Makeup Artist Beauty Secrets

Makeup artists are a treasure trove of exciting makeup secrets. Some will share their amazing tricks of the trade, while others keep their hard-learned makeup lessons to themselves. With a bit of practice, some trial and error, and a lot of patience, you can figure out what makeup tricks work for you. Here's a few ideas to get you started. Don't be afraid to try them and see which ones you like.

Makeup doesn't have to be expensive. It just has to work. A lot of drugstore brands have an almost cult-like following by makeup artists and celebrities alike. Products such as Maybelline's classic Great Lash Mascara (in the pink and green tube), Cetaphil's gentle moisturizer, and Neutrogena skin care products top the list of favorite drugstore brands. Inexpensive products are great, as long as they work well for you.

Pale, shimmery cream waterproof eye shadow makes a great eye primer. Eye primer helps your eye shadow stay on all day. It's a product that I love. But a waterproof, creamy, shimmery, pale eye shadow can double as an eye primer. Make sure its a cream based product, allow it to dry a bit after you apply it, and then apply your powder eyeshadow right over top. Just don't use too much of the cream shadow or your eye colors will crease.

Your lipstick makes a great cream blush. If you have a lip color that just isn't quite right, try a bit on your cheeks. Just apply it like you would any cream blush, and make sure to blend it in well. It will have a staining effect, so make sure you test drive it before you have someplace you need to be. In a pinch, you can apply your favorite pinky lipstick to your lips and cheeks for a trendy, monochromatic look.

Not to worry if you run out of concealer. Although it usually happens when you need it most! The thick, pasty residue on the lip of your liquid foundation tube makes a great concealer. Just unscrew the lid of your liquid foundation, and use the slightly dry, cake-y foundation that gets trapped between the outside of the tube and the lid. Gently pat it on. It's thickness should cover just like concealer.

A little bit of facial contouring is fast, easy, and can make you look five pounds thinner. You'll need a powder bronzer - it should be matte colored, and only a shade darker than your skin tone. Suck in your cheeks, and lightly apply it to the sucked in part of your cheeks, underneath your cheek bones. Also, apply it in an up and down motion on the outside of your cheeks where they are the widest. This will make your face look thinner, and make your cheekbones stand out more. The result? You've lost five pounds in an instant. Just make sure to blend well.

Well groomed, but not too thin, eyebrows make you look younger. Super skinny eyebrows are pretty, but they look harsh on an aging face. Instead, keep your eyebrows just a bit fuller, and fill in any empty patches with brow powder. The result will be a more youthful, more rested look.

Bangs make you look younger. A full, dramatic fringe will take a few years off of your face. First of all, it hides those pesky frown lines between your eyes. Second of all, it tends to make your face look a little rounder, a little wider in the cheeks, and bigger in the forehead. These child-like qualities give you a younger appearance.

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