10 Make-Up Tips Our Beauty Editor Has Picked Up From The Pros

“A make-up artist once explained the importance of using a very fine layer of setting powder on top of foundation, but before any blusher or bronzer. Why? It acts as a barrier, keeping your creamy base products from eating into anything you apply on top, ensuring everything lasts longer. It’s a simple tip but it works – and it’s worth using if you’re going out-out.”

“Eyeliner can be used in so many ways, but one of the best tips is to use it to fill in any gaps between your lashes. Make-up artist Mary Greenwell once told me to use either a kohl or gel to give the impression of extra fullness. Gently pull up your eyelid, then trace along your waterline with a slanted brush dipped in a gel or a kohl liner – be patient, your eyes may water, but the results are so worth it.”

“On the subject of liner, another great hack is to line your upper waterline in black to define the eyes, then use beige on the lower waterline to make your eye colour really stand out. It’s a simple make-up artist trick, but it really works.”

“After watching countless make-up artists in action on shoots, I’ve learned that the best way to apply brow gels and waxes is to first brush the hairs downwards to coat the top side, then brush them upwards to coat the bottom. It’s an easy way to get that fluffy brow effect we all love. You can do the same with mascara for extra impact on the eyes.”

“If, like me, you struggle to do a good feline flick, Charlotte Tilbury swears by one simple trick for nailing the application. Draw a dot about two millimetres up and out from the outer corner of each eye, then connect the dots to your lash line. It may take some perfecting, but it’s much easier than freestyling it every time.” 

“To give your foundation more of a dewy quality, spray a skin-soothing mist onto the large, flat side of a dampened Beautyblender, or onto a fluffy brush. Then, press your chosen tool all over the skin to give it more of a natural, hydrated finish. Your complexion will look so plump and healthy.”

“Make-up artists all agree a lip liner is worth useing, providing you’re using a creamy, easy-to-blend texture. The key is to know exactly where to apply it. Experts recommend tilting your head back so you can see where your lip line actually ends. Doing this will allow you to see the very bottom of your lower lip and as a result, your lips will look fuller once it’s on.” 

“Make-up artists always have different ways of using blusher, but one tip that’s stuck with me is Sharon Dowsett’s ‘Nike tick’ technique. Take your blusher from your cheek right back towards your upper ear in the angle of the shoe brand’s famous logo. It immediately lifts and enhances the face. Focus the majority of the colour under the cheekbone for extra definition, leaving the top for part of your cheek open to highlighter.” 

“You may have heard this one before – often recommended by professional make-up artists, the figure of three is a bronzer technique worth knowing. Using a brush, take your bronzer over the top of your forehead on one side, tucking it in under the cheekbone, then gliding it just under the jawline before repeating on the other side. You’ll achieve a subtle sculpt, as well as uniform colour all over.”

“Backstage at the shows, you’ll often see make-up artists using mascara in several ways. A regular hack is to use a lengthening mascara with a thin wand, focusing on the outer lashes for a cat-eye effect. By using the very tip of the brush, you can gradually build volume and length at the edges to elongate the eye and enhance it. Just keep bouncing your wand against the lashes at the corners, pushing up and out as you go for extra length.”