The answers to your makeup woes could be simpler than you think!
Here are a few helpful tips and tricks that I’m sure you’ll find useful
today or sometime in the future.
1. Clump-Free Lashes - Whenever you apply mascara,
make sure you wipe off any excess product on a tissue. Most mascara
brushes will pick up a lot of extra product that will cake up on your
lashes, causing them to stick together and clump. Wiggle the wand at
the base of your lashes first, and then sweep upwards to get maximum
volume and definition without using extra coats!
2. Matte Nail Polish - Corn starch is a secret
ingredient for painters of all kinds. Pour a bit of your nail polish
color of choice onto a piece of wax paper or foil, and add just a pinch
of corn starch to the paint. Mix with a toothpick and apply to your
nails how you normally would! The finish will be flat and shine-free,
very trendy, and you won’t have to buy an extra top coat or special
polish.
3. Full Lips - If you aren’t a gloss girl, chances
are “lip plumpers” aren’t your thing. However you’ll still be able to
create the illusion of plump lips. Simply apply a little bit of
shimmery cream colored eyeshadow to the center of your lips. This will
catch the light and make them appear more full. Also apply the
eyeshadow to your cupids bow for extra pop!
4. Less-visible Pimples - Nothings worse than
waking up on an important day and seeing a zit that’s big, red and ugly
on your skin. First, soak a washcloth in hot water and apply this as a
compress to the spot for ten minutes. Reheat/wet the washcloth every
few minutes to keep it hot. Apply a spot treatment with benzoyl
peroxide. Then put an ice cube in a plastic bag and apply as a compress
for a few more minutes. The steam will open up and clear the pores,
allowing for the spot treatment to work more effectively, and the ice
will reduce the swelling and redness. For extra red spots, apply a bit
of Visine to the spot with a Q-Tip.
5. Lighten Under-Eye Circles - Brew a couple tea
bags before you go to bed and keep the bags in the fridge overnight. In
the morning, place the chilled tea bags over your eyes for about ten
minutes. The cold will reduce the swelling and darkness, while the
caffeine brightens and tightens the skin, making you look instantly more
awake.
6. Long-Lasting Lipstick - For lipstick that lasts
for hours without fading, apply one layer and pat away any excess with a
tissue. Then, apply a second layer, and do the same. Dust some
translucent powder onto your lips for an attractive matte finish and
extra wear time!
7. Glowing Skin - For a naturally radiant
complexion, pop a bit of your moisturizer or vaseline onto your cheeks
with your fingers over top of your blush. You only need a small amount.
For best results, mix the moisturizer in with a bit of your blush.
8. Smudge-Proof Brows - If you fill in your brows,
no matter what you use, you probably have experienced
some embarrassing smudging throughout the day at some point. To fix
this, seal your brows with a quick swipe of clear mascara! It doesn’t
have to be an expensive mascara… it will work all the same.
9. Stay-In-Place Eyeliner - One of the most
popular questions I get on DrugstorePrincess is “how can I keep my
eyeliner from smudging?” If you’re using a pencil liner, run the tip of
the liner through a flame for a second to melt it a bit. They will
apply more pigmented and smoothly, even to the water line. For gel or
liquid, set your liner with a matching powder eyeshadow and an angled or
pencil brush.
10. Softer Lips - Make your lips feel smooth and
help your lipstick go on nicer by using brown sugar as a lip exfoliant.
Mix the sugar with honey or vaseline and store in a jar. It tastes
sweet and is very inexpensive!
11. Shinier, Smoother Hair - Before you hop out of
the shower, rinse your hair with cold water. This will seal the
follicle and keep the shaft from expanding and creating frizz. Once
you’re done styling, use a tiny drop of conditioner and work this into
the ends of your hair (just the ends!) with your fingers to keep your
hair looking smooth all day.
12. More Effective Moisturizer - If you have
extremely dry skin (it happens to a lot of us, especially in the
winter), and your current moisturizer doesn’t seem to be doing the
trick, you don’t need to spend a ton of money on a new version.
Immediately after you wash your face (preferably with warm water),
apply your moisturizer to your face while the skin is still wet. Really
massage this into your skin to boost blood flow and create a glowing
complexion.
13. Mistake-Proof Eyeshadow - Going for a dramatic
eyeshadow look? Get your lines perfectly straight and even by using a
bit of scotch tape as a guide! Stick the tape to the back of your hand
first to remove any excess stickiness, and then apply to your eye at
whatever angle you choose. This also gives you perfect winged eyeliner
as well!
14. Pain-Free Waxing & Plucking - Hair removal
can be very painful, whether it’s on your face or other areas of your
body. If you don’t have any numbing cream handy, try popping 200
milligrams of Ibuprofen fifteen minutes before you pluck or wax. Also,
apply a warm, wet washcloth to the skin for five minutes to open the
pores. Apply a cold compress afterwards to get rid of redness quickly!
15. Soften Rough Skin - Flip flop season wreaks
havoc on your feet, and winter’s dry air can make your knees and elbows
look dull and dry. Fix this by exfoliating with baking soda - it
removes your dead skin without irritating, and it brightens your skin as
well. Exfoliating regularly with baking soda can
reduce hyper-pigmentation in the skin as well.
