13 Makeup Hacks That Can Give You Better-Looking Skin

Achieving better-looking skin calls for a skin care regimen that targets your specific concerns over time. But, while we might have the time to give to our skin care wants and needs, we don’t always have the time to wait for the results of our well-thought-out regimen to show face. That’s where makeup comes into play. With products like highlighter, concealer, and primer readily available, makeup can be a great way to put our best face forward while waiting on our trusty skin care products to show their benefits. Not sure where to begin? We share 13 makeup hacks to try for better-looking skin, ahead.

HIGHLIGHT THE INNER CORNERS OF YOUR EYES

Give your eyes the ultimate wake-up call with a skin-illuminating highlighter. Applying highlighter to the inner corners of each eye can create the illusion of brighter, less tired-looking eyes. Not to mention: it can help distract from puffy under-eye bags, too! For a fast pick-me-up, dab a little liquid, cream, or stick highlighter to the inner corners of your eyes with your fingertips. 

COLOR CORRECT FOR A FLAWLESS-LOOKING COMPLEXION

Faking flawless-looking skin is a piece of cake when color correcting concealers are involved. From yellow to purple, these pastel-hued concealers can help cover up the look of sallowness, redness, and other hard to conceal blemishes, as well as promote radiant-looking skin.

CONCEAL UNDER-EYE BAGS IN A PINCH

Concealing under-eye bags calls for a bit of patience. But, if you don’t have any—or, are in a hurry—you can try blending liquid concealer, eye cream, and liquid highlighter together and applying it directly to the under-eye area. This 3-in-1 makeup hack can leave the under-eye area with a moisturized, concealed, and illuminated appearance. 

APPLY FOUNDATION WITH A BRUSH

Want to know the best way to apply foundation? With a foundation makeup brush, of course! Foundation brushes not only make for easy application, they ensure that you aren’t using too much foundation, too! The result? A complexion that appears flawless with the right amount of coverage.

CREATE A FAUX FLUSH

Looking to add some natural-looking color to your cheeks (without pinching them)? Dust on some blush. Blush can be a great way to add a little faux flush to your complexion—especially on days when you are feeling under the weather, tired, or dull. We recommend choosing a blush shade that compliments your skin tone and delivers a natural-looking glow. 

POWDER YOUR COMPLEXION

Keep your makeup on longer with setting powder! Setting powder helps to lock your look in place and promotes longer-lasting makeup, too. For more information on why you need a setting powder in your beauty routine, click here.

USE NATURAL LIGHT

If you aren’t applying your makeup under natural light—i.e. in front of a window or with a professional light—you should start now. Natural light can not only help you detect the true shades of your beauty products, it can help ensure that you are applying the right amount of product. If you’ve ever applied your makeup under light that isn’t natural, you may have notice that you applied too much, missed a spot while blending, or worse, used the wrong shade of foundation for your skin tone. Natural light can help you avoid this beauty faux pas.

BRIGHTEN UP THE LOOK OF EYELIDS WITH WHITE EYELINER

Switch up your black winged liner look for something whiter and brighter! One of our favorite makeup trends of the season is white eyeliner for its ability to brighten up the look of the eyes! Try this look with either liquid or pencil—whichever works for you!

DIFFUSE WITH A BEAUTY BLENDING SPONGE

Have you ever applied makeup to your complexion only to be left with lines and creases an hour later? Us too—which is why we turn to our trusty beauty blending sponges to diffuse the situation. After applying your face makeup, take your damp beauty blending sponge (preferably a clean one that doesn’t have leftover makeup residue) to the areas of your face that experience creasing—i.e. under your eyes, on your laugh lines, etc.—and blend. This should help pick up some of the excess product and keep creasing from looking as visible.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SHADE

This goes without saying… but, we’ll say it anyways because it can make or break your makeup application. When selecting a foundation, ensure that you choose one that best fits your skin’s natural shade. Going too light or too dark can not only make it obvious that you applied a couple coats of foundation, but it can also make the skin look less natural—especially if you forget to blend onto your neck. If you are having a hard time finding a foundation that matches your tone to a T, consider shade adjusting drops. The light and dark shade droppers allow you to customize your foundations, BB creams, concealer, and more. For more information on shade adjusting drops, click here.

APPLY AN ILLUMINATING MAKEUP PRIMER

Think you don’t need to apply makeup primer? Think again! Makeup primer can mean the difference between dull, tired-looking skin and a brighter, more illuminated-looking complexion. As far as primers are concerned, we recommend reaching for one that hydrates the skin and boasts an illuminating effect, as this can create a natural-looking glow with or without foundation application.

USE CONCEALER AS A FINISHING TOUCH

If you’re a concealer-first-foundation-second kind of gal, you might want to reconsider. Applying concealer to the areas you need it—i.e. under your eyes, on top of blemishes—as a finishing touch can make concealing blemishes a breeze, not to mention save product and promote a more even-looking complexion. Reach for a concealer that is a shade lighter than your foundation to brighten up the look of under-eye bags, highlight the high points of your complexion, and more! 

MOISTURIZE WITH HYALURONIC ACID

This isn’t a makeup hack per say, but moisturizing your complexion before makeup application is key to flawless-looking makeup and, in turn, better-looking skin. This is because hydrated skin makes it easier for face makeup—think: concealer, foundation, BB cream, and so on—to blend onto the skin in a natural-looking way. We recommend reaching for a moisturizer formulated with hyaluronic acid, like SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel.