Best Makeup Tips

Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize (and SPF!): This non-negotiable trio ensures a healthy, hydrated, and smooth canvas. Let your moisturizer fully absorb before moving on.

Exfoliation is Key: Gently exfoliating (chemical or physical) once or twice a week removes dead skin cells, preventing foundation from looking patchy or clinging to dry spots.

Hydrate to Glow: Makeup sits best on hydrated skin. Look for serums with ingredients like hyaluronic acid to plump the skin for a dewy finish.

Choose Wisely: Select a primer based on your skin's needs: a blurring/matte primer for oily skin and minimizing pores, or a hydrating/glowy primer for dry skin and a luminous finish.

Target Your Application: Focus the primer on areas where makeup tends to fade or crease fastest, often the T-zone and around the eyes.

The Inside-Out Rule: Concentrate your foundation in the center of your face (around the nose and forehead) where redness or imperfections are most common. Blend outwards. This ensures the edges of your face have minimal product, preventing a harsh "line of demarcation."

Dab, Don't Rub: Use a damp beauty sponge or a dense brush to gently tap or stipple the product into the skin. This presses the makeup into the skin for maximum coverage and a smooth finish, rather than pushing it around.

Concealer for Coverage, Not Correction: Apply foundation first to even out your skin tone, then use a matching concealer sparingly on specific spots, blemishes, or areas of discoloration. For under-eyes, a shade slightly lighter than your foundation can brighten, but over-applying can lead to creasing.

Enhance, Don't Alter: Use a cream or liquid contour/bronzer two to three shades darker than your base. Apply it to the hollows of your cheeks, temples, and jawline.

The Lifted Application: To create a lifted effect, apply your contour slightly higher than the actual hollow of your cheekbone, blending upwards toward your ear/temple.

Bold and Bright: Don't shy away from vibrant pinks, corals, or berry tones. The current trend, sometimes called "Blush Blindness," encourages a bolder application.

High Point Flush (The "Boyfriend Blush" Effect): For a lifted look, apply blush to the high points of your cheekbones and blend back towards your temple, sometimes even sweeping a little across the bridge of your nose for a sun-kissed look. Cream and liquid formulas are excellent for a dewy finish.

The Inner Glow Trick: Try applying a liquid or cream blush before your foundation for a truly "glowing from within" look.

Strategic Shine: Apply highlighter to the highest points of your face: the tops of your cheekbones, the brow bone, the bridge of your nose, and the Cupid's bow.

Inner Corner Pop: A tiny dab of highlighter or a light, shimmery eyeshadow in the inner corner of your eyes can make them look instantly wider and more awake.

Eye Focus: Pair a bold graphic liner, a smoky eye, or vibrant eyeshadows with a neutral lip. Current Trend Alert: Smudged black eyeliner for a lived-in, grunge-inspired look is very popular.

Lip Focus: Pair a statement lip—think deep berries, classic reds, or warm matte browns—with minimal eye makeup (just mascara and groomed brows).

Feathery Strokes: When filling in sparse areas, use a fine-tipped pencil or brow pen to create light, upward, hair-like strokes.

Instant Lift: Apply a subtle highlighter just above the arch of your brow and blend it out. This simple trick creates an immediate visual lift.

The 'X' Marks the Spot: To define your Cupid's bow perfectly, draw an 'X' at the center of your upper lip using your lip liner, then continue lining the rest of your mouth.

For a Fuller Pout: Slightly overline your lips using a liner that matches your natural lip color or lipstick shade. Blend the liner inward before applying lipstick to prevent a harsh ring.

Set for Lasting Wear: After applying lipstick, gently blot your lips with a tissue, then dust a light layer of translucent setting powder over the tissue on your lips before applying a final thin layer of color. This locks the color in place.

Setting is Essential: Use a light dusting of translucent powder (or a targeted powder) on your T-zone and under-eye area to set liquid products and minimize shine. Avoid heavy application, which can lead to a "cakey" finish.

Melt it All Together: A good setting spray is your final step. It removes any powdery look and fuses the makeup layers, helping them last longer and look more like skin. Hold the bottle at arm's length and mist evenly.