New year, improved you. This one’s for all the ladies who’ve been faking their way through makeup application.
From cat eyes to perfect brows, we enrolled the experts to share their go-to tips for foolproof makeup application.
Winged liner
“Oftentimes people try to do winged eyeliner the exact same on both eyes and it can end up looking great on one side and off on the other,” explained cosmetics guru Laura Geller. “The only thing that needs to be exactly the same with winged eyeliner is how far the wings go out.”
Start by using a pencil liner, “which is a bit more forgiving and easier to use,” she suggested.
People are often tempted to use liquid liner, she said, which can feather and bleed when not properly applied.
“My favorite trick for applying winged eyeliner is to use a small liner brush and a powdered shadow to stencil where you want the winged eyeliner,” Geller said. “If you mess up, it’s much easier to wipe off, and once you have the lines where you want them, you can simply trace over the shadow.”
TRY: Laura Geller INKcredible Gel Eyeliner Pencil in After Midnight, $22 at ulta.com
Contouring
“Less is more,” M.A.C. Cosmetics Senior Artist Gisel Calvillo said. She recommended opting for a contour color that is cooler rather than reddish, in a shade one or two tones deeper than your natural skin tone. Apply your contouring makeup in natural light, if possible.
“Create the shadow underneath the cheekbones and keep it about one or two finger widths in shape — anything bigger looks too dramatic,” Calvillo said. “Try to avoid creating any heavy lines on the face. Think a wash of color that is softly blended into the skin.”
After that, “Apply your regular foundation over it,” suggested Blair Patterson, director of global makeup Artistry at Estée Lauder. “You’ll find you won’t need as much foundation and your contoured look will appear softer and more natural.”
TRY: M.A.C. Cosmetics Studio Finish Concealer (pick one that is two shades deeper than your natural skin tone), $20 at maccosmetics.com
Eyebrows
“Your brows are sisters, not twins,” Jared Bailey, benefit GlobalBrow expert, told us. “Make sure they are doing the right thing for each eye. This will bring balance and proportion to the overall face shape and create the illusion of brow perfection even when you are dealing with sparse areas.
“When dealing with all types of brows (even the bushiest of brows), defining your shape and filling in along your natural brow lines will enhance your brow game instantly,” he continued.
Benefit’s signature Brow Mapping technique, which is available through its website, helps determine your ideal brow shape. Once you identify yours, press a bit of brow wax along the edges and smooth it through the brow to keep unruly hairs in place, and shade in sparse areas with a powder.
TRY: Benefit Brow Zings Eyebrow Shaping Kit, $32 at benefitcosmetics.com
