Natural Light 

It probably won’t come as a surprise that the best lighting for applying makeup is natural light. You can’t exactly nip out onto the street with your mirror and kit, so find a place in your home that is near a window. This may mean setting up a little desk, or simply taking your products of the day to the couch. 

My bathroom at home has hopeless light, and my bedroom is internal so it’s rather dark. What I do is apply my base, blush, and highlight in the bathroom, then pop into the lounge with a hand mirror to double check. Because I know my products are correctly color-matched, it’s not a biggie to apply them under sub-par light. Checking under the natural light in the lounge just ensures I have blended properly and everything is where it should be.

Cool White LED Bulbs

You may not have a suitable way of accessing natural light at your place, and that’s okay! After natural light, white bulbs are the next best thing. White light won’t mess with your skin tone by casting a yellow or rose wash over your complexion. White light “tells it as it is” and gives you an accurate gauge of how your makeup looks. 

What to avoid

Steer clear of fluorescent lights, dim (or “mood”) light, and light that leans too far on the yellow side. Lights that are too harsh (fluoro) will lead you to overdo your base and pack on too much bronzer and blush. Lights that cast shadows or add color to your skin can lead to overdone concealer and off color placement. 

Use a heavy-duty makeup remover

You may be thinking “OBVIOUSLY!”, but it pays to be thorough, right? An oil-based makeup remover designed for waterproof mascara is ideal for dark, matte lipsticks. Soak a cotton round, press it onto your lips, hold for a few seconds, then gently wipe away. 

Tip: wipe the makeup off toward the center of the lips instead of outward to avoid looking like you’ve just been making out for three hours straight. 

Use oil 

If there are no makeup removers or scrubs in sight, head to the kitchen. Food-grade coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil will break down any lipstick…and soften your lips at the same time. 

Use a lip scrub or a dedicated lipstick remover 

Once the bulk of the lipstick is off, you might be left with some residue, especially if you have dry lips. A lip scrub is the way to deal with this. You could use the fabulous Mint to Be sugar lip scrub or simply mix sugar and coconut oil to go DIY style. 

If dark lippies are going to be a regular feature going forward, I recommend getting a trusty matte lipstick remover to have on hand. The KissMe Bye-Bye lipstick remover couldn’t be simpler to use or more effective on the toughest of lipsticks.

Exfoliate…gently 

Rough, dry patches just love to cling to your foundation and increase the appearance of texture. Hey, we’re all human and some texture is expected! However, you can mitigate the issue by gently exfoliating the skin to give an overall smoother, more even texture. 

You don’t necessarily need a fancy exfoliator to do this, so don’t panic if you are on a budget. An easy way to exfoliate before applying makeup is to use a face cloth and your usual cleanser. Gently rub the cloth over your skin in small circular motions, concentrating on particularly rough areas. 

If you are finding roughness and texture to be an ongoing issue, a toner or exfoliator containing AHA’s and/or BHA’s is worth looking into!

Be strategic with hydration 

Moisturizer is a crucial step for any skin type. However, this doesn’t mean you need to slather your entire face with a rich cream (unless you are very, very dry). 

If you have combination skin that gets “oily here, dry there” you can and should apply products accordingly. 

For example, if your forehead gets super oily, just use a light gel-based moisturizer there. If your cheeks get really dry, use a more emollient, richer product there. 

It may sound fiddly and time consuming, but it’s really not. Plus, having two different types of moisturiser is handy when the seasons change or hormones wreak havoc, adjusting our skin type. 

Don’t forget to prep the eyes

The skin around the eyes is delicate and prone to dryness, lines, wrinkles, and even rough patches for those of us with sensitive skin. When we add concealer, foundation, powder, and eyeshadow to the area, things can get a little iffy. 

Avoid dryness and unnecessary lines by plumping and hydrating the eye area pre-makeup. Take a rich eye cream or simply an emollient moisturiser and pat (never pull!) it onto the skin under and around the eyes. Leave the product on the skin for 10 minutes before patting away any excess oil with a tissue. 

Exfoliate and hydrate the lips

If you’re planning on using a liquid or matte lipstick, lip prep is unmissable. Even if you’re using a balm or hydrating product, you can maximise the juicy effect by ensuring your lips are in prime condition. 

Before you start your skincare and makeup process, scrub the lips with a scrub like the Hey Sugar Lip Scrub to remove any dead skin. This step also gets the blood flowing to the lips for a pouty, plumped effect. Now, add a thick layer of hydrating balm and let it sink in while you do the rest of your makeup. When it’s time to apply your lip color, blot away the excess balm but leave a little as a hydrating shield.

