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Hello peachies, welcome back to dear peachie! Have you ever tried recreating a makeup look from your favorite beauty influencer, but no matter what you do, it just doesn’t hit the same? Even when you use the exact same products and shades, something still feels off, and you can’t quite put your finger on why.
Well, the secret isn’t always in the products or techniques, it’s in the little habits that can make or break your look without you even realizing it. Good makeup habits are like a solid foundation; the more you practice them, the better your makeup turns out. In today’s video, we’re uncovering the hidden makeup steps that influencers rarely mention in their tutorials, so you can level up your makeup game effortlessly! So grab a pen and paper, because we’ve got some real game-changing tips to unpack!
Hair plays a huge role in pulling together your whole look, but let’s be real, sometimes we’re short on time or just don’t have the right tools to style it. Usually, we push our hair back with clips or headbands, but after a while, that just leaves it looking flat and lifeless, totally not matching the vibe of our makeup. But don’t worry, the XiaoHongShu girlies have cracked the code on a quick and effortless fix! All you need are some metal silver clips, the kind used in professional hairstyling, and a good setting spray, and that’s it!
First, find your hair parting and use a clip to grab the hair on both sides, securing it in the middle. Then, repeat this step on the highest point of your head, your cranial top, to add volume. For the front pieces, push the strands towards your face to create a natural wave, then secure them with a clip. To hold the curve, secure another clip from behind at the middle of the section. For the hair near your ears, grab a small section, secure it with a clip, then flip it inside out so the clip sits on top of your ear. Repeat on the other side. This trick helps create effortless curtain bangs without heat styling! Once you’re done with your makeup, just remove the clips, and voilà, you’ve got voluminous, naturally styled hair without spending extra time on hot tools! If you don’t have setting spray, no worries! You can set the shape using a hair dryer; just blast it with heat first, then cool it down with a lower temperature to lock it in place. This trick helps hold the shape just as well!
Moving on to foundation… If you notice that your foundation isn’t sitting well in certain areas, like between your brows or around the corners of your mouth, it could be due to peach fuzz preventing it from properly adhering to your skin. This issue becomes even more noticeable when using brushes instead of other methods, especially with up-and-down strokes, which can lift the hairs and make them stand out. To avoid this, always apply foundation in downward strokes, or at least finish with downward strokes, to lay the hairs flat. And if you struggle with foundation clinging to upper lip hair, the best way to prevent that dreaded foundation mustache is to remove the hair altogether! A quick fix? Shave those areas when you’re shaping your brows or during your exfoliation routine. If your budget allows, you can even opt for laser hair removal for a longer-lasting, low-maintenance solution. If you’re shaving it yourself, be careful! Make sure to moisturize your skin with a good lotion both before and after shaving to keep it smooth and irritation-free.
Besides that, the cleanliness of your makeup applicators plays a big role in how your makeup turns out! Using dirty brushes, puffs, or sponges can lead to patchy application, product buildup, and even breakouts. If you’re unsure when to clean them, try black-colored beauty blenders or cushion puffs; the contrast makes it easy to see the dirt and product buildup. Just compare a brand-new puff with one that’s been used 2–3 times; you’ll notice the difference instantly! A good rule of thumb: Keep three puffs on rotation, using each up to 2–3 times, then wash them all at the end of the week. The same applies to powder puffs used for loose powder, matte highlighter, or blush, since product accumulates between the fibers, it can cause uneven, clumpy application on your skin. Regular cleaning not only removes excess product and dust but also eliminates bacteria that could harm your skin. Once you apply makeup with a freshly cleaned brush or puff, you’ll definitely see and feel the difference!
Struggling to conceal dark circles? You’ve applied concealer, set your base with loose powder, and yet those dark circles still peek through. At this point, adding more cream concealer won’t work since it won’t sit well on top of the powder. Here’s a simple hack to fix it. Instead of reaching for more liquid or cream products, try using a compact powder with some concealing power or even a matte eyeshadow or highlighter that’s one shade lighter than your skin tone. Take a small eyeshadow brush, pick up a bit of the powder, and gently swipe it along the tear trough to brighten the area. Work in thin layers, building up the coverage gradually to avoid a dry or patchy look. If your dark circles are more prominent and your cream concealer alone isn’t giving you enough coverage, you can apply this trick after setting your base for an extra brightening effect. Once you’re done, compare both eyes, and you’ll notice the difference. The dark circles will be significantly less visible, giving you a fresher, more awake look.
