Helpful Makeup & Beauty Tricks

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.