Here’s how to apply makeup to dry skin. 

Take time to prep properly

How you prepare your skin before applying makeup is absolutely crucial and will make or break the end result. Applying a hydrating foundation to dehydrated skin won’t work, in other words. 

Here are some simple steps: 

• Use a hydrating cream or oil cleanser that will cleanse your pores without stripping moisture. Something like the Neutrogena Ultra Light Face Cleansing Oil ($8.13) is a great (and affordable) place to start. 
• Gently exfoliate any dry patches by using your face cloth and gentle pressure. This will remove any flaky skin without irritation. 
• Apply a hyaluronic acid serum to freshly-cleansed skin
• Apply your rich and hydrating moisturizer (with SPF for daytime)
• Press facial oil into your face
• Wait a few moments to allow the products to sink into the skin

Double-up the moisture with a hydrating primer 

I’m not always a believer in primer, to be honest, as I don’t think it’s always necessary. However, a moisture-locking primer can be a game-changing step for those with dry skin. 

The layer of hydration can work as a barrier between your complexion products and any dry texture. This helps to reduce the risk of foundation and powder clinging to dry patches. 

Apply your primer after your skincare, as the first step in your makeup routine. 

Tips for newbies: look for primers with hydrating, glow-giving, and “youth-focused” rhetoric and keep away from anything with “mattifying” or “oil absorbing” written on the packaging. I love the Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Hydrating Primer ($39).

Choose foundation wisely

There are plenty of ultra high-end foundations out there that promise to smooth and plump dry skin. However, you don’t need to shell out wads of cash for a good base. 

My favorite is still Mac Face and Body ($35). It’s still reasonably pricey, but worth it for the hydration, skin-like finish, and buildable coverage. And hey, you can always go for a tinted moisturizer or BB cream with a bit of oomph, especially if you’ve got reasonably clear and even skin. 

A gel-based foundation or tint similar to this will glide over your dry skin as opposed to clinging to it like fuller coverage, more mattifying products will. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin are great to look out for as they draw moisture to the skin. 

Tip: you don’t have to forgo full coverage with a light foundation! Use a lighter-coverage-yet-super-hydrating foundation over the whole face. Then, use a moisturizing, full-coverage concealer where you need it to get that flawless look. 

Opt for cream products

When it comes to blush, bronzer, and highlight, cream products can revive dry skin. While many powders are so high-tech these days they don’t necessarily exacerbate dry skin, creams are still the smartest pick. The emolient ingredients and soft, skin-like finish of creams glide over dry patches and can even offer some light skincare benefits. 

Press cream blush onto the cheeks with your fingers, then follow with a rich and luscious highlight to pack a glow. Avoid glitter and large shimmer chunks like the plague as they can shine a light on dryness and texture. My top recommendation for blush is the Nudestix Nudies Bloom All Over Dewy Color ($38). These are insanely dewy and come in the prettiest shades. I use mine daily (the shade Cherry Blossom Babe). For highlight, I adore MAC Cream Color Base in Hush ($25), or RMS Living Luminizer ($38). 

Spritz 

To keep your makeup fresh and your skin hydrated all day, keep a facial spray on hand. This will relieve that tight feeling that can occur during ultra dry phases, and give your makeup a new life. I like LiveGlam’s very own Mist Independent for a lightweight and soothing skin pick-me-up. 

Pair liner and gloss or balm 

The first tip is my personal favorite when I want bee-stung lips without a lot of color. 

A nude liner just a little deeper than your natural lip shade or nude shade and press into the lips, concentrating on the center. This will draw light to the lips, create a glistening dimension, and a diffused juiciness. 

You can also increase the size of the lips without adding a statement color. Slightly overdraw the lip line and use your finger or a brush to blur the lines. Then, take a balmy gloss in either a clear Product Faves: Caramel liner and Bungalow Babe gloss 

Highlight strategically 

Using a highlighter or even a very pale concealer can really give your lips a boost. Remember, light makes areas pop while shadow makes them recess (hence why we contour our cheek hollows and highlight our cheeky apples). 

Apply your liner and lipstick or gloss (i.e. like above!). Then, take a shimmery (not glittery) highlight and dab it on your cupid’s bow and in the center of both lips. This will make the pillowy centers of your lips look all the more plump while creating a moon-kissed sheen. 

Don’t be scared to overline when using color

While matte lippies in bright or deep shades can make the lips look smaller, it doesn’t have to be that way. 

