50+ tips and tricks revealed by makeup artists

1.) Use the right foundation for your skin type

Use a water-based foundation if you have oily skin. Use an oil-based foundation if you have dry skin. Everyone is different.

–fillionfan4002

2.) You don’t need a lip liner with your liquid matte lipstick

And if anyone tells you that you do, they are a liar. Almost all liquid lipsticks do just fine on their own.

–chaseh4d702078b

3.) Let your eyelid primer dry before adding eyeshadow

And after the primer dries, coat them with a light, neutral color all over your lid. This will act as a base and will make it easier to blend colors together. If you want a dark color, slowly build it – first with light colors, and then darker. Don’t just go straight from light to dark.

–hilaryt4c2912791

4.) Save your mascara brush

Fun fact: most of the mascara magic actually comes from the brush. So if you found one that really works for you, save the brush when you’re done, clean it, and try using it with a cheaper bottle! It’s really not necessary to spend big bucks on this.

–chaseh4d702078b

5.) Make your matte, full-coverage concealer look more natural with primer oil or coconut oil

Use just a drop of the oil of your choice and it will make your heavy concealer more radiant, easy to blend, and natural. It also helps with creasing!

–hollys4af76bd26

6.) Use hairspray to tame full eyebrows

First, spray hairspray on a clean, disposable mascara wand. Then brush your brows up and into the shape you’re going for. If it makes the hair on our head stay in place, it definitely works for the hair on our face!

–sarahw48dbc790a

7.) Wet your brush before applying highlighter

It will instantly give it a little more glow.

–zarayoung

8.) Don’t apply primer with your fingers

It can cause micro-exfoliation, which causes clumps.

–hannahhollygalaxy

9.) Use a matte bronzer to make your eyes look bigger

If you’re doing a full face of makeup but want to keep your eyes bare, put a little bit of matte bronzer in your lid crease and bottom lashline. That way, they will still be bare, but they will also appear bigger.

–joannac48150bfa5

10.) Never use face soap with sodium laureth sulfate

Makeup artists swear that it dries out your skin.

–overlord247

11.) Stick to matte eyeshadows and powders if you have fine lines on and around your eyelids

Using something shimmery usually accentuates those lines.

–sarahw48dbc790a

12.) Always do your eye makeup before your foundation

That way, you will have an easier time cleaning up any fallout from your eyeshadow.

–nathanvh

13.) Always exfoliate and prime your lips with a serum

Especially when using a liquid matte lipstick. Cracked lips will show!

–hannahhollygalaxy

14.) Use scotch tape for the perfect eyeliner wing

Angle it from your eye to your eyebrow for the crispest, cleanest eyeliner wing you’ll ever see. Boom, magic.

–amandadbrown

15.) Use eyeshadow primer on the lash line

Then sweep eyeshadow on top with a fine liner brush to create a smudge-proof eyeliner. Now if you’re out of eyeliner, you can use your shadows for the same effect!

–sarahw48dbc790a

16.) You can also use a cotton pad

If you use cotton pads to apply your face makeup, use those same pads for your eyeliner! Simply fold it in half and use the straight side to line up with your eye for the perfect sweep. No tape needed.

–alyssar4

17.) If you accidentally get mascara around your eyes, let it dry

Wait 5 minutes or so and then swipe it away with a Q-tip. At that point, it should flake off and not smudge.

–alyssar4

18.) Never share makeup brushes

It’s super unsanitary.

–TheAmazingPatchy

19.) Tarte’s Timeless Smoothing Primeris an absolute must

It’s soft and it doesn’t clog pores. What more could you want?

–kristytish

20.) Imagine a line from the outer corner of your eye to the tip of your brow. This is where your eyeshadow should stop.

A lot of times, people make the mistake of not bringing out their eyeshadow far enough. This can actually make the eyebrow look smaller.

–caitlinb4dab8e90c

21.) If you’re just starting out and want to learn how to contour, put the contour color on a brush or sponge first

It will be harder to blend if you draw it on directly like lines.

