Everyday Makeup Hacks I Personally Follow To Get The Most Out Of My Products

I am a makeup junkie. I don’t deny this fact at all. I am also a mom who is always pressed for time and doing my makeup on-the-go. Recently I was clearing out my makeup and realised that there are certain makeup hacks I follow almost daily to make applying makeup quick, effective and look like I made a lot of effort. I also tend to use the same products for my everyday makeup and have figured ways to use them in different ways to get the most out of each product.

Below you’ll find the hack and photos of the tools and products I use for each one.

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Buy travel size mascara (or drugstore mascara) to save some money and finish the product before it expires

I’ve learned that mascara is one of the few makeup items that I do not need to break bank for. But after trying multiple mascaras from brands like L’Oreal and Maybelline, I find that they don’t suit my eyes. So I’ve had to resort to mascaras from high end brands like NARS and Marc Jacobs, which are way more expensive but suit me better. My hack: I purchase the mascaras in the travel size, which is more affordable, convenient for travel and the product gets used up before it expires (most mascaras expire within 12 months).

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Use lipstick in rose / pink / berry / coral tones as a cream blush on medium skin tones — matching lips and cheek is an easy way to keep a look cohesive

This is an amazing hack when I’m pressed for time and/or doing my makeup on-the-go. I’ll use my lipstick as a cream blush and voila the face is done. Matching the tone of lipstick and blush is a really easy way to create a quick and cohesive look. But here’s the real secret for making the lipstick work as a cream blush: I don’t just apply the lipstick directly to my face and blend with fingers; instead, I’ll swirl a patch on the back of my hand to warm up the product a little bit and then use a beauty sponge, brush or my fingers to dab/press it onto the apples of my cheek and it blends out much smoother and more seamlessly. Alternatively, I will also sometimes use a multi stick like the Live Tinted Huestick in the orange shade Rise on my eyes, cheeks and lips.

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Use bronzer in the crease and lower lash line to add definition to eyes

For everyday make up I like using a soft, fluffy eyeshadow blending brush to apply my daily bronzer as an eyeshadow in my crease too. I gently sweep the brush following the natural contour of my eye and lightly flick it outwards at the edge to create a nice shape. I also add a little bit to the lower lash line using a thinner pencil brush. Not only does it help my hooded eyes look more defined and open but it also makes it look like I made an effort with my makeup. Using bronzer helps to keep everything looking cohesive, natural and subtle. And the best part is I don’t have to be too precise with application because it’s a one-tone look.

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Use a champagne/golden-toned highlighter as eyeshadow shimmer on the eyelid

For days where I want to make a little more effort or I’m pressed for time but need an amped up look, I will apply my highlighter as an eyeshadow shimmer on the eyelid and inner corner. I generally like to use my little finger or ring finger to apply the highlighter on my eyelid in a gentle patting motion because the natural warmth of my fingers helps the product glide on easily. If I have time for further refinement, then I will take a flat eyeshadow shader brush and clean up the edges and inner corner area a little bit. I also like using the bronzer eyeshadow hack to blend the highlighter into the crease and add some to the outer corners of my eyes to add a little definition and depth. This is basically a two-step easy neutral, wearable smokey eye for the daytime.

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Use concealer as foundation

I have stopped using foundation unless I have an event to go to. For everyday makeup I use concealer in a similar colour to my skin tone to spot conceal and add a little coverage to my cheeks, nose, forehead and chin and then blend it all out with a flap-top kabuki brush. I live in a hot and humid climate so I prefer the light coverage vs full coverage — my skin can breathe easily and makeup doesn’t smudge or run. Concealers are also much smaller and lighter than foundation bottles/tubes so I find it much more convenient to travel with and carry on-the-go. I always set my concealer with a translucent loose powder so it doesn’t move.

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Create a winged eyeliner look using eyebrow pencil, bronzer and an angle brush

Sometimes I like to use my brown/black eyebrow pencil to add a winged eyeliner to my eyelid. But brow pencils tend to be quite emollient and waxy so the colour can slip / fade quickly. My trick is to take an angled eyeshadow brush and use gentle strokes to blend out the brow pencil to create a more defined wing shape and then set it with bronzer. Again, it can be as smudgy or precise as I want it to be. Using a brown shade is very forgiving and more natural looking.

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I hope you found this post helpful. If you have any makeup hacks to share, please comment below.