7 Hacks For The Most Advanced Makeup Looks

Smoky eyes, soft, non-overdone eyeliner: Yep, they can be tricky to pull off if you don’t know the expert hacks. We’ve got you, though. Here are seven ways to achieve the most complicated makeup looks all on your own, without a cosmetology degree.

Soft Brows

If you can’t ever get your brows looking natural after filling them in, celeb makeup artist Sonia Kashuk has the cheat for you: “Take a spoolie brush and comb downwards before you pencil them in or apply product,” she says. “This way, you’re placing it underneath your brows, so when you brush them back up over, the effect is more natural with no artificial lines."

Try: Jane Iredale Deluxe Spoolie Brush, $10, Amazon

The Classic Red Lip

First of all, you don't need to worry about achieving the perfect lip shape anymore. Kashuk says today’s lip look is more blurred out. “Apply your lip liner, then use your fingertip to soften the edges,” she says. “If you blur the edges of a strong lip, you are keeping the look natural.” She also says that applying a light layer of foundation first will give you the cleanest surface to work off of and neutralizes your natural lip color for a more true color finish. Also, “that little hint of foundation can fill in any fine lines on your lip and gives the best surface to apply on.”

Try: NYX Matte Lipstick in Perfect Red, $7.49, Amazon; NYX Mechanical Lip Pencil in Dark Red, $4.50, Amazon

The Perfect Contoured Cheekbone

Everyone wants one, but a lot of the time it can look a bit harsh in the flesh. “Use cream-based products because they’re easier to blend out,” says Kashuk. “The key is blending and starting from the right spot.” She says to find your contour line underneath your cheekbone and start at your ear (right at the your hairline) and work inwards towards your mouth. “That’s a more natural approach to finding the perfect contour line.”

Try: Aesthetica Cosmetics Cream Contour and Highlighting Kit, $35, Amazon

Easy Eyeliner

You know those times when you are aiming for a natural look and end up with Taylor Momsen-esque eyes? Yep, it happens, but Marina Gravani, makeup artist to celebs like Mariah Carey and Hannah Simone, has a great hack. “Take a waterproof eye pencil and look at yourself in the mirror with your head tilted back and chip up,” she explains. “Lift your eyelid slowly and apply the liner in between your lashes from underneath. This will create a line in your lashes that is sure to be straight and give you lash fullness without being liner heavy.”

Try: Maybelline New York Unstoppable Eyeliner, $4.49, Amazon

The Smoky Eye Made Simple

How often do you avoid attempting a smoky look for fear of the repercussions of going overboard? “If you’re unsure how to blend and think you’ve over done it, take a foundation sponge with some leftover foundation and gently press it onto your lids,” says Gravari. “It will instantly diffuse the shadow and tone it down for a more soft-focus look.”

Try: EcoTools Foam Applicator Brush, $5.99, Amazon

Toned-Down Lipstick

Marissa Waller, founder of BeauTeaBar.com, says to get your lipstick lasting all night by using one easy trick. “Take a facial tissue and pull it apart so it’s just one ply. Gently place it over your lacquered up lips before taking a translucent powder and applying a small amount with a makeup brush over the tissue and onto your lips.”

Try: Maybelline Master Fix Translucent Perfecting Powder, $7.99, Amazon

Easy-Chic Bronzer

Sun-kissed skin is a cinch, with Margina Dennis’ application method: “The secret to applying bronzer is to trace the number ‘3’ on your face. Start at the cheekbone and go upward to your forehead, and from your starting position trace down back to the jaw line,” she says. What’s left on your brush can also be applied to your chin, neck and down your nose.

Try: The Balm Bahama Mama Bronzer, $17.98, Amazon