–breelightyear

22.) Don’t sleep in your makeup

“Skin needs time to breathe and when you’re sleeping, your body is repairing the most. Sleeping in makeup is not only messy, but it causes breakouts, premature aging, and stained bedding. Take care of your skin, loves!”

–kehudd

23.) Don’t recreate the celebrities

“Those looks are made for them, their skin type, skin tone, and face shape. People always come into my shop and request to look like Kim Kardashian and I have to explain to them that it might not work on them and sometimes they even get upset when it doesn’t turn out. Yes, I can do it, but it won’t look good on you. Instead ask for something dramatic like Kim Kardashian or whatever you want but do not ask to look like them!”

–kwahlmgwab072109

24.) Invest in good skin care products

“Your makeup, no matter how much you paid for it, will not look its best when it’s added on top of dry, scaly, splotchy, oily and just plain unhappy skin. Want to get makeup optional skin? INVEST in skin care.”

–estherm4b4afb266

Stuff Mom Never Told Me
Source:

Stuff Mom Never Told Me

25.) Don’t start from the top lash line if you’re doing winged eyeliner, use the bottom lash line for a smoother, straighter line

And look at the wing you drew first while drawing your second one.

–blayne

26.) Never store your makeup in a bathroom cabinet

The humidity can cause it to alter and go bad before its time, plus toilet germs.

–a46ee00e98

27.) Blend your foundation out onto your neck

“When wearing foundation please blend it out. Put product on your jawline, and blend it out into your neck. Also blend the foundation along the edges of your face out. It’ll help create a natural look and make it less obvious you’re wearing foundation, plus it will visually improve your color match.”

—astridm4acd055cf

28.) Don’t use stark white concealer under your eyes

“Use an under-eye concealer one shade lighter than your face concealer, not two or three shades. It will give you a naturally bright effect instead of a contrasting white effect, which looks super unnatural.”

–elliel45c6f7c8c

Fashion Translated
Source:

Fashion Translated

29.) Apply setting powder with a damp beauty blender or brush

This does wonders for people with dry or textured skin and gives a smooth, airbrushed finish.

–kaylah17

30.) The same foundation that works for you in the summer might not work for you in the winter

For example, I use a more moisturizing foundation in the winter (Too Faced Born This Way) and prefer a more matte coverage in the summer (Hourglass Stick Foundation).

—adrianaoliviaavedai

31.) For eyeshadow, tap the excess eyeshadow off the brush

Also hold the brush farther from the handle for more control.

–izzyfaith04

32.) Blend your foundation into your hairline and make sure to contour that too

Everyone knows to drag their makeup down their neck a little bit, but too often I see people with a line between their makeup and hair. Not a good look!

–elliel45c6f7c8c

33.) Stop blowing on your makeup brushes

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people do this and it makes me cringe. Brushes already harbor bacteria if not cleaned and taken care of properly; you blowing on your brushes and getting saliva particles all over it isn’t helping considering you’re applying it directly to your face therefore causing breakouts, clogged pores, etc. If you’ve picked up too much product, just tap it off or give your brush a little shake.”

–stephaniet57

34.) Use a foundation one shade darker on the outer edge of your face to add depth

–zarayoung

35.) If your skin is very oily, apply a light layer of powder after you apply your primer and before you apply your foundation

It’ll give you a smoother look. Also, baby powder works great for baking your face. I use it for everything!

–lizzied4cd39dc2f

36.) Glowing cheeks that look natural

“”Add your favorite blush to the cheeks before you apply foundation for a glow that looks like it’s coming from beneath the skin. A bright, warm pink at the apple is perfect for any complexion.”

– James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

37.) Multi-colors on the cheeks is important

“Apply two shades of blush for the perfect flush of youth. Pink, or anything in the red family should be placed on the apple of the cheek; it will give the effect of blood coming to the surface. Peach, coral, or anything in the orange family should be applied to the highest point of the cheekbone; that gives the effect of heat rising. Finish by bringing a matte bronzer to the skin where sun hits the face (forehead, cheekbone, bridge of nose, and chin).”

– James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

38.) Lighten your coverage

“Mixing foundation with moisturizer is an easy way to lighten your coverage options if you already have a fuller coverage foundation.”

