Whether you've smeared your cat eye or smudged your polish, these clever hacks will erase your makeup mishaps when you have only seconds to spare
Unlike professional makeup artists, most of us have a tough time applying liquid or gel eyeliner with a steady hand. Fortunately, there are a number of quick and easy ways to correct any smudged eyeliner mistakes. "There are products on the market especially for this," says makeup artist Anni Bruno. "On the lower end, ELF's Makeup Remover Pen is basically just a cotton swab that's pre-moistened with makeup remover (essentially just mineral oil) in a felt-tip applicator." You can also make a DIY version by dipping sharp-point cotton swabs into makeup remover (coconut oil works great too!). "On the higher end, there's Paula Dorf's Sweep Away, a twist-up, solid stick of emollients that work like a pencil eraser to make smudges disappear," Bruno says. These makeup techniques will make your eyes pop!
Eyeshadow fallout
It's so frustrating when you finally achieve complexion perfection only to then have your cheekbones littered with dark powder from wayward eye shadow! Thankfully, Bruno has a few expert tricks up her sleeve on how to avoid having shadow flakes fall down onto your face. "One trip is to do your eye makeup first. Then clean up any fallout under the eyes, and do your foundation and concealer after. Big time-saver!" she advises. Another approach is to use eyeshadows that feel and look densely packed. "Loose pigments are hard to work with, and it's almost impossible to avoid fallout with those," Bruno says. Look for eyeshadows that have a certain solidity to them, and avoid shadows with micro-glitter, as that compromises the strength of the product and makes it break up into messy powder. "Companies also make physical barrier products for this purpose," Bruno says. "Shadow Shields are disposable adhesives that are placed under the eyes to collect fallout, and are thrown away after makeup application. Or, there are several companies that make a silicone pad on a stick, that you place under the eye with one hand, while applying your shadow with the other. The fallout lands on the silicone pad, rather than your skin. These are great, as they're washable and reusable!"
Over-plucked eyebrows
Throughout the nineties, many of us made the huge mistake of over-tweezing our brows, as was then in fashion. Sadly, hindsight is 20-20, and many of those stuck with pencil-thin brows today are deeply regretting that decision! "A lot of follicle damage was done during those days, and most of those hairs will never come back. We also lose hair with aging, so where we once had full, beautiful brows, we tend to notice they thin with age. It's a bummer. But there are solutions!" Bruno says. First, there's the chemical approach. "You know those lash serums that make your eyelashes grow to ridiculous lengths? They exist for brows, too!" says Bruno, whose go-to brand is LiBrow. "It won't make you grow hair where there is no follicle, but it will strengthen your existing follicles, helping you keep the brow hairs your already have, as well as helping them grow longer and stronger. If you don't like a penciled-in look, use an angled brow brush and a matte shadow similar to your brow hair color, and just fill them in. This is the easiest and best way to create a beautiful frame for your eyes," Bruno says. These tips for perfect eyebrows can transform your appearance.