After finishing your base, but before moving on to the next step, take a moment to check your lips. If they’re feeling dry or cracked, this is the perfect time to apply a hydrating lip mask. But why wait until now instead of applying it earlier? Lip masks are often thick, gooey, or greasy, and applying them too soon can interfere with your base makeup. When using a brush or puff to apply foundation, there’s a high chance they’ll touch your lips and accidentally transfer the mask to other areas of your face. This can break down your foundation and leave patches or uneven coverage. To avoid this, some people might try to keep their brush away from the mouth area, but that can lead to an incomplete or uneven base around the lips. The best way to handle this is simple—finish your base first, let it set, and then apply the lip mask. That way, you can hydrate your lips without worrying about messing up your foundation. By the time you’re ready for lip products, your lips will be soft, smooth, and perfectly prepped.
We’ve all heard the saying that eyebrows are sisters, not twins, but sometimes, they end up looking more like distant relatives. One might be too low, while the other is overly arched, and before we know it, they look completely unrelated. A common mistake is starting with the brow that’s easier to fill in, usually the right side, before moving on to the other. By the time we get to the second brow, it becomes a struggle to match them, and the symmetry is lost. Instead, try reversing the process. Begin with the “harder” brow first, the one that’s trickier to shape, and then move on to the easier side. This way, you can balance them out more naturally and avoid ending up with mismatched brows. Another key tip is to avoid getting too fixated on close-up details in the mirror. While precision is important, staring too closely can make you lose sight of the overall shape. Try stepping back or holding your mirror at a distance to assess how your brows sit in relation to your entire face. This will help you achieve a more balanced and harmonious look.
There are a few things we might overlook when applying powder makeup products like eyeshadow, contour powder, or blush. Many of us were taught to pick up a lot of product on the brush and then tap off the excess, but there’s a better way! We mentioned this trick in our eyeshadow video before: instead of tapping, try gently rubbing and pressing the bristles onto the back of your hand or a tissue. This helps evenly distribute the product; it can prevent applying too much product, and minimizing clumping or difficulty of blending the colors to ensure a more natural and seamless look. The same goes for cream-based products! Before applying them to your face, scrape off the excess from the applicator at the bottle or pat it out on the back of your hand. This helps you layer the product gradually, allowing better control and preventing it from looking too heavy or patchy. Working with small amounts at a time makes blending easier and gives a more natural, seamless finish!
Another great technique to avoid clumpy or patchy eyeshadow, contour, or blush is the “first color, blend later” method. This approach helps create a smooth and gradual transition of color without making the blending region too large or messy. To better explain, imagine applying eyeshadow using two different brushes: a shader brush and a blending brush. If we pick up eyeshadow directly with a blending brush and apply it all over the lid, it becomes difficult to control the placement. The color can spread too far, making it hard to achieve that soft gradient from light to deep. The more you blend, the larger the blended area becomes, often leading to a muddy or uneven finish. Instead, try this. First, use a shader brush to pick up the eyeshadow and carefully layer it onto the lid, keeping the placement controlled and focused near the lash line and within the crease. At this stage, don’t worry about how harsh the edges look. Then, take a clean blending brush and softly blend out the edges in an upward motion. This technique allows the color to diffuse gradually, creating a seamless and natural transition. As you can see, you will get a perfectly blended, smooth eyeshadow look that enhances your eyes without looking harsh or overdone.
