Simple, buy nothing makeup hacks that work for you

[FabalaTheGreenGirl]

I thought I'd share some of my favourite tricks and see if other people on S&B might weigh in with theirs. Here are some of the most useful things I've discovered after bingeing far too many YouTube videos and spending far too much time smudging different coloured pastes onto my face.

Ok, from best to last:

1. Mixing a bit of translucent powder in with your liquid foundation before you apply improves coverage and mattifies the oiliest skin. I just dab a finger in some liquid foundation, then dab the wet finger in some powder, smudge it on the side of my hand and then apply to my face. The skin ends up with a matte, velvety finish. Urban Decay does this product called "the velvetizer" which does the same thing, but it's £24. This is practically free, as most people have some powder lying around. This is more effective for oily skin than setting with powder.

1. Use your red/pink/purple lipstick as a blush. It will match your lips!

1. Applying black eyeshadow underneath your upper lashes/upper waterline makes you look like you have thicker, fuller lashes. Dab on just after you apply your mascara - It sticks better.

1. Dab translucent powder on top of a glossy lipstick to make it matte, then reapply lipstick and blot. It will not move.

1. Dab powder on eyelids before eyeshadow. Oily lids are the bane of my life and this helps absorb excess oil.

1. For smokey eyes and oily lids: applying a powder shadow, then a cream shadow, then a powder shadow. The combonation of textures will help lock your shadow in place.

1. You can use talc as a setting/baking powder.

1. Buffing your face clockwise then anti clockwise with a thick bristled brush will eliminate foundation cakeyness.

1. To create instantly fuller lips, join the two points of your cupid's bow with liner then fill in.

10. Cornflour and cocoa powder = dry shampoo for brunettes.

11. I keep a spray bottle of water with a few drops of essential oil on my dresser. Wet hair in the morning then blast with a blow dryer = more voluminous hair (good if you don't like to wash it every day and it tends to go a bit flat).

Use old mascara as an eyebrow product.
Add essential oil to spice up boring body creams.
Apply face cream down to chest area.
Apply night cream to hands as well as face.

Gonna try the powder mixed with foundation - thanks.
I too use lipstick as blusher to avoid clashing.

Powder, lightly dusted over eyebrows before using eyebrow pencil, then again lightly, after. That way when you get hit you don’t end up with smudgy brows.

Apply liquid foundation to eyelid, apply dark eyeliner, apply translucent powder, apply powder eye shadow.

Somehow the eyeliner stays better under the powder but eye shadow stays better over.

I also use powder to set my oily lids, and also brush it over my eyebrows before filling in. Keeps everything in place.

I use primer, foundation, loose powder all over. Then apply the rest of my make up.
Then I shower. Gives me a lovely glow.
I don't have the water too hot, or splash my face (hair is in curlers).
Then while dressing, I blot, and brush over another light layer of powder.
Stays on all day.

Also, one coat of mascara, apply powder with fingers to wet lashes, then apply another coat of mascara.
Thicken up my short, stubby lashes a treat.

I love powder! ❤

Sleeping in sponge rollers. With a satin scarf on top to keep secure.
If I am lazy, I put in a light ponytail, with one curler on the end.
Gives you bouncy curls in the morning, with no frizzy bits - and no heat.

For me I have a neutral coloured blusher that I can also use as an eyeshadow.

When your mascara runs out, keep the wand and give it a good wash and dry. Use the dry wand to 'comb' through lashes to eliminate clumps when applying mascara.

If you have ordinary eyelash curlers, run them under some warm water to heat them up before you use them as it makes the curl more effective (obviously dry them on a towel before you do!).

Put kohl and eyeliner/brow pencils in the fridge before sharpening them - much easier to do when they are solid.

TheDailyMail just blast your eyelash curlers with the hairdryer for a few seconds!

I don’t use powder I think it’s aging and unflattering
I add serum to foundation it makes it dewy
Get all lipstick out tube using a lip brush
Serum on back on hand and mix with blusher and it look v natural glow

I have an Elf eyebrow product in Light. It has the square of wax stuff and a square of brow powder. When I had nothing else to use, I used them both, wax first and then powder on top, with an eyeshadow brush as eye shadow. It stayed on so well. I do it all the time now. Kind of foolproof and matches my brow 😊

The most natural looking eyebrow colour on me also works as the best natural "no makeup" eye shadow.

If it is a eye pencil I warm it the tip with a hairdryer before using as an eye cream. Powder eyebrow colour works best though.

Waterproof non-volumising mascara on lower lashes. It doesn't smudge on me.

Normal volumising mascara on upper lashes. Easy to clean off and looks good.

Works well on my v pale and often watery eyes.

Bit of highlighter (I use chubby stick) on your cupid's bow to make your lips look fuller.

I recently picked up what the kids call a 'beauty blender'. My niece recommended it after she found out I used a brush to apply foundation. I have to say, it makes a world of difference!! Your foundation looks less streaky if you use a blender as it blends the foundation in rather than brushing it on. They're only about £4.99 from Superdrug and I'm sure they are sold in other places where you get your makeup from....

Hotmama I love those. I like the velvety ones which expand when you wet them, they make foundation application seamless and natural looking.

On beauty blenders.....don’t you find you use more foundation? Doesn’t it wipe off your moisturiser or spf or whatever you use under foundation? I have some lurking somewhere from a gift set but haven’t used due to these concerns.

Fabala I did the powder with foundation mix and the effect is brilliant. Great tip thanks.

Queen I love the flawless effect it gives you.

Oiled hair before shampoo negates the need for conditioner.

Cracked black pepper in facewash gives the same effect as face scrubs.

I've got a beauty blender, but I don't find it any different to using a sponge.

I read on another thread to use Nivea men's post shave balm as a primer. 'Borrowed' some of DH's today and so far so good! I have oily skin and everything normally slides off.
I have also used a fine make up brush damp to apply eyeshadow as an eyeliner. Works well and lasts too.

You're meant to wet (and let dry) the beauty blenders first so they don't absorb all your makeup.

Ahh, thanks @Doraaaa