Getting the hang of your favourite make-up routine – and we’re including here the quest for the perfect products – is hard enough. Once that’s done, then it’s over to the whole practice-makes-perfect part. And when that’s over, you can always take it to a next level by tweaking your actions with these ninja make-up tips from the fashion world. Of course, it works for newbies too!
1. Heat up your eyelash curler
You only need to slightly warm your eyelash curler with a hairdryer to make your eyelashes look fuller. “Slightly” here is the key-word: if you heat the metal to much, and it heats fast!, you’ll feel the sting. So test it on your wrist first. Supermodel Gisele Bündchen, a fan of this technique, sometimes heats a small spoon when there’s no curler available.
2. Express depth with brown eye shadows
This one is a Pat McGrath favourite. (The superstar beauty artist has even received an MBE from the Queen of England, by the way.) Choose a duo of neutral soft brown eye shadows, one lighter than the other. Apply the lighter one across the eyelid and under the bottom lash line with a blending brush. Add the darker shadow with a smaller blush to the socket of the eye, as well as to the outer edge of the bottom lash line. A perfect shape!
3. Comb your eyelashes after mascara
Beauty shops usually keep clean & free mascara brushes near testing stations, and they come in handy when you need to un-clump your eyelashes after applying mascara. It works great to keep a neat, picture-perfect look.
4. Highlight it, baby
Highlighters – any pearly product, really – will do wonders for your face. By putting in on your cupid’s bow (right above the center of your upper lip) and on the center of your bottom lip, your lips look more defined and fuller. You can also dab some of it on the inside edge of your eyes and on your temples for an instantly brighter air.
5. The no-smudge lipstick trick
This one also comes from Ms. McGrath and has a couple of steps. A) Line and fill your lips with lip liner before the lipstick itself. It’ll make the color last longer. B) Apply lipstick, blot lips with a tissue & apply again, this time with your fingers for a matte look. C) Blot with tissues again. D) Finally, hold one thin layer of tissue over the lips and dust them with translucent powder through it. Genius, right?