34 Best Makeup Hacks

ByCordelia

You asked for it, so here are my 34 best makeup hacks. For the third installment I have 13 fantastic beauty hacks that you need to try. My original makeup tips and tricks post is 10 life changing beauty hacks you need to know. The second installment is 11 more useful beauty hacks.

You asked for it, so here are my 34 best makeup hacks. For the third installment I have 13 fantastic beauty hacks that you need to try. My original makeup tips and tricks post is 10 life changing beauty hacks you need to know. The second installment is 11 more useful beauty hacks.

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Best Makeup Hacks

If you have an oily nose, use eyeshadow primer on your nose. Then spray with setting spray, then stipple your foundation on it. This will help it to last all day! This is probably one of the top questions I receive. Above I used Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden. Eden is a creamy vanilla nude that works well with my skintone.

1. Oily Nose Makeup Fix
If you have an oily nose, use eyeshadow primer on your nose. Then spray with setting spray, then stipple your foundation on it. This will help it to last all day! This is probably one of the top questions I receive. Above I used Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden. Eden is a creamy vanilla nude that works well with my skintone.

My friend Corinne swears by this trick. Stick your mascara tube next to your skin to warm it up (she does it between the boobs). It makes the mascara apply easier and it's less prone to clumping.

2. Mascara Magic Tip
My friend Corinne swears by this trick. Stick your mascara tube next to your skin to warm it up (she does it between the boobs). It makes the mascara apply easier and it’s less prone to clumping. Shown with my favorite – Urban Decay Perversion Mascara.

When you want to find the perfect foundation shade for you, swatch it on your neck, not your face or your arms. You want your foundation to match your neck / chest / body so that it's not too dark or too light above the rest of you. I know this is counter-intuitive to what many people will tell you, but trust me, you'll be happy with the results.

3. Carpe Jugulum! Ahem, Swatch Foundation on the Neck
When you want to find the perfect foundation shade for you, swatch it on your neck, not your face or your arms. You want your foundation to match your neck / chest / body so that your face isn’t too dark or too light. I know this is counter-intuitive to what many people will tell you, but trust me, you’ll be happy with the results. Above I’ve got Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation in Light 41 as the top swatch, which blends in nicely with my skin. The bottom swatch is Ofra Absolute Cover Silk Peptide Foundation in .25.

Contour Your Lips. No seriously though, hear me out. Use a darker lip pencil to outline your lips. Then fill in the center of your lips with a much lighter lip pencil. Then put on your lipstick. It will create a multi-dimensional lip look that makes your lips look fuller.

4. Contouring for Fuller Lips Trick
I know you’re thinking, contouring is overdone. No seriously though, hear me out. Use a darker lip pencil to outline your lips. Then fill in the center of your lips with a much lighter lip pencil. Then put on your lipstick. It will create a multi-dimensional lip look that makes your lips appear fuller. I used Urban Decay 24/7 Lip Pencils in Native and Anarchy with Frenemy Vice Lipstick.

Apply a light pink-beige or beige matte pencil or eyeshadow along the entire bottom length of your eyebrow and then blend it out. Do this along the outer 2/3 above your eyebrow too. I used Cover FX Perfect Pencil in N X-Light.

5. Eye Lift Makeup Hack
Grab a light pink-beige or beige matte pencil or eyeshadow if you have pale skin like mine. If you have a deeper skintone, I would use a brightening concealer shade. Now apply this color along the entire bottom length of your eyebrow and the outer 2/3 above your eyebrow too. Blend it out. I used Cover FX Perfect Pencil in N X-Light. (See 7 different ways to use the Perfect Pencil)

Eyeliner migration has happened to me a lot. I'll put on eyeliner, and then a few hours later I'll end up with dark spots under my eyes. To prevent that, take an eyeshadow that matches the eyeliner pencil and use that to set the eyeliner. Then use a setting powder underneath the eyeliner.

6. Eyeliner Migration Makeup Fix
Eyeliner migration has happened to me a lot. I’ll put on eyeliner, and then a few hours later I’ll end up with dark spots under my eyes. To prevent that, take an eyeshadow that matches the eyeliner pencil and use that to set the eyeliner. Then use a setting powder underneath the eyeliner. I lined with Urban Decay Mood Pencil, set with my Viseart Navy from the Bright Editorial palette, then used NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder.

You may already know my favorite lipstick hack. After you've applied your lipstick and blotted it, take a tissue and hold it over your lips, then use a brush to sweep setting powder over your lips. This will help your lipstick last longer.

7. Lipstick Hack
You may already know my favorite lipstick hack. After you’ve applied your lipstick and blotted it, take a tissue and hold it over your lips, then use a brush to sweep setting powder over your lips. This will help your lipstick last longer. I used NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder.

Increase the number of lip colors that you have to wear by investing in a very dark lip pencil shade (like UD Blackmail or Perversion) and a very light shade (like OCC Feathered). You can even choose a midtone shade like UD Venom. This will allow you to triple the size of your collection. If you're still feeling bored with your lipsticks, pop a lip safe eyeshadow on the center of your lips (either a shimmery but subtle shade like UD Cosmic, an iridescent shade like Sugarpill Lumi or a glittery shade like Fyrinnae Dinosaur Plushie) to change things up. Or just use the new Urban Decay Vice Special Effects Lip Topcoats.

