Putting on makeup can be a very daunting task especially when you don’t have much experience with it.
There are so many YouTubers and beauty gurus out there who seem to pull off even the most complicated tricks with such ease.
For a long time, I avoided things like eyeliners, contouring and even eyeshadows because I believed that they were all things for experienced makeup users. I didn't have the time or patience to try it out.
But here are five hacks that I’ve learnt that will make even the hardest looks easy to pull off.
1. Create the perfect wing using tape
Photo Credit: ELLE
Creating the perfect winged eyeliner can be tough especially when you're new or don’t have the time to make it perfect.
Skip the time taken by using a small piece of clean tape and angling it next to your eye and in the perfect angle that you want your eyeliner to be. Then, take your liner and follow the shape of the tape to create the perfect, even winged eyeliner.
If you don’t have tape, a spoon will work just as well.
2. Keep lipstick off your teeth using only your finger
Photo Credit: Lifehack
One of the most horrifying things to me is to have someone awkwardly point out that I have lipstick on my teeth. Especially when I’m wearing a bright colour like red or pink and it shows up so starkly against my teeth.
Avoid this by using this simple trick. After you apply your lipstick, take one finger and close your lips around it. Pull out your finger and you’ll usually see a ring of lipstick on it. This is the lipstick that would have typically gone on your teeth.
Now, you can rest assured that your teeth are lipstick free.
3. Use a spoon to stop mascara from getting everywhere
Photo Credit: Lifehack
Mascara is typically used after all your other eye makeup has been applied. Which is why it can be incredibly frustrating when you apply your mascara only to have it smudge when you blink and then to have your entire eye makeup ruined.
A simple tip to keep mascara from going on your eyelids or your under eye is to use a spoon (spoons are great for makeup) and to put it over your eyelid as you are putting on your mascara.
Any excess product will go on the spoon and will give you flawless application every time.
4. Create the perfect smoky eye with the hashtag trick
Photo Credit: Lifehack
Creating the perfect smoky eye can take some time because you need to be precise with the blending. Very often, I find myself getting frustrated and just covering my entire eyelid with eyeshadow because I have small eyelids and not much room to work with when it comes to blending anyway.
Skip the tears and use this handy trick. Use your eyeliner to draw a small hashtag sign at the outer corners of both your eyelids.
Then, take an eyeshadow brush and blend that in with the rest of your eye makeup to create a perfect, fuss free smoky eye.
5. Get your contour right using your makeup brush
Photo Credit: Lifehack
It can be difficult to find the perfect spot and angle to contour or to apply blusher.
However, you can simply take your makeup brush handle or even a lip or eye liner, and place the straight edge directly below your cheekbone. This will help you find the perfect angle.
6. Make your lipstick last longer
Photo Credit: Lifehack
If you want to make your lipstick last longer on your lips, a simple trick is to apply your lipstick and the gently place a tissue paper over your lips.
Then, using a makeup brush, dust some translusent powder over the tissue that is covering your lips. This will help it to stay in place longer.
This trick is also helpful if you are not using a lip liner because the powder will keep everything in place instead of it smudging.
So there you have it. Makeup doesn’t have to be as complicated or as skilful as beauty gurus would have you believe.
Use these tricks and you’ll have everyone believing you’re an absolute pro!
For more makeup tricks for beginners, check out this article on things to note before you start using makeup.
