You have all the fanciest makeup palettes from the top brands. You also have a complete set of brushes which, by the way, does not at all come cheap.
Lastly, you have a picture of Beyonce’s makeup look that came with the list of makeup products used for it so replicating the look would be a breeze. You should be able to look like Queen B, right?
Makeup secrets pros swear by
If only things were that simple.
Great makeup is created by pros with exceptional techniques. These are people who continue to discover new and effective ways to ensure makeup application results in an absolutely flawless appearance. Therefore, many of their enlightened ways remain unknown to many.
To reduce your frustration over your inability to replicate the work of pros, here are seven amazing makeup secrets they have that make a huge difference in the looks they create:
1. Use eye cream as an all-over-the-face moisturiser
Sir John, Queen B’s makeup artist who has also worked with other big Hollywood celebs, says that eye cream provides great hydration all over the face. What’s even more impressive about it is it never looks too greasy, and you can use it for your lips as well especially if you like wearing matte liquid lipstick.
Matte liquid lipstick is notorious for drying out the lips. But, if you apply eye cream to your lips and top it with a swipe of lip balm before applying the lipstick, you won’t have to worry about crusty looking lipstick as the hours pass.
2. Non-toxic glue is the perfect brow gel
If you want a heavy duty brow gel without the added expense, non-toxic glue is a fantastic alternative. Not only is it more affordable, but it also does a better job of keeping your brow hairs in place and you can get more use out of it.
To use glue as a brow gel, keep the spoolie from your old brow gel or purchase a pack of disposable spoolies and apply as usual.
3. Apply highlighter down the bridge of the nose and not just on the tip
This technique creates the illusion of height so much better and it will prevent the tip of your nose from looking like a tiny lit LED light bulb. Even if a lot of Instagram makeup gurus only highlight the tip of the nose and achieve a cute enough makeup look, opt for what pros say is the better method.
It’s important to note as well that only highlighting the tip of the nose works mostly for people with narrow noses. This technique, when used by someone with a more bulbous nose tip, will only draw attention to the bigger and rounder shape of the nose.
4. For best eyeshadow colour pay off, go with a wet application
More often than not, when eyeshadow does not seem opaque enough in a swatch, it achieves opacity when applied wet. Those with shimmers, in particular, look so much better with a wet application. Not only that, wet application makes eye makeup last longer, too.
When you want an even spread of wet eyeshadow, the pros say it’s best to use a tapping motion. This prevents streaking, will allow you to build up a colour in a smooth way, and feather out the edges more easily.
5. Use a fluffy brush to apply concealer
If you wish to prevent your concealer from caking up, apply light layers with a fluffy brush. This will achieve a skin-like finish; plus, this technique covers imperfections quite effectively.
6. Taupe eyeshadow is the perfect blending colour for a smoky eye look
There’s no eyeshadow colour more versatile than taupe, especially for fair and warm-toned skin. It creates a lovely transition colour for all colours of eye makeup and even serves as a good eye makeup base for people with darker skin.
7. Invest in a round-domed brush to minimise pores
This is a must-have beauty tool because it’s versatile and is also the solution to big pores that you want to minimise with makeup. This brush is perfect for buffing foundation to cover pores. Follow up with a setting powder applied with a makeup puff and you get a pore-less finish.
Don’t worry about foundation clogging your pores because the foundation is formulated to just sit on top of the skin, unlike moisturisers. So, when you are buffering your foundation in with a round-domed brush, you’re really just applying the product on the skin’s top layer evenly for a smooth appearance.
For more makeup secrets from the pros, consider signing up for a professional makeup artist course. All the trade secrets are taught in the course – from the trendy and classic techniques to the truest best products pros swear by.
AUTHOR BIO
Toni Malt is the Middle East’s leading international editorial makeup artist and the woman behind the highly anticipated Toni Malt Makeup Academy in the heart of Dubai, now training the next generation of key makeup artists. From minimalistic looks to freestyle artistic creations, Toni’s creative work has been published in top international fashion magazines around the world including VOGUE, ELLE, L’Officiel, Marie Claire, Harper’s BAZAAR, Grazia and Cosmopolitan.
