When it comes to flawless makeup looks, they are more about the application techniques than the makeup products used. A highly creative and experienced professional makeup artist can work effectively and beautifully, even with just a few tools. Celebrity makeup artist, Scott Barnes, for instance, has worked with just a lipstick and powder for a magazine photo shoot.

This is why for every aspiring makeup artist, taking an advanced makeup course is a must for cultivating skills and techniques that are not heavily dependent on tools. And speaking of developing exceptional makeup techniques, creativity and resourcefulness are vital qualities for them.

These qualities will allow you to explore the potential of different media in achieving makeup looks that impress. At the same time, they are the backbone to develop the most effective though unconventional process for your work. To provide you with a better idea of how techniques rooted in creativity are the most important aspect of makeup, a top editorial makeup artist lists seven unusual ones that drastically change results.

1. Contour and highlight before foundation

Most YouTube and Instagram makeup artists start with primer and foundation, but most editorial and celebrity makeup artists’ base is contour and highlight. Changing the process this way maintains the face’s dimensions even after the application of foundation.

Typically when you start with the foundation, the face tends to look flat. But, when you apply cream contour first, the natural structure of your face is preserved, which will allow you to chisel your face shape better instead of requiring you to draw a new shape. Plus, you also end up using less foundation, which is better for achieving skin-like texture.

2. Stick to upward strokes

Upward strokes never fail to give the face an instant lift. A lot of people who do makeup tend to think that giving the face a more lifted appearance is all about placing products higher than usual. But, it’s actually more effective to apply makeup where it should go and just blend it in an upward motion.

This technique will ensure that the instant face lift you want to create looks natural and not like you’re geared up for a theatrical performance.

3. Maintain a neutral facial expression throughout the makeup application process

Stop lifting the brows, sucking in the cheeks and twisting the mouth when placing products on the face. You want to make sure that the face has a neutral and natural expression because that’s what the face normally looks like.

Distorting your face too much will shift the colors you have applied once you relax your facial expression. This will drag features down and can make the face look older and tired.

4. Use contour cream to plump the lips.

To create fuller lips without fillers, over lining, and ultra-glossy lip toppers, apply contour around the lip line before applying the foundation. This will create depth around the mouth, define your natural lip shape better, and make it look deceptively plumper.

When you incorporate this technique to your makeup process, you will find that you do not even need a lip liner to accentuate your mouth. All you have to do is apply a long-wear lipstick and lightly brush gloss in an upward motion on the edges of the lips. Voila, juicy lips.

5. Make sure to always have a set of clean brushes for blending

For a better blend, use clean brushes. They will diffuse and brush away excess color better. At the same time, using clean brushes to blend makes sure that the layers of pigments do not turn into a thick and heavy murky mess.

And, when you use these clean brushes, be very light-handed with them. Avoid sweeping. Instead, use a swirling motion to keep color where it should be.

6. Keep a light beige eye shadow color handy

Light beige with a subtle shimmer is a universally flattering hue, and it is the perfect blending color to use. You do not need a large palette of transition color because this hue will work on natural and dramatic makeup looks.

It can also work as a blush, contour, and even highlighter, especially for people with deeper skin tones.

7. Avoid going heavy on the highlighter

Always go light on the highlighter even if you want to glow to the heavens. Very rarely does highlighter look natural through the course of the day. If you want the look of naturally glowing skin, reach for Neutrogena’s Sunscreen Mist.

The sunscreen mist automatically creates a dewy effect, and it does not move makeup around. Best of all, it provides SPF and PA to prevent the harmful rays of the sun from damaging the skin. This is an all-over product, so it’s ideal to use to create a uniform glow from your face down to the body.

All these techniques may not be popular practices, but they have all been proven to deliver the “wow” factor for makeup. Try them and see how big a difference they create for all kinds of makeup looks. And, from these, you may also be able to develop your own unusual yet highly effective techniques.

Author Bio: Toni Malt is the Middle East’s leading international editorial makeup artist and the woman behind the highly anticipated Toni Malt Makeup Academy in the heart of Dubai, now training the next generation of key makeup artists. From minimalist looks to freestyle artistic creations, Toni’s creative work has been published in top international fashion magazines around the world including VOGUE, ELLE, L’Officiel, Marie Claire, Harper’s BAZAAR, Grazia and Cosmopolitan.

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