The secret to contoured skin that looks natural, not like you did a paint by numbers portrait on your face? Contouring before you apply foundation. Sounds crazy, but celebrity makeup artist Scott Barnes (he's worked with stars like Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow) says contouring on top of your makeup is just not smart. "Go under the cheekbone with bronzer, and use a highlighting powder on the highest plane of the cheek." Then put on your favorite foundation. The result will be a lot more subtle and believable, with the bronzer and highlight peeking through your foundation like they're naturally coming from your skin.
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Embrace the brush
Makeup artists don't only use brushes for sanitary reasons, they're also the best way to apply your makeup. Sponges soak up too much product and your fingers can give you an uneven finish, says Tonya Crooks, makeup artist and eyebrow specialist (she's worked with stars like Megan Fox and Eva Mendes). But brushes help you apply a sheer layer of foundation evenly across your face.
And while Crooks highly recommends applying your foundation with a brush, she straight up insists you use one for concealer. "When you apply concealer with your finger, you're basically putting it on and wiping it off at the same time. And the final look won't be as smooth or as effective as if you did it with a brush."
Ever tried a friend's brownie recipe and despite following the instructions exactly, they just don't turn out as well? Then when you ask her what you did wrong she remembers that you're supposed to use room temperature eggs, and cook them in a square pan. Details that were not in the email.
The same thing happens with makeup tutorials, right? You follow the instructions step-by-step and replay the video for hours, but still you can't seem to completely nail the look. The result? Less-than-perfect makeup and major frustration.
To help elevate any makeup look you from decent to flat-out amazing, we grilled celebrity makeup artists for their best tips. You know, the ones all the experts think us mere mortals must know (but we don't) that make a huge difference. From the tools that'll give you airbrushed-looking skin to the trick that gives you the most natural glow ever, they've offered up plenty of advice to help you go from cute to f*@!ing gorgeous. Today.
Keep reading to see the makeup and beauty tips you won't know how you lived without.
