30 Pro Makeup Tips You've Never Heard Before

Caution: You're now entering the secret beauty files, a restricted area where the lips are loose and the classified information flows freely.

To share with you the most useful beauty tips, tricks, and secrets possible, we contacted the top makeup artists in our little black book. After separating the wheat from the chaff—or rather, the been-there-done-that from the trying-that-immediately—we present the cream of the crop to you below, organized by cheeks, face, eyes, lips, and brows. (Command-F for easy referencing.)

CHEEKS

"Add your favorite blush to the cheeks before you apply foundation for a glow that looks like it's coming from beneath the skin. A bright, warm pink at the apple is perfect for any complexion." —James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

"Apply two shades of blush for the perfect flush of youth. Pink, or anything in the red family should be placed on the apple of the cheek; it will give the effect of blood coming to the surface. Peach, coral, or anything in the orange family should be applied to the highest point of the cheekbone; that gives the effect of heat rising. Finish by bringing a matte bronzer to the skin where sun hits the face (forehead, cheekbone, bridge of nose, and chin)." —James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

"When you need your blush to stay put for hours on end, layer a gel formula under a powder or bronzer." —Petra Strand, creator of Pixi by Petra

"Halloween is the perfect time to stock up on some unexpected essentials. Fake blood is the ideal blush shade. Add it to the apple of the cheek for any skin tone—it looks like a natural flush of color coming though the skin." —James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

"Cherry Jell-O makes the perfect bright blush shade. Mix a dash of powder into your favorite moisturizer or balm for a healthy glow." —James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

FACE

"Mixing foundation with moisturizer is an easy way to lighten your coverage options if you already have a fuller coverage foundation." —Caitlin Wooters, makeup artist

"To make foundation thicker, mix in a touch of loose powder. (Be careful not to add too much or it will cake.)" —Cecilia Muench, creative director of Inglot

"Starbucks napkins and disposable toilet-seat covers work just as well as blotting papers." —Kerry Cole, style director of Becca Cosmetics

"My signature trick is, before completing my look, I always add a light dusting of blush to my crease and around my temples to pull everything together." —Sasha Simler, trainer and makeup artist for Shu Uemura North America

"For a luminous skin effect, mix your foundation with a golden or a pearly white eyeshadow. It gives your complexion a radiance beyond compare." —Nicolas Degennes, creative director of Givenchy beauty

"If you're extremely oily and don't have face primer handy, just apply a little corn starch to your skin before your foundation." —Niki Metz, director of artistry for Jouer

"My mom, the cofounder of Benefit Cosmetics, used to tell [my sister] and me 'there are no rules when it comes to beauty.' She always took her favorite lipstick shade at the time and used it all over to create an entire makeup look. I remember growing up watching her put a swipe on both her cheeks, both eyelids, her lips, and blending it in, and it instantly looked like she got a makeover." —Annie Ford Danielson, Benefit global beauty authority

"Your complexion products (foundation, concealer, etc.) should match the inside of your arm, not the back of your hand." —Maggie Ford Danielson, Benefit global beauty authority

"As a little girl, I would watch my mother apply egg whites to her face (especially around her eyes) about an hour or two before going out to a special event. She would take one egg, separate it, whisk it until it was frothy, and apply the egg white all over her face and leave it on for 20 minutes. After, she would wash it off with lukewarm water and immediately apply her makeup. The egg white tightens the skin and wrinkles to give you a temporary facelift." —Niki Metz, director of artistry for Jouer

"Here's one for the winter: Take an egg yolk and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and whip together. Slather all over your face and leave on for 20 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water. This treatment is the most hydrating thing you can do for your skin, and it'll leave your face with the most beautiful glow you have ever seen!" —Niki Metz, director of artistry for Jouer

EYES

"Use the handle of a brush to lift the eyelid at the base of the lashes to roll your lashes up and back; this allows you to wiggle the mascara wand against the base of the lashes and pull through any clumps in a clean and precise manner." —Kara Yoshimoto Bua, Chanel celebrity makeup artist

"To reduce puffiness, pop eye lotion in the icebox and apply to lids before eye makeup." —Petra Strand, creator of Pixi by Petra

"To extend the life of your mascara, add a few drops of saline solution to the tube and swirl the brush around. This will reinvigorate and add moisture to the formula." —Kerry Cole, style director of Becca Cosmetics

"Apply mascara before liquid liner to create a guide for the perfect cat-eye flick." —Sarah Lucero, global director of education and artistry for Stila

"My favorite 'look younger' makeup tip is to first use a luminizer in the inner corner, then swoop it with a fan brush underneath the eye. This brightens the face." —Deanna Melluso, celebrity makeup artist

LIPS

"If you want to find the perfect red for your complexion, try applying one lip color that has the same undertone as your complexion all over the lip: Cool uses cool, warm uses warm. Apply a red with the opposite tone just to the center for a lip that looks full and fantastic." —James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

"Dab a color corrector all over lips to neutralize the lip tone and to make the lip color more vibrant." —Petra Strand, creator of Pixi by Petra

"Test lipstick on the inside of your fingertip, rather than on the back of your hand. The pad of your finger closely resembles your own lip color, so see which one looks best there, then move to the lips." —Kerry Cole, style director of Becca Cosmetics

"Use a flesh-toned eyeliner to outline the lips along the Cupid's bow. This reduces the chance of feathering and makes lips appear fuller." —Petra Strand, creator of Pixi by Petra

"Pull your bottom lip down and look at the inside color. Pick a lipstick shade that's either lighter or a bit deeper but along the same tone as the inside of your lip. Oh, and don't do this in public." —Maggie Ford Danielson, Benefit global beauty authority

"Apply concealer to the outer corners of your lips to give your lips a lift." —Niki Metz, director of artistry for Jouer

BROWS

"No. 2 pencils are the perfect graphite shade to sketch in natural eyebrow hairs. Sharpen one to a point and draw in lightly for a finished brow." —James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

"Gold powder pigment is a great way to lengthen lashes or brows. Use a clean spoolie brush, toothbrush, or mascara wand, and brush a bronze or yellow gold pigment through a mascared lash or brow for a beautiful effect that adds dimension without looking hard." —James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist and director of artistry for Ardency Inn

"Apply a nourishing balm to your eyebrows before going to bed. This will guarantee extra strength and growth—thicker eyebrows in two weeks." —Terry de Gunzburg, founder of By Terry

"Apply primer all the way up into the brows so your brow color won't budge." —Niki Metz, director of artistry for Jouer

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