When you apply a bold color that contrasts with your skin tone, and pair it with a sharp line, the size and shape of the lips are pretty set in stone. However, if you use that to your advantage, you can manipulate the size of the lips simply by extending that sharp line. 

Tip: to avoid clown lips, don’t extend the color at the corners of the lips and keep the extension to the upper and lower centers. 

Stay hydrated and exfoliated 

Dry lips are automatically smaller-looking than hydrated ones, as that crusty layer of dull skin has a tricky shrinking effect. Regular exfoliation is crucial as it gets rid of any dead or flaky skin, while triggering more blood flow. We love the Sugar Baby lip scrub! Use it whenever you’re gearing up for a matte lippie day and when your lips need a little reviving. 

The next unmissable step is hydration with a rich balm that sinks deep into the layers. Apply a generous layer of balm before bed and treat it like a sleeping lip mask, and re-apply throughout the day, (especially during winter). This will not only keep your lips comfy and protected (use an SPF balm, we beg you) but it will make them juicier all before any color products are applied. 

A light layer of shimmer 

If your fan brush is quite wispy and sparse, its primary use is for shimmer. Because the bristles are lightly packed, the brush won’t pick up a lot of product. What’s more, because they move loosely and freely, the bristles will disperse the product lightly and evenly onto the skin. This is ideal for applying shimmer powders to the high points of the cheeks and bridge of the nose without that “stripe” of opaque shimmer. 

Dip the brush into your shimmer or highlight, tap the excess off onto your hand, and use a light, flicking motion to buff it into the skin. Because there’s not a lot of surface area, the brush will lay down modest amounts of product, so you have more control over where you’re adding it.  

Applying contour and sculpting products 

If your fan brush is more robust, thick, and tightly packed, it’s ideal for contouring products. Because the brush has a long, narrow edge, it fits neatly into the hollows of your cheeks, along the jaw, and along the hairline on the forehead. To make the brush even more dense and narrow, you can squeeze it at the base of the bristles to get a more defined contour application. If the brush has synthetic bristles you can use it for cream, powder, and liquid contour products to chisel that gorgeous visage. 

Flicking away fall-out

Fan brushes, thanks to their long row of brush tips and “flicky” nature, are great for shimmying eyeshadow fall-out off your face. Take a clean fan brush and use a fast, flicking motion to whip away any fallout as soon as it drops. 

Sweeping away excess powder 

After you’ve applied your setting powder, use your fan brush to flick and sweep any excess (especially if you’ve “baked”). The brush is light and delicate enough not to disrupt any color products or cream layers underneath, but simply shifts any layers of powder lurking on the surface. 

Hooded Eye Makeup Tips You Need To Know

Not all makeup techniques are universally flattering. Since we all have different features that are unique to the individual, there are specific techniques that work better for enhancing our natural beauty. Here are some of the best makeup tips for hooded eyes!

How can I reduce my hooded eyelids?

Use a good eyeshadow primer

The most common problem for hooded eyes? When your eyeliner or eyeshadow transfers over to the hooded part of the lid. To avoid this, invest in a good eyeshadow primer and apply a generous amount to the lids before doing your eye makeup. Priming the lids will go a long way in making sure your eye makeup stays in place when overlapping occurs throughout the day.

Contour your cheeks

How you apply makeup to the rest of your face can have a remarkable impact on enhancing your natural eye shape! With hooded eyes, apply a good amount of highlighter to the cheekbones (the same product you’re using in the inner corner of the eye) to create more balance and to lengthen the eyes. Finish off the entire look by adding a darker color to the natural contours of your face.

How can I make my hooded eyes bigger?

Keep your eyeliner thin

If your eyes are hooded, keeping your eye makeup simple is the most flattering approach. The general rule of thumb when applying makeup to hooded eyes: Less is more. Applying a thick or heavy line to the eyes can make them appear much smaller – and that’s what we definitely don’t want! For the best results, use a liquid eyeliner with a very fine tip and apply it thinly.

Choose lighter eyeshadow colors

With hooded eyes, the idea here is to create the illusion of larger, lengthier eyes. On the same token as keeping it simple with your eye makeup, choose lighter eyeshadow colors.

Avoid wearing dark eyeshadow colors and bringing them way too high up on the hood, which could make your eyes appear narrow and sunken in. To open up the eye area, apply highlighter to the inner corners of your eyes. Here are more tips for how to apply eyeshadow for hooded eyes.

