black, photographer and makeup artist
“Focusing a lengthening mascara above the pupil [instead of on the outer corners] will make the eye appear to be larger and lifted.” –Maya René, an NYC- and Chicago-based makeup artist
“I often use a primer on top of makeup, as well as underneath. Softly apply a mattifying one to the T-zone if needed, or a glowy one can be added on top for extra—but subtle—highlight.” –Charlotte Hayward, a hair and makeup artist who works with Emma Watson and Kiernan Shipka
“Daiso Japan Stick Head Cotton Buds: They’re exactly what they sound like—cotton buds with one side that’s sticky, and they’re absolutely genius for makeup fixes! The sticky side picks up loose eye shadow and crumbly mascara, while the normal side is great for the usual lipstick fixes. I often use these in the studio to remove stray bits of glitter or even little flakes of dry skin. And because they’re individually wrapped, you can stash them in your clutch for emergency touch-ups.”–Robin Black, photographer and makeup artist
“To make eyes appear bigger and more open, use an eye pencil, and make little dots at the root of the lash, top, and bottom, and then softly smudge.” –Sage Maitri, a makeup artist who works with Rashida Jones and Judy Greer
“When searching for the right color foundation, swipe the color on your forehead, jawline, and cheek. If the color doesn’t turn pink or oxidize immediately, then it’s most likely your correct color. You should also be paying attention to your skin’s undertone: If you’re unsure of your skin’s undertones, the easiest way is to look at the color of your veins on your inner wrists in the light. If they appear bluish, you’re cool and if they appear greenish, you’re warm.”–Maya René, an NYC- and Chicago-based makeup artist
“If you want a cat-eye that stays put, do not apply eye cream or moisturizer before the application for best results. Primer and powder are what you need for an indestructible liner. First, start with the Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base. Make sure to use this product on clean skin.” –Romero Jennings, M.A.C. Cosmetics director of makeup artistry
Source: Instagram
“I find myself sometimes using tape or a Post-It note! It’s great for precision and details in eye makeup and sometimes comes in handy when contouring the face!”–Maya René, an NYC- and Chicago-based makeup artist
“My secret savior for too many nights spent in hotel rooms is Kerry Benjamin’s Stacked Skincare Bamboo Washcloths (they come in a convenient travel bag). Hotel washcloths can be rough, full of bacteria, fabric softener and are just generally bad for sensitive skin. Kerry’s super soft bamboo mini washcloths are gentle on my skin and help prevent breakouts.”–Robin Black, photographer and makeup artist
“I love to apply a super shimmery shadow such as M.A.C Cosmetics Eye Shadow in Goldmine on top of a matte shadow like M.A.C Cosmetics Eye Shadow in Omega. The effect is chiffon over sequins.” –Romero Jennings, M.A.C. Cosmetics director of makeup artistry
“Bronzing your face makes you look awake. My go-to is IT Cosmetics Sunshine in a Compact.” –Jamie Greenberg, celebrity makeup artist and host of “Pretty Little Pranksters”
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