8. Lipstick Collection Makeup Tip
Increase the number of lip colors that you have to wear by investing in a very dark lip pencil shade (like UD Blackmail or Perversion) and a very light shade (like UD Native or OCC Feathered). You can even choose a midtone shade like UD Venom. This will allow you to triple the size of your collection. You can see how popping Frenemy on black makes a blue-toned purple, while on top of white it’s a neon shade. When placed on top of Venom it turns into a deep magenta berry. All that from just one lipstick!

If you’re still feeling bored with your lipsticks, pop a lip safe eyeshadow on the center of your lips (either a shimmery but subtle shade like UD Cosmic, an iridescent shade like Sugarpill Lumi or a glittery shade like Fyrinnae Dinosaur Plushie) to change things up. Or just use the new Urban Decay Vice Special Effects Lip Topcoats. (See all the UD Special Effects Topcoats)

If you love having a french manicure, use a thick rubber band to section off your nail and then paint the uncovered part. You can choose any color you want, so you don't have to stick to boring white.

9. DIY Funky French Mani Beauty Hack
If you love having a french manicure, use a thick rubber band to section off your nail and then paint the uncovered part. You can choose any color you want, so you don’t have to stick to boring white. I’m wearing Pretty Serious the Pink One.

Pop a shower mask on your face before you get into the shower. It keeps the steam and hot water from drying out your face and you get glowy, gorgeous skin while your get clean.

10. Skincare Shower Hack
Pop a shower mask on your face before you get into the shower. It keeps the steam and hot water from drying out your face and you get glowy, gorgeous skin while your get clean. I used the Yes to Coconuts Hydrating Sheet Mask.

Use an eyeshadow primer on your eyebrows to make your eyebrow pencil, powder, or gel last all day.

11. Eyebrow Makeup Hack
Use an eyeshadow primer on your eyebrows to make your eyebrow pencil, powder, or gel last all day. I like to use Too Faced Shadow Insurance for this.

12. Set Your Lashes 
Apply setting spray to your lashes, then apply your mascara. You’ll get longer lasting mascara, have better separation, and minimal flaking or transfer. Urban Decay All Nighter Spray is my favorite setting spray.

Use a microfiber cloth to clean your makeup brushes in between deep cleanings. You can also use a donut bun maker (for hair) or the Vera Mona Color Switch. Using one of these makes it easier for me to use the same brush for swatching eyeshadow since I can use the Color Switch first to get off most of the shadow, then follow up with the microfiber cloth to get anything left. Shown with Macy and Mia Neon Unicorn Brushes.

13.  Microfiber Cloths to Clean Brushes Tip
Use a microfiber cloth to clean your makeup brushes in between deep cleanings. You can also use a donut bun maker (for hair) or the Vera Mona Color Switch. Using one of these makes it easier for me to use the same brush for swatching eyeshadow since I can use the Color Switch first to get off most of the shadow, then follow up with the microfiber cloth to get anything left. Shown with Macy and Mia Neon Unicorn Brushes.

Be sure to check out 10 life changing beauty hacks you need to know and 11 more useful beauty hacks to see all 34 makeup hacks, tips and tricks!

What are the makeup hacks that you use daily? Let me know!

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Cordelia Frost is the creative force behind Phyrra, a treasure trove for cruelty-free indie and goth makeup enthusiasts. She's the author of the game-changing 'Hooded Eyes Makeup Manual' a must-read for hooded eyes makeup.

Cordelia's world is a kaleidoscope of alternative beauty, gothic fashion, and life-enhancing tips, making every visit to Phyrra a journey into a more colorful and inspired self.

18 Comments

  2. How do you cover deep forhead lines and crow’s feet.
    I.have seen some of my girlfriend’s photos online and they appear to have none of these issues. We are all around the same age, between 52-54. Surely, I am not the only old classmate with these issues.
    Help, I would at least like to know how to diminish the appears if thens some as they make me look older. I have cosidered that they have had cosmetic help through botox. They all can afford to have the treatments di.e but I don’t want to have cosmetic procedures…..yet.

    1. Hi! Your friends are probably using apps like Facetune to blur out their wrinkles. Yes you can do botox and it will help minimize lines. There aren’t really any products to magically erase them. THE ORDINARY Argireline Solution 10% is supposed to help minimize deep lines. http://rstyle.me/n/cpg63wudsn

  4. I tried the Eye lift hack and the eyebrow primer hack and the under eye liner setting ones all together today after reading this post– and they were major. The brows really framed my face and the product did not disappear like it so often did. Thank you– this was awesome

    1. You’re welcome! They really help me a ton! So happy to hear they helped you too 🙂

  6. Loved this post! These are some actually useful hacks. Most lists I see these days are the same old rehashed copy-pasta, if you know what I mean. The matching foundation to my neck legit changed my life back when I first learned about the trick.

    1. Thanks! I put a lot of work into this series 🙂 The only one I couldn’t try myself is the setting spray one because of my lash extensions.

  9. I use my eyeshadow primer everywhere, including my brows! It’s made such a difference on my oily skin.

  10. Gotta try the boob one for non-clumpy mascara. Seriously, there are some great tips here. Thanks.

  11. Love #4–I’m def going to try it–anything to make thin lips look bigger. I’ve done #5 on the upper brow bone but haven’t extended it to the lower brow line–will try that too!

  12. I love your tips and how you illustrated them. I’ve used the microfiber cloth for years and years and it’s made such a big difference in maintaining my brushes and making it easier to apply shadow.
    I’m going to try your sheet mask hack tomorrow when I shower, what a great way to save time and my face.

  14. #13 is brilliant. Why didn’t I ever think of cleaning makeup brushes with a microfiber cloth especially for swatching? Thank you! Love those unicorn brushes

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