– Caitlin Wooters, makeup artist

39.) Make sure those lashes get coated

“Use the handle of a brush to lift the eyelid at the base of the lashes to roll your lashes up and back; this allows you to wiggle the mascara wand against the base of the lashes and pull through any clumps in a clean and precise manner.”

– Kara Yoshimoto Bua, Chanel celebrity makeup artist

40.) Don’t be afraid of red

“If you want to find the perfect red for your complexion, try applying one lip color that has the same undertone as your complexion all over the lip: Cool uses cool, warm uses warm. Apply a red with the opposite tone just to the center for a lip that looks full and fantastic.”

– James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

41.) Reach for the school supplies

“No. 2 pencils are the perfect graphite shade to sketch in natural eyebrow hairs. Sharpen one to a point and draw in lightly for a finished brow.”

– James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

42.) Thicken up watery foundation

“To make foundation thicker, mix in a touch of loose powder. (Be careful not to add too much or it will cake.)”

– Cecilia Muench, creative director of Inglot

43.) Chill out and reduce puff

“To reduce puffiness, pop eye lotion in the icebox and apply to lids before eye makeup.”

– Petra Strand, creator of Pixi by Petra

44.) Find the right lip shade

“Test lipstick on the inside of your fingertip, rather than on the back of your hand. The pad of your finger closely resembles your own lip color, so see which one looks best there, then move to the lips.”

– Kerry Cole,style director of Becca Cosmetics

45.) The power of gold

“Gold powder pigment is a great way to lengthen lashes or brows. Use a clean spoolie brush, toothbrush, or mascara wand, and brush a bronze or yellow gold pigment through a mascared lash or brow for a beautiful effect that adds dimension without looking hard.”

– James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

46.) Who knew?

“Halloween is the perfect time to stock up on some unexpected essentials. Fake blood is the ideal blush shade. Add it to the apple of the cheek for any skin tone—it looks like a natural flush of color coming though the skin.”

– James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

The Dragons Den Fancy Dress
Source:

The Dragons Den Fancy Dress

47.) You better stock up on your next visit!

“Starbucks napkins and disposable toilet-seat covers work just as well as blotting papers.”

– Kerry Cole, style director of Becca Cosmetics

48.) If it works, it works!

“As a little girl, I would watch my mother apply egg whites to her face (especially around her eyes) about an hour or two before going out to a special event. She would take one egg, separate it, whisk it until it was frothy, and apply the egg white all over her face and leave it on for 20 minutes. After, she would wash it off with lukewarm water and immediately apply her makeup. The egg white tightens the skin and wrinkles to give you a temporary facelift.”

– Niki Metz, director of artistry for Jouer

49.) Who doesn’t want to look younger?

“My favorite ‘look younger’ makeup tip is to first use a luminizer in the inner corner, then swoop it with a fan brush underneath the eye. This brightens the face.”

– Deanna Melluso, celebrity makeup artist

50.) Pucker that pout

“Use a flesh-toned eyeliner to outline the lips along the Cupid’s bow. This reduces the chance of feathering and makes lips appear fuller.”

– Petra Strand, creator of Pixi by Petra

51.) Better safe than sorry

“If you can’t find a perfect shade, buy one that’s slightly darker than your skin and one that’s slightly lighter, then fine-tune the color yourself.”

– Lora Arellano

52.) Strange but effective

“Pull your bottom lip down and look at the inside color. Pick a lipstick shade that’s either lighter or a bit deeper but along the same tone as the inside of your lip. Oh, and don’t do this in public.”

– Maggie Ford Danielson, Benefit global beauty authority

53.) Buff, buff, buff!

“Buff, buff, buff foundation into the skin — quickly, like a whirlwind — with a brush. It ensures the coverage won’t look heavy-handed.”

– Vincent Oquendo

54.) Instant lip lift

“Apply concealer to the outer corners of your lips to give your lips a lift.”

– Niki Metz, director of artistry for Jouer

55.) Fuller brows while you sleep

“Apply a nourishing balm to your eyebrows before going to bed. This will guarantee extra strength and growth—thicker eyebrows in two weeks.”

– Terry de Gunzburg, founder of By Terry