The old adage ‘a little bit goes a long way,’ is true of many things in life, especially makeup! You don’t need to be a makeup pro to know how to make the most out of the contents in your beauty drawer. You don’t even need a face full of perfectly applied on makeup to look amazing. All you really need is to know the right tricks that will deliver maximum results with minimal effort, now who doesn’t love that? Sometimes, all it takes is a bit of liner, or the perfect shade of lipstick, to take you from blah to beautiful in 10 seconds flat.
Read on for six simple little tricks that make a huge difference!
1. Illuminate: I never leave the house without swiping my cheeks with an illuminator, which is such an easy way to liven up your appearance. I especially love The Multiple by Nars (by shade of choice is Orgasm), which can also be used on the eyes, lips, and face. The creamy formula blends right into the skin giving you an instant, natural looking flush and invigorating your complexion in one fell swoop.
Nars The Multiple in Orgasm, $37
2. Brighten the Eyes: Most of us don’t get the recommended 8 hours of sleep, but all of us can fake it using this foolproof trick- a trusted trick used by all the pros. All you do is pencil in some white liner into the inner corners of your eyes and voila, you will instantly have a wide-eyed, energized appearance.
Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Pearl, $18
3. Always Moisturize: Whether your skin is dry or not, always, always, ALWAYS moisturize. When your skin is dry, you can look older and your complexion can appear dull and lifeless. Moisturizer gives your skin a smooth, creamy, appearance which not even the best beauty products can re-create. Moisturizers also help makeup go on smoother for an evened out, natural finish (after moisturizing, wait a few minutes before beginning your makeup routine to really let it absorb).My skin is super sensitive so I absolutely love Aveeno’s Positively Radiant formula which is lightweight and gentle. It also contains SPF which you already know is massively important.
Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer, $16.79
4. Curl Those Lashes. Curling your lashes before applying mascara is a teeny step that takes a few seconds and makes a huge difference. Curled lashes catch the brush of the mascara wand more easily creating thicker, fuller lashes, and what’s sexier than that?
Paula Dorf Curl-Up Eyelash Curler, $16
5. Rock A Nude Lip: I have always been a fan of the nude-lip look- it’s just so clean and light, and works beautifully set against just about any complexion. Before applying lipstick, always make sure you’re lips are smooth and moisturized and be sure to select a shade that complements your skin tone- you’ll know when you find it, trust me. I am in love with the Smashbox Photo FinishLipstick in Charming and am continually impressed with how significantly better I look after applying it! I always like to finish the nude lip with a coat of clear gloss, for a shiny finish.
Smashbox Photo Finish Lipstick in Charming, $22
6. Tweeze the Brows: I think we are all well aware of the huge role eyebrows play in our overall appearance. If you have thick brows like me, it’s super important to maintain them between salon visits, I mean every day look in a magnified mirror and pluck those strays right on outta there. When you let your brows grow out of control and then try to do some damage control, it can be really difficult to maintain the shape and you run the risk of over plucking- a fatal mistake I have made one too many times. It’s also a lot less painful to pluck gradually as opposed to doing one major overhaul, so take a few seconds every day to do some maintenance, it’ll definitely be worth it and will extend your time between waxing appointments!
Mally Beauty Double Ended Duty Perfect Tweezers, $19.50.
– SABRINA ALEXIS