6 ways to reinvigorate your make-up look

If you’re a creature of habit and have been sporting the same make-up look for years, it might be time to shake things up a bit. 

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t stick to what works for you, but a small change every now and then can make a world of difference.

So here are 6 (very easy, not at all scary) things you can do to reinvigorate your make-up look:

TRY A DIFFERENT LIP 

Basically, do the opposite of what you always do. If you’re a gloss girl, pick up a lipstick. If you always opt for nudes and neutrals, try a ravishing red. If you prefer a matte finish, give something with a glossy finish a whirl. 

There’s every chance you won’t love the switch, but who knows? You may just fall head-over-heels for a new colour or finish!

Swap your Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Complex for Striking

Swap your Models Prefer Infinite Colour Crystal Lipglaze in Dazzle for the Lipstick in Paparazzi Pink

Swap your Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisutirizing Matte Lipstick in Rose Petal for the Beautiful Color Moisutirizing Lipstick in Rosy Shimmer. 

EXPERIMENT WITH COLOURED EYESHADOW

For most women, the thought of using an eyeshadow colour that doesn’t fall into the grey or brown categories is ridiculous. And we get it – colour, especially bright and pigmented colour, can be scary. But it doesn’t mean it should be avoided. 

If you pick the right shade (or combination of shades) to complement your eye colour and skin tone, and you blend them well, the results can be beautifully striking. Not sure which colours will suit you? Here’s a handy guide on the shades to wear for your eye colour.

And here are some gorgeous palettes to start playing around with.

Lancôme Hypnose Palette in Lumiere D’Azur
Chi Chi Glamorous Eyeshadow Palette in Sultry
Avon True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Romantic Mauves
Mirenesse Pearl Crush Creaseless Shadow in Lakshimi

Oh, and if the thought of coloured eyeliner is too much for you, but you’re slightly intrigued, ease your way into it by using your eyeshadow with an angled eyeliner brush and applying the colour to your top and bottom lash lines. (Handy hint: If you’re using a dark shade and you have small eyes, stick to just the top line).

LINE YOUR EYES DIFFERENTLY

While there are ways to apply your eyeliner to suit your eye shape and size, you can definitely experiment with different ways to line. Try tightlining for maximum impact and the eye-popping factor, or swap your regular pencil liner for a gel or liquid liner (head here to find out why to choose each). Or maybe you could inject some vibrancy into your look by using coloured eyeliner. 

To really take your eyelining game to the next level, try double lining, which involves layering two different liners – a powder and a gel. These are Bobbi Brown’s tips for nailing the technique:

“Begin by lining the top lash line with Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner using the Ultra Precise Eye Liner Brush. Next, use the Smokey Eye Liner Brush to sweep Eye Shadow in a similar color as the Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner along the top half of your gel liner application. The result is a diffused liner look that is darkest at the lash line and softens as you go up the eyelid.”

And her biggest tip? “You want to make sure that the gel liner is still slightly ‘wet’ so that it smudges when you layer the shadow over it.”

USE A NON-CONVENTIONAL BLUSH

And by non-conventional, we mean anything that’s not a powder (because let’s face it, that what most of us feel safest using).

A cream blush – whether housed in a compact or in stick form – will give your skin a much more dewy finish than a powder. Lightly dab a little on the apples of your cheeks and cheekbones and blend upwards.

Jane iredale Mineral Makeup In Touch Cream Blush
Maybelline New York Master Glaze Blush Stick
e.l.f. Australia Studio Cream Blush

A liquid blush (usually called a tint or a stain) is quite pigmented, which may leave you a bit apprehensive about trying it. But the trick is to start slowly and lightly. Gently dot the liquid on the apples of your cheeks while smiling, and blend the colour out. Be sure to work quickly, as the colour is harder to blend out once the liquid dries. This is a brilliant option if you’re after a long-lasting, flushed finish.

Benefit Benetint
ModelCo CHEEK + LIPS
Becca Beach Tint

PICK UP A NEW TREND

New make-up techniques and trends are emerging every day (or have been make-up artist secrets for years, and we’re only finding out about them now), so why not hop on the bandwagon and try a new trend?

RESHAPE YOUR BROWS

You’d be amazed at how much a different brow shape can change your look. If you’re really committed to the cause, splurge and make your way to a professional brow salon. Here are some in each state’s capital city, but feel free to comment below on your local favourite!

Adelaide

Exquisite Brows
The Eyebrow Studio

Brisbane

Brooklyn Beauty Bar
Brow-Zing

Canberra

Brows by Mel
Browlab

Darwin

Lash & Beauty Lounge
Natural Beauty Darwin

Hobart

Boutique Brows
Face Bar

Melbourne

Amy Jean Eye Couture
The Eyebrow Queen 

Perth

Total Brow
ALISON JADE

Sydney

Jazz Pampling
Kristin Fisher Eyebrows

And if you want to have a go on your own at home, try the Billion Dollar Brow The Brow Buddy to find your perfect brow shape. Use the tool and white pencil to mark out the ends and arches of your brows, and then use a brow pencil to lightly fill in the area with gentle strokes. 

What tips do you have for reinvigorating your make-up routine? Would you try any of these?