Line the lower lash line with white eyeliner

White eyeliner works great as a quick fix for larger, brighter eyes. Apply white eyeliner to the lower lash line to create the illusion of wider eyes.

Need some new shades to test out these techniques? Join our LiveGlam Eyeshadow Club to get your hands on a new eyeshadow palette every other month with 9-10 super pigmented shades!

Do you know any other good makeup tricks for hooded eyes? Let us know in the comments!

1. Organize your makeup collection

All our vanity situations could use a good facelift! Reduce the clutter by checking for expiry dates and tossing out all the products that haven’t really seen the light of day in a while. If you can’t find the expiry date, just give it a good whiff to see if anything smells off.

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This could be you. 20% off Glossier.com + in-store through Monday

A post shared by Glossier (@glossier) on Nov 29, 2019 at 6:35am PST

Reviewing your entire makeup stash is a great way to rediscover some hidden gems that might actually deserve another chance. Pro tip: To save time getting ready in the morning, don’t sort your makeup collection by product type. Instead, group together all the products that you use more consistently.

2. DIY project

Looking for a fun way to be productive? Upgrade your entire vanity situation with a little DIY. Show everyone how creative you can get by building your own makeup tray out of a few items that you can find lying around your house or even at your local dollar store.

Here’s one of our fav tutorials for creating a luxe makeup tray:

3. Try out new makeup looks

Playing around with makeup and experimenting with new looks can be pretty therapeutic. If you have some time to kill, bring out your entire makeup collection so you can put your makeup skills to the test! As an added bonus, this is a great way to get some use out of the products that didn’t make it onto your list of top favs. Who knows, you might even find your new go-to look.

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BROWS: @benefitcosmetics brow powder 3 @anastasiabeverlyhills clear brow gel EYES: @anastasiabeverlyhills @amrezy eyeshadow palette “barb” @jouercosmetics kitten eyeliner @lotuslashesofficial FX3 INNGENUE20 for 20% off FACE: @clarinsusa sos primer @anastasiabeverlyhills foundation 300C @tartecosmetics shape tape concealer @kevynaucoin the contour book @anastasiabeverlyhills powder “vanilla” @smashboxcosmetics photo finish primer water LIPS: @clarinsusa the kooples lip oil CONTACTS: @ttd_eye “chocolate queen” INNGE for $$off

A post shared by Valentina (@inngenue) on Jan 30, 2020 at 5:25pm PST

4. Self-care session

We could all use a peaceful self-care sesh every now and then. Treating yourself to some peace and relaxation is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Seriously, your hair, skin, and mind will appreciate it!

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We hope you’re treating yourself right today.image by @thecolourfuldot #rosequartz #selflove

A post shared by Herbivore Botanicals (@herbivorebotanicals) on Feb 14, 2019 at 1:45pm PST

For the best self-care session, we love indulging in a bubble bath, hair treatment, face mask, and then using a jade roller or facial gua sha to give our faces a deep massage. Don’t forget a good playlist too, of course.

Do you have any other ideas for how we can fight boredom? Let us know in the comments down below if there’s anything else that we should add to our list!

The sky’s the limit when it comes to how we can play around with makeup! Although there are a million and one ways that we can get creative with makeup, there are also a ton of ways that we can go about it the wrong way.

Here are some of the most common makeup mistakes that you should avoid!

1. Not applying moisturizer in the morning    

No matter your skin type, moisturizer is a vital step in any skincare routine – in the morning and at night. Yes, even if you have oily skin. In fact, when skin isn’t adequately hydrated, it overcompensates by producing more oil.

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Who else starts and ends their day with Water Drench® Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturizer? Available @UltaBeauty – link in bio! #CloudCreamCrew #WaterDrench #PeterThomasRoth #PTRCult

A post shared by Peter Thomas Roth (@peterthomasrothofficial) on Mar 3, 2020 at 1:00pm PST

Solution:

Before putting on your face primer, apply a fair amount of moisturizer onto your face, and let it sit for a couple minutes to fully absorb. Moisturizing your skin properly in the morning will set the perfect foundation for applying the rest of your face makeup.

2. Too much blush

Who else LOVES blush?

The pretty-in-pink look is universally flattering, but it’s a completely different story when you pack on the blush with one swipe too many.

