15 Pro Makeup Artist Tricks You Need to Know

If you've ever done your makeup and thought it looked pretty good but then seen images from a professional makeup artist and felt like ...

If you've ever done your makeup and thought it looked pretty good but then seen images from a professional makeup artist and felt like a total failure, you are not alone. Thankfully, the Internet is an excellent source of information. In addition, professional makeup artists are happy to share more tips for African American women, those with fair skin and offer plenty of general advice for every skin type. So here are 15 pro makeup artist tricks that you should know about.

1. Exfoliate Lips Once a Week

Before applying your lipstick, you should exfoliate your lips. This pro tip means that your lipstick will be smooth and look a lot better. You can use a lip scrub once a week, and the effects should last until the next time.

2. Foundation, Then Concealer

It is a common misconception that concealers go on before foundation. It should be the other way around. Concealer is designed to treat small patches, and therefore, the foundation creates a starting base and shows up the problem areas. You can then step in with the concealer and create the perfect look.

3. Maximise Blusher Use

We're not talking about the overuse of blusher, but just simply remembering that it is one of the handiest products to finish a look. You need a small amount that you can sweep along your cheekbones at the end of your makeup routine to complete the look.

4. Warming Liner

Stabbing yourself in the eye with a pencil eyeliner is incredibly painful but something we have all done. A top pro trip is to warm your pencil liner using a lighter just before applying it to soften the tip and make it smoother.

5. White Eyeliner

You might have wondered why white eyeliner is even sold as it doesn't seem to be a very popular colour. However, professional makeup artists use it across the eyelid before applying eye shadow over the top to create a more vibrant look.

6. The Humble Spoon

It might surprise you to learn that the humble spoon is a crucial addition to a good makeup kit. First, it is perfect for you to create winged eyeliner. The spoon's stem helps create the correct angle at the corner of your eye, and then the bowl of the spoon is used as a dyed against the eyelid.

7. Spooning Part 2

Secondly, you can use your kitchen spoon as a shield to prevent any mascara from getting on your eyelids when you are applying it. Held under your eyes at the bottom also means no mess on your cheek from mascara lines.

8. Extend Mascara Life

Mascara has a shelf life of three months, as it can collect bacteria that can cause eye infections. However, during this time, it can sometimes get a little bit dry, in which case you can use saline or contact lens solution to loosen it up a little.

9. Heated Eyelash Curlers

When we straighten or call our hair, we tend to use heat for an excellent reason. So, to get a good curl on your eyelashes, carefully heat your eyelash curlers with a hair dryer before using. Be careful not to burn by testing it on the crease of your elbow.

10. Bigger Lashes

 A quick trick to getting longer, thicker-looking eyelashes is to use translucent setting powder between each coat of mascara.

11. Hair Clip False Lashes

Applying false eyelashes is always tricky but using the end of a bobby pin can help ensure a nice, even glue coverage.

12. Lipstick Setting

This is another more unusual trick you may not have heard of, but makeup artists swear by this simple tip to ensure your lipstick lasts for hours on end. Once you've applied your lippy, use a clean tissue over the top and then dust with your translucent powder through the tissue. You will be amazed at how much this adds to the overall finished product.

13. Shade Matching

If you have ever fallen in love with a shade of eyeshadow but have been unable to match into your lipstick, we have the perfect solution. You can mix some of the loose pigment eyeshadow with a tiny bit of petroleum jelly, also known as Vaseline and use this as a lip gloss that will perfectly match your eyes.

14. Hide Your Bags

There is nothing worse than bags under the eyes, and even concealer seems to let you down. So next time, try applying your concealer in an upside-down triangle that reaches under your eye line and points downward almost to the base of your nose.

15. Toilet Seat Covers

Finally, a slightly unusual tip that is good to know. If you're out and about and want to freshen up, a disposable toilet seat cover is the same material as blotting paper and can help you out if you're caught short.