Over the last ohh, 18 years of wearing makeup (wow… I feel old), I’ve learned a few little sneaky tricks to get the most out of my products. Whether it’s tips to get the product itself to last a LOT longer, or ways to make them look extra awesome on my face or hair, this top 10 beauty hacks list will give you some of my magical ways.
in no particular order…
This is one of my most recommended tips to friends who struggle finding that one magical mascara. In many cases it just doesn’t exist, ladies. You need to cocktail your mascaras to get what you want. I like to start with a lengthening mascara to build up the length, then top with a volumizing mascara to bulk up the lashes. It’s usually all about the brush and rarely can one brush build both amazing volume and amazing length simultaneously. Cocktail mascaras. Let me know how it goes.
This is a tip often found in magazines, etc., but it’s usually talking about the toilet seat covers (which, yes, are exactly the same as 98% of the blotting papers you buy for $5-10). However, the super thin and cheap toilet paper in the public bathroom works almost as well if you’re on a date, at the airport or just suuuper shiny at work.
Those of us who have joined the dry shampoo train know its miracles, but instead of using it in the morning if you skipped shampooing, blast your roots with your dry shamp at night, let it settle while you sleep and in the morning, you’ll have zero white cast, no greasies and lots texture and volume.
Many apply highlighter as one of the last steps in their makeup routine, but I find that when I highlight first, followed by the bronzer/contour and blush (in that specific order), it makes the highlight shade sort of pop through the skin in a lit-from-within way instead of a streak of metallic frost on your cheekbones. It also prevents you from going overboard on the blush for some reason. This trick works especially better on normal/oilier skin (like mine).
Are you still over plucking your brows? Try tweezing at night before you wash your face while you still have brow product in. This prevents you from taking away from the areas you are filling in (for a reason). This is one of my favorite tips that has made a huge difference for me over the last year.
If you have crazy wiry brows like me, or just have a hard time determining your shape, instead of just blinding filling in your brows, take a spoolie brush and brush those brows down to see the true shape. You may even find you have a strange shape that can be immediately improved by filling in some spots on the top of your brow. Once you filled in the top areas as needed, brush up to fill in any other sparse areas and keep those brows brushed up (gently). It’s way more natural/youthful-looking.
If you’re very oily, this is a trick I learned from some makeup artist friends. Apply a layer of your normal setting powder or a mineral foundation to your face after moisturizer but BEFORE liquid/cream foundation. Once you apply the liquid/cream on top, the finish is more matte and lasts longer, overall.
So many people complain their gel eyeliner or cream eyeshadow separate and dry out so fast before they get even halfway through the product. Mine last me years (2+) and I never ever have to add a thinning agent to reactive the product because I always store creams and gels upside-down in my makeup drawer.
This one is for my friends with fine lines around the mouth and/or under the eyes. Two things happen here: either you don’t use a powder at all because it’s too drying for your skin, but then the concealer creases and/or disappears from you face so you don’t eve know what the point of applying it was, OR, you’re applying too much concealer and powder which is just highlighting what you’re trying to conceal.
I know it’s tempting to apply more concealer here, but it’s inevitable that concealer will crease unless you set it with powder. If you’re setting with powder under your eyes, it’s going to accentuate any crinkles/wrinkles. Sooo how does applying more concealer work? It doesn’t. Apply the thinnest amount needed (and in the right formula. try this or this.) to cover those dark circles or discoloration, set with a very light dusting off a translucent powder (this one) and be done with it. PLEASE don’t over conceal fine lines. So harsh.
I learned this when I was getting wedding-ready. Of course, like many brides, I wanted the longest Rapunzel hair ever. Instead of taking plain Biotin as a supplement, I figured I may as well take a multivitamin with that extra boost of Biotin via a prenatal vitamin. It worked like a charm and I still take prenatals daily. My hair has never grown faster or been healthier.
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What are some of your personal beauty tips that have worked for you? Which one of my top 10 beauty hacks was your favorite – let me know in the comments and if you found this post helpful, please share it on social media using the little social share buttons below. Thanks so much <3
Happy hacking,
-Steffanie
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