If it’s anything that I truly thank beauty gurus for, after the many (and I do mean many) beauty tutorials that I watch on YouTube, it’s the little hacks that they often pepper throughout their videos. Not the (mostly) try-hard, listicle kinds, but the ones that just roll off their tongue when they’re getting through with the tutorial. Admittedly, those times don’t happen as often as I’d like them to, so I jump at every single tip that they dish out. While some of them don’t make a huge difference to my usual routine, most of them actually do work — and I dare say, really changed how I used stuff, and made makeup work.
1. Fan Your Setting Spray Immediately After Spritzing
Trust me on this — for the longest time I’ve wondered if setting sprays actually work. I’ve tried drugstore ones like the NYX Dewy Finish Make Up Setting Spray to cult-level ones like the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray, and apart from how fine the mist felt on my face, I never really quite saw the effectiveness of spritzing setting sprays all over my face. My makeup did last, but was it because of the longevity that my foundation promised? Or how the loose powder managed to hold things up for hours?
Here we have Nikkie fanning her setting spray with an… unopened sheet mask.
And it always puzzled me, because beauty gurus love to drench, and if possible, drown their faces in setting spray (ahem, Jeffree Star). I was always skeptical, until one day NikkieTutorials casually said in her video — that in order to really let these sprays lock your makeup in, the best way is to mist your face, then grab something, anything, and quickly fan the liquid while it’s still wet on your face. Now, it may sound counterproductive, like how my colleagues immediately posed the question of “you mean you just fan the product away?” — and I have to admit, I too, am clueless of the science jazz behind this whole hack. But I tried it for myself, and I have to say, hand over heart, it works. I clearly saw my makeup melt into my skin, especially the powders, and it just made everything look more… complete. Plus, my entire #fotd now lasts the entire day without needing touch up.
2. Applying blush diagonally downwards
I credit MUA Michael Finch for this hack (of which he mentioned he picked up from Mario, Kim K’s makeup artist). In one of his many informative (and hilariously sassy) videos, Finch applied blush and said he likes to brush it downwards, from somewhere beneath the cheekbones, down to the actual apples of the cheek. He didn’t exactly say what this hack does for the blush, but it did apply beautifully on his face.
Michael says that applying blush downwards makes for a “better application”.
Is it fact, or is it studio lights? I say fact! I tried the technique out one day, and realised that while it doesn’t make much of a difference to my usual look, but because of the motion used, it prevents your blush from getting too close to your nose. It doesn’t make much of a difference if you’re already an expert at applying blush, but in case you need any guidelines… this is it.
3. Applying blush on the chin
This may sound weird, but trust me on this — applying blush on the chin makes for a more balanced look. NikkieTutorials, once again, did that once in her video and I have followed along ever since. There really is no better way to explain this, it just pulls the entire look together. Just remember to not overdo it.
4. Dust on loose powder for fatter and longer lashes / keep mascara from smudging
Unless you’re already bestowed with long, luxurious lashes, there’s no way that you wouldn’t want straight, Asian eyelashes to be as long as fluttery as they could get. No one ever said no to beautiful lashes, if you ask me.
Ellie applied baby powder to her lashes for visibly fatter lashes.
This one hack should already be quite well known, precisely because it works. While my lashes aren’t the shortest per se, I always still want a fuller and longer pair. Here’s what you should do — having a quick dusting of baby powder / loose powder / pale eyeshadow on them allows for mascara to better cling on to the lashes, allowing for a smooth application that visibly extends them (should you feel that your mascara isn’t doing its job.)
Plus, having a powdery base with mascara on top also prevents it from smudging, or smudge less than it should. Better yet, have a light coat of powder on top of lash primer — I’ve been using the Jane Iredale PURELASH Lash Extender and Conditioner for a month now, it’s amazing — for most effective results.
5. Have a bottle of mist handy by your vanity for various purposes
Like every other beauty vlogger, walking from your vanity to the basin to wet your BeautyBlender is a big chore, because once you’re all nestled in nice and snug, ready to start beating that face… So yes, having that bottle of mist (it doesn’t have to be setting spray, just normal tap water would do) handy can really help out a fellow lazy friend.
A bottle of mineral water actually made it into Nikkie’s December favourites last year.
It can help dampen a BeautyBlender, wet eyeshadow and highlighter brushes for shimmer to pop, and just basically help melt powders together should your face start looking cake-y. For a quicker (but a tad pricey) option, the Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray is a really convenient item to have on your vanity.
Header Image: @nikkietutorials IG
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