There’s no doubt that beauty editors have a brilliant job. We get to trial the latest products hitting shelves, discover the newest technologies and treatments on offer, interview top hair, skin and makeup experts, and sit down with celebrities to quiz them about their beauty secrets and go-to products. And because we have this unrivalled access to the beauty world, it’s fair to say we’ve picked up a few tips and tricks for ourselves along the way.
Here, nine of Australia’s top beauty editors from Beauty Crew, InStyle and Marie Claire share the top beauty tip they’ve learnt.
Bettina Tyrell, Beauty Editor, InStyle
“Jen Atkin once gave me a golden piece of hair advice, which of course, I gobbled up and applied whole-heartedly and it honestly changed my hair for the better. She told me you shouldn’t necessarily use a shampoo and conditioner from the same line (i.e. volumising, hydrating, etc.) because often you need your shampoo and conditioner to do different things. So now I use a clarifying shampoo to remove product build-up on my scalp, and a hydrating conditioner to nourish and smooth my dry ends. It’s a game-changer, I promise!”
Isobel Larkin, Beauty Assistant, Beauty Crew
“The best makeup application trick I’ve ever been given is to not swish your setting powder around on your face, but rather, press it into your skin with a beautyblender. Swirling powder around on your face disrupts your foundation, which if you’re *all about that base* like me, you’ve spent a long time applying it just right. Because I prefer a glowy look, I love to use Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder for this. I dab my beautyblender into the lid of the powder and then press and roll it across my forehead, nose, cheeks and chin. The key here is not to use too much product – you only need one or two dips of powder so use a light touch. It creates the perfect canvas for bronzer, blush and highlighter application. LIFE CHANGING.”
Alex Noonan, Digital Content Director, Marie Claire, InStyle and Beauty Crew
“Tightlining is a signature trick of makeup artist Laura Mercier. Basically, it makes your lashes appear much fuller and really frames your eyes without elaborate makeup. Simply apply a black gel liner with a flat brush or waterproof pencil along the upper waterline (under your lashes), making sure to really wiggle it into the base of the lashes for added fullness. It’s a really simple, foolproof way to apply liner, especially if you don’t have a sturdy hand or time to muck about with creating a perfect line.”
Kate Niven, Beauty Writer, Beauty Crew
“Wear SPF every single day, rain, hail or shine. It might be a boring tip, but it’s a piece of skin care advice that has been drilled into me by every dermatologist and skin care expert I’ve ever interviewed. While many people avoid daily application of sunscreen because some formulas can leave a white cast on the skin or feel too gluggy, I promise your Holy Grail formula is out there! My favourite is Elizabeth Arden Prevage® City Smart Hydrating Shield with Sunscreens.”
Anna McClelland, Assistant Digital Content Manager, Marie Claire and InStyle
“I have tried almost every clear brow gel in existence, but for me, nothing does the job like a light spritz of hairspray on a spoolie brush. I find most dedicated brow gels leave too much product on my brows and give a finish that’s too shiny for my liking, but this backstage beauty trick invisibly keeps wayward strays in place all day.”
Chelsea Tromans, Contributing Editor, Beauty Crew
“I don’t have the steadiest hand when it comes to applying eyeliner, and I find a perfect line just looks too harsh and ‘done’ for my liking anyway. So instead of using eyeliner, I apply a black matte eyeshadow to my upper lash line with an eyeshadow smudger brush (try MAC Eye Shadow in Carbonwith Sigma Beauty E21 Smudge Brush). It creates a beautiful soft, slightly smoky eyeliner look that makes my eyes pop without looking OTT. And it’s near impossible to mess up! Sometimes I’ll do the same on the outer third of my lower lash line, too, but never the whole lash line as it makes my eyes look small.”
Carli Alman, Editor, Beauty Crew
“I’ve always been taught to apply highlighter with a fan brush – it’s the brush that’ll give you a nice and natural glowing finish. But when I had the pleasure of interviewing Terry De Gunzberg of By Terry, she completely blew my mind by telling me to instead apply my powder highlighter with a dense brush and buff the powder in, rather than dust it on. You’d think it would look unnatural and a little too obvious, but for some reason the densely packed brush mixed with the buffing application method just works. So ever since, I’ve swapped my fan brush for the By Terry Soft Oval Expert Brush.”
Arielle Tsoukatos, Senior Digital Beauty and Lifestyle Editor, Marie Claire and InStyle
“Bondi Sands co-founder Blair James warns against applying self-tanner after a shower or bath. Steam makes your pores expand – resulting in those pesky dark dots that commonly occur when applying fake tan to your legs or arms. For foolproof tanning, wait for you skin to cool down and always start at your feet as not to run the risk of creating lines or creases from bending over.”
Iantha Yu, Beauty Editor, Beauty Crew
“One of the best tips I ever learnt was from Rae Morris, who taught me exactly how to do a winged eyeliner look. The trick is to draw a line from the outer corner of your eye that’s an extension of your lower lash line, stop at a point, and then bring the line across your eyelid and towards the inner corner of your eye. With this method, you’re able to wear a heavier eye look without making the eyes look sad or droopy.”
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This article originally appeared on Beauty Crew
