There isn’t much that’s kept a secret in the beauty world nowadays, but there are a few techniques and tricks that aren’t as well known but definitely come in handy! I, for one, love finding new ways to apply my makeup and change my routine every now and then – even though sometimes my makeup isn’t quite perfect by the end of the day!

Baking
Baking isn’t much of a secret, but when you’re starting off (if you’re anything like me) it can be difficult to get it right. It took me a good couple of weeks to properly get the hang of it but once you know how, it’s super easy and it slips right into your routine! First off, the powder that you use is important, I’ve tried it with both a coloured powder and translucent and I’d always go for translucent now. Using a coloured powder can be tricky because it can start to look cakey throughout the day and I’m sure that’s a look everyone wants to avoid! I tried using a basic makeup sponge to apply the powder under my eyes at first, but the texture of the sponges was way too rubbery and the powder just wasn’t holding, so after reading couple of blog posts on the technique (I will always recommend this, it’s so handy and easy to access) I started using a beauty blender instead! The blender grabs the powder so easily and the pointed tip makes the application so much more precise, it doesn’t necessarily have to be branded, just a good quality one!

Colour Correctors and Concealers
I had been applying colour correctors and concealers wrong for a long time, until I found a trick online (probably Facebook) that made them so much more effective! I used to just apply and kind of concealer/corrector and then foundation on top, but of course the foundation but ended up wiping the concealer away and all my blemishes were still on show. Not only was it a massive waste of product, but I was caked up for absolutely no reason! The best step to do first is to use colour correctors as a base – so in my case using yellow under my eyes and green for any redness. If you use a cream/liquid corrector then it should sit pretty well under other makeup, I use the liquid concealers in green, yellow &  and they work a charm. Next I apply foundation over the top to even out my skin and cover the colour correctors – and then using concealer over that to hide blemishes. It might not work for everyone, but it gives me a pretty clear and even complexion so it’s worth giving it a go!

Glow Glow Glow
There’s no such thing as too much highlighter. This might sound like the most ridiculous tip ever – but if you’re a true lover of all things beauty and you’re having a bad day, just apply some highlighter and off you go. A good glow is guaranteed to perk you up because it’s the best feeling when you walk past a mirror and you see your highlight catch the sun. Just trust me ok.

Skincare
I don’t know if it’s just me, but whenever I’m reading beauty blogs and articles, skincare is barely mentioned. Everyone’s all “take care of your skin!” but they don’t tell you just how important it is – especially at this time of year. It’s probably the best thing you’ll ever do for your makeup routine and it’s so vital. Of course everyone slips up in their skincare routine occasionally and that’s perfectly fine, just as long as you get straight back on top of it! Your skin is your main base, so of course you have to take care of it. I follow my routine every morning and every night and it consists of removing my makeup with a cleansing wipe and then removing any excess with a cotton pad and the Garnier Micellar Water – if you never use a cleanser you’ll be surprised by how much is still on your skin! Then I’ll use the Nivea Oil-Free Moisturiser and dab some spot gel on any blemishes to reduce them throughout the day/night. I always make sure to use a Body Shop lip butter too so my lips are just as cared for as the rest of my face – cracked lips aren’t great if you’re wanting to wear lipstick the next day!

Price Doesn’t Always Mean Quality
Don’t get me wrong, I love Kylie Cosmetic products and I will continue to use them until the day I die, but with all of the different brands I’ve tried lately, I might never have even gone for them. I recently placed my first Colourpop order and I’ve spent a lot more time than I’d like to admit at my local NYX stand so of course I’ve tried out a few substitutes for the Kylie Lip Kits, and they come a lot closer than I expected. Both the Colourpop Ultra Matte Lipstick and the NYX Lip Lingeries are a similar formula to Kylie’s and the combined price of these doesn’t even come to the total price of one Lip Kit. So moral of the story is, if you’re pining for a Kylie Lip Kit but can’t bear to part with the pennies, see how you get on with one of these first! (Colourpop: Time Square - Kylie: Candy K - NYX: Exotic).