10 Makeup Tricks That Always Work

 

1. Start fresh

Successful makeup needs to be applied immediately after washing, exfoliating and moisturizing your face. The combo of warm water, facial massage and your choice of cream, oil or serum gets things going by plumping up lines, buffing away flakes and hydrating dry or postmenopausal skin. This means absolutely no gaps between cleansing, moisturizing and applying makeup. To be clear: You can’t wash your face, eat, check your messages, shop online or talk on the phone, and then pick up where you left off. 

2. Do eye makeup before face makeup

It’s the smart mess-free order. No worries about powder shadow fallout on cheeks or under-eye liner smears that can “dirty” foundation, blush or concealer and require a redo. Prepping lids with a primer or cream shadow first will keep eye makeup fresh and guarantee a smoother, more even application.

3. Brown or black gel-pencil liner powers up eyes

More pigmented than typical kohl pencils, less messy than brush-on gels and more flattering than harsh liquids or markers, these waterproof liners recreate firmer, more defined eyes. Rest your elbow on a table for a steady hand. Look in the mirror, raise your chin and sketch along the base of the upper lid in small back-and-forth movements. Start at the very outer eye and work toward the tear duct, tapering off three-quarters of the way in. Get close to the lash roots as possible to thoroughly fill gaps. The dense pigment (not line thickness) is what produces a strong border. Reinforce eye shape by “tight-lining” the waterline under the upper lashes. Gently press the brow bone to expose the underside of the rim and line. Use a light touch when lining beneath the eyes, or for more drama (especially on deep-set or hooded eyes), line the lower-lid waterline instead. 

4. Splurge on a curler, but scrimp on black mascara 

A quality curler — such as those by Kevyn Aucoin, Shiseido or Bobbi Brown — won’t pinch, crimp or break thin, dry lashes and can last for years. It’s all in the shape, hinge and padding. Position the open curler close to the base of the lashes, slowly close and hold for 30 seconds. Use simple, low-cost drugstore mascara in black like the pros do — no need to spend more, since you toss and renew it every three months. Slowly roll the mascara wand from curled roots to tips with a zigzag wiggling motion so that the heaviest concentration of product is at the base, where it thickens lashes. 

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Actress Julia Roberts is a fan of neutral eye-makeup shades.

5. Use neutral shadows to accent eyes

Natural hues — warm tones for dark eyes, cool tones for light eyes — never fail. There’s no need to do the whole contour deal. But know that a pale, shimmery shadow on lids can add sparkle to tired eyes, a medium shade in the crease and just above it can erase any fleshy overhang and make eyes appear larger, and the darkest browns and charcoals work as a smoky top coat for your gel eyeliner to soften the look or hide squiggles. 

6. Do your brows

Make the effort to fill, extend and groom them (even if you wear bangs or glasses) because brows are key to facial expression. Keep it natural. Use a brow pencil in short, feathery strokes following the direction of hair growth. Then, if necessary, fill in sparse areas with powder, which will cling to the pencil base.  Use a spiral brush or a clean old mascara wand to blend.

7. Go for glow and brightness, not coverage

Face makeup restores radiance and provides a healthy look. Go one shade warmer or more golden instead of a perfect match to counteract sallow, pasty, ashy skin and to neutralize redness or rosacea. Next, choose a foundation with the word “luminous” in the product name to ensure light-reflecting technology that gives your complexion an incandescent bloom — like swallowing a light bulb. Last, choose a dewy and sheer but highly pigmented grownup foundation and get over the not-wearing-makeup thing. Great-looking skin is your biggest beauty asset. And all those matte, powder, high-definition, total coverage or long-wear face products? Forget about them for good.