We've all dealt with wayward makeup: when we'll apply it to perfection, only for it all to go to hell about an hour later. How do we keep it from rebelling? We chatted with makeup artist Rommy Najor about how to fix our blunders without completely starting from scratch. Even if you're super-busy, you can still look like a million bucks.
Flaky Foundation Around The Nose
This happens especially in this transitional type of weather, when your skin is all, "WTF is happening?!" Your gut reaction may be to reach for an exfoliant and start over, but Najor has an easier fix. "Take a Q-tip rolled in moisturizer and soften the skin," he says. Since it's a precise point, the moisture will only hit where you need it to. This is also clutch for those around-the-mouth flakes, when you don't want to muck up your lipstick. We love Muji Cotton Swabs — they're super-soft and come with a slightly pointed tip for extra precision. You Have A Teardrop Line Through Your Base Product
Whether it's allergies or news that your favorite celebrity couple has split (#RIP Emma and Andrew), you could be left with a tear track. Slapping some concealer over the smudge won't fix it. "Dampen a wedge makeup