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No midday blush fade here! Our award-winning Amazonian clay 12-hour blushes last all. day. long. HOW TO APPLY: 1⃣smile to find the apples of your cheeks 2⃣using a blush brush, sweep on in the shape of a check 3⃣continue to blend into skin for the perfect first-crush flush #crueltyfree #rethinknatural #blushauthority #claypowered

A post shared by Tarte Cosmetics (@tartecosmetics) on Mar 17, 2020 at 8:01pm PDT

Solution:

For a beautiful natural flush, smile and then apply your blush onto the apples of your cheeks in a downward and circular motion, then pull it upward into your temples.

3. Wearing the wrong shade of foundation

It’s far too common for us to see someone sporting the wrong shade of foundation, whether it’s too light, too dark, or the wrong undertone.

Solution:

The easiest way to find your perfect match is to test out the shade on your jawline and blend all the way down to your neck.

4. Harsh black eyeliner on the bottom waterline    

At one point or another, we’ve all been guilty of wearing a little too much black eyeliner on the bottom. When done correctly, wearing eyeliner on the bottom can really make the eyes pop… but overdoing it with a harsh, black line can actually make the eyes appear much smaller.

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The makeup equivalent of “I have nothing to wearrrrrrrr ” //Featured: Eyeshadow Primer Potion and 24/7 Glide-On Pencils #UrbanDecay #Makeup

A post shared by Urban Decay Cosmetics (@urbandecaycosmetics) on Apr 25, 2019 at 8:35am PDT

Solution:

Instead of using black eyeliner, opt for a lighter color to line the bottom lash line. Another great way to achieve a gorgeous, sultry look? After applying eyeliner, use a dark eyeshadow to smoke it out – or skip the eyeliner altogether and add some definition into the area with a dark eyeshadow. 

Are we missing anything? Let us know in the comments down below if there are any other common makeup mistakes that we should add to our list!

We’re living in a digital world now more than ever, so it’s only right that a ton of new trends, challenges, and hacks flood our timelines! You may be getting a bit overwhelmed, so we’re here to help you out. Check out a few of our favorite latest internet beauty trends to try out and add some fun to your isolation routine!

The #PillowChallenge

A pillow… but make it fashion. Originated by @stylebynelli, this is probably the easiest of all trends and takes very minimal effort. Just grab your favorite pillow, wrap a belt around your waist, add some accessories, and BAM, an iconic lewk for a scroll-stopping Instagram post!

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Outfit of the day #quarantinepillowchallenge created by @stylebynelli @myforteisfashion • • Belt – @zara Dress – @ikeasverige Shoes – @newbalance Bag – @prettylittlething

A post shared by (@myforteisfashion) on Apr 5, 2020 at 9:16am PDT

#Passthebrush challenge

Grab your glam besties, that one makeup brush you have that isn’t dirty, and get ready to hit record! Do a funny before shot of your natural, beautiful self, rub the brush in the camera, and reveal the glam version of yourself. Warning: this does require a lot of coordination with your friends about which way to throw the brush. So be prepared for the group chat to blow up at all hours of the night.

Think of it as a personal isolation makeover! Not only is it a fun way to bring a community together, but it’s nice to get dressed up and feel like yourself again.

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#PassTheBrush Beauty Guru Edition! wanted to bring the community together during this time of being apart… we all send our love!! stay home & stay safe.

A post shared by James Charles (@jamescharles) on Apr 11, 2020 at 10:53am PDT

Mirror challenge

You’ve likely already taken pictures in every corner of your home and are running out of options. Switch it up with the mirror challenge! Lay a mirror on the ground, add some cute decorations around it, and snap a pic at your best angle. If you have a balcony or yard, this is a great picture to take on a sunny day with the sky as the background like @ashghotcakess!

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just me, my mirror and my phone

A post shared by Ashley Quiroz (@ashghotcakess) on Apr 16, 2020 at 12:14pm PDT

TikTok beauty hacks

TikTok is full of beauty hacks, challenges, and makeup routines. One of the best hacks we’ve learned is from @snitchery, who has changed our selfie game forever.

Ever wonder why the way you look in the mirror isn’t coming across the same way in your selfie? Turns out using the front camera of our iPhone to take selfies distorts our features! Instead, hold the phone as far away as possible from your face and zoom in. Try it out and let us know if it steps up your selfie game!

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so…. i know i said no more tiktoks on the feed…. and I’m sticking to my word starting tomorrow… but to NOT put y’all on to this trick would be criminal ok it saved me from an unnecessary nose job and NOW I’m done! I’m done I promise! (@babysnitchery over there if u wanna see future tips n stuff )

A post shared by snitchery (@snitchery) on Apr 8, 2020 at 6:48pm PDT

What trends have you been loving while isolating? Let us know in the comments below!