21 amazing expert makeup tips

Confession: I am no make-up guru.

I rock a pretty simple make-up look day-to-day, mostly for fear of failing at anything more adventurous. 

Sound familiar? Well, we can do better than this, beauties! 

Let’s stop avoiding that contour kit and start scrolling, because these expert tips are set to take our make-up game to a whole new level…

1. Take before and after shots

“Compare how you look before you do your make-up to how you look after. See whether your eyes look bigger/smaller and if you look older/younger. The camera doesn’t lie!” – Rae Morris, Make-up Artist

2. Prep your skin

“It’s important to have a good canvas to start with. Primer is a really great first step; it’s like the foundation of a house. The Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer is so easy to apply – all you need to do is dip your sponge in and wipe it over your face.” – Melanie Burnicle, Revlon Make-Up Director

3. Choose the right base

“Familiarise yourself with your skin type and look for foundations that work with it. If your skin is dry, go for a liquid or cream foundation with a luminous, radiant finish.  If you have oily skin, go for a stick or powder foundation, or a velvet matte finish foundation to assist with oil control.” – Hayley Dutton, Make-up Artist

bh tip: Find your perfect foundation match with this quiz.

4. Pick a suitable shade

“When selecting your shade, make sure you test it on your décolletage, rather than the back of your hand or on your jaw.  The neck and décolletage are the areas that are closest to the face. When these are matched, your make-up can go a little more undetected.” – Hayley Dutton, Make-up Artist 

5. Do your eyes first

“If you make a mistake, you can get it off easily. If you have your base on already, it’s harder and you can feel stuck with a look you don’t like.” – Rae Morris, Make-up Artist

6. Consider your age

“If you have fine lines or wrinkles, avoid shimmery make-up. Matte make-up is anti-ageing and you can really lift/change the shape of an eye with matte, neutral tones.” – Rae Morris, Make-up Artist

bh tip: The ASAP Pure Eye Colour range features 12, flattering matte eyeshadows – we’re huge fans.

7. Less is more

“It is often the case that less is more, especially when it comes to foundation. Start with a light coverage all over the face and then build up only in the areas you need it.” – Hayley Dutton, Make-up Artist

8. Use a great brush (and the correct one!)

“A square, flat-tipped brush edge is better than a round one for doing your lipstick – especially for your Cupid’s bow! Think of it like joining the dots: point and drag.” – Melanie Burnicle, Revlon Make-Up Director

9. Prime your pout

“Most women have heard of or used a primer under their foundation to help it hold throughout the day, but to ensure your lips have the same staying power, try using a lip primer. It becomes a barrier for the lips and a surface for the colour product to stick to!” – Nicole Thompson, MAC Australia Senior Artist

bh tip: Nicole recommends Mac Prep + Prime Lip.

10. Cheat with lip liner 

“If you’re scared about going outside your lip line, use a nude lip pencil to line your lips first and get a feel for where you’re going. Make sure it’s sharp for a cleaner edge!” – Melanie Burnicle, Revlon Make-Up Director

11. Layer your lippie

“Don't just stop at one layer. The more layers you put on, the longer it takes to come off! Try two to three layers, blotting with a tissue in between applications.” – Nicole Thompson, MAC Australia Senior Artist

12. Try strobing

“Strobing is a softer, prettier version of contouring. Apply highlighter to the flat/upper side of your cheekbone really softly – it’s all you need!” – Melanie Burnicle, Revlon Make-Up Director

bh tip: Read this for more on getting candlelit glow. 

13. Contour with caution

“Contouring isn’t for everyone. If you have obvious cheekbones, you don’t need to. If you do want to contour, remember, less is more. If you overdo it, it can make you look older.” – Melanie Burnicle, Revlon Make-Up Director

14. But if you must…

“To easily blend the colour and edges away, use a brush with nothing on it, or your face setting powder on it to blend seamlessly rather than add any more dark contour!” – Nicole Thompson, MAC Australia Senior Artist

15. Wet is better

“To give your make-up intensity, wet the sponge applicator tip you get with your eyeshadow palette (make sure you squeeze out the excess). This will give your eyeshadow a brighter, deeper, stronger consistency. It’ll also enhance the shimmer in it, if it has any. – Melanie Burnicle, Revlon Make-Up Director

bh tip: The Designer Brands Contour Kit has everything you need to contour to perfection.

16. Invest in professional tools

“For a professional make-up look, you can’t just use your fingers – hence why I have my own brush range!” – Rae Morris, Make-up Artist

17. Be a copy cat

“Improve your make up skills by imitation. I always recommend my clients see a photo in a magazine, cut it out, paste it onto their bathroom mirror and just imitate the look.” - Anne Salem, Laura Mercier National Artist

18. Learn from the experts

“An obvious skill enhancement would be to book a make-up lesson on-counter with a Laura Mercier artist, and get taught by the pros in the industry.” - Anne Salem, Laura Mercier National Artist

bh tip: You can book a beauty consultation at Myer online. 

19. Find your celebrity muse

“Find a celebrity with a similar age and colouring to you and see how they do their make-up for the red carpet. Remember, a make-up pro has chosen that colour eyeshadow or lipstick, so it’s a good guide to follow for your own make-up.” – Rae Morris, Make-up Artist

20. Go online 

“Watch pro YouTubers and people who’re actually working in the industry, like Lisa Aldridge. Watch them do make-up on someone else, ideally models with a similar eye shape or skin tone to you.” – Rae Morris, Make-up Artist

21. You can wash it off!

“Remember, you can wash it off if you don’t like what you’ve done! Don’t experiment with new looks right before a big night out, but for the rest of the time, practice makes perfect” – Melanie Burnicle, Revlon Make-Up Director

bh tip: Keep some Wet Ones Be Gentle Sensitive Medium Pack handy to wipe away any mistakes. 
 

• Melanie Burnicle: melanieburnicle.com
• Hayley Dutton: hayleydutton.com
• Anne Salem: @ANNESALEM6
• Rae Morris: raemorris.com
• Nicole Thompson: nicolethompson.com.au
   

What was your favourite tip? Do you have any other advice for women struggling with make-up?