The same theory applies to blush. If you pick up blush with a big, fluffy brush and apply it by sweeping it across your cheeks while blending out the edges, the color can spread too far and become difficult to control. This often results in an overdone or messy look, making the makeup appear unbalanced. A better approach is to use a stippling brush, shader brush, or powder puff with a surface area roughly the size of your eye. Start by picking up a small amount of blush and pressing it onto the specific area of your cheeks where you want the color to be concentrated. Then, take a clean, larger fluffy brush or powder brush to gently blend out the edges. This method keeps the blush placement controlled while still achieving a soft, diffused effect. If you still feel that the blush isn’t intense enough, you can simply repeat the same steps. Use a smaller brush to add more blush to the focused area, then take a larger brush to blend it out. Layering the color gradually in this way helps build the intensity without making it look harsh or overdone.
This technique also works when filling in the under-eye fat contour. If you use a smudge brush to apply the contour, it can be difficult to sculpt a clear and defined shadow, often resulting in an effect that looks more like dark circles rather than a natural highlight. Instead, try using a flat detailing brush to pick up the contour shade and carefully line it along the under-eye fat. This helps define the shape and width of the aegyo-sal first before blending. Then, take a clean smudge brush to softly blend out the edges for a more seamless look. To enhance the effect, apply a matte highlighter to the center of the aegyo-sal and clean up the edges for a more prominent yet natural finish.
This technique applies to nose contouring as well. Many of us fear overdoing our nose contour, so we opt for a fluffy brush, thinking it will give a softer effect. However, this often results in undefined shadows, making the contour look messy or even “dirty”. It also fails to create that structured, bony effect we want. The key to a well-defined yet natural nose contour is to use a flat, dense contour brush. First, pick up the contour shade and focus on “coloring” in the areas where the shadows should be. Start by defining the darkest points, typically at the nose root near the bridge and the tip, then lightly trace a narrow contour along the sides of the nose. With the remaining product on the brush, bring the contour upwards from the nose root towards the brows in a soft motion. At this stage, don’t worry about being too heavy-handed, as blending will refine everything later. Think of this step as sketching out the structure of your contour first. Once the placement is set, clean your brush and blend out the contour in a horizontal motion, diffusing the shadows towards the sides of the nose. This technique ensures that from the front view, the contour appears sharp and structured, but from the side profile, it blends seamlessly into the skin for a natural transition. Compared to a messy and undefined nose contour, this method delivers a clean, polished, and lifted effect. So remember, “color first, blend later”. Once you get used to this approach, you’ll notice that many products you once found difficult to blend will now be much easier and more effective to work with!
This one’s for the newbies! If your eyeliner turns out wobbly and uneven because your hands shake while applying it, try this instead: rest your elbow on a table and cup your chin with your palm. These two support points help steady your hand for a smoother, more precise application. Start by filling in the outer end of your liner first; decide if you want a sharp wing or a soft, downward puppy-liner look. Then, work your way in from the inner corner towards the middle, connecting the lines gradually. We’ve all seen beauty gurus nail their liner in one effortless stroke, but that takes practice! For beginners, or anyone in a morning rush with no time for eyeliner mishaps, this is the safest method to get a clean, polished look without the stress.
Ever wondered why celebrities or those Douyin girls always have such a clean, flawless base and defined features? The secret lies in matte highlighter! Once you’ve finished your makeup, apply a matte highlighter using a mini powder puff for precise placement. Avoid the under-eye contour (aegyo-sal) and instead, focus on the triangle area below your eyes, smile lines, and mouth corners to brighten and lift these areas. Xiaohongshu beauty gurus swear by this trick; it enhances the overall clarity of your makeup and makes your features pop forward. Another game-changing way to use matte highlighter? Fixing makeup mistakes! If your eyeshadow or nose contour looks too harsh, take a small brush, pick up a little matte highlighter, and softly blend along the edges. This erases harsh lines and gives you a seamless, natural finish; no need to start over!
And that wraps up today’s tutorial! We hope these tips help refine your makeup techniques and make your routine smoother and more effortless. Many influencers often cut these steps out from their tutorial videos because they’ve become second nature to them, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t important for us to learn. Small adjustments, like choosing the right tools, placing our product first before blending, and paying attention to balance can make a huge difference in achieving a flawless, natural look. If you found these tips helpful, let’s share your thoughts in the comments! Thank you so much for watching, and we will see you in the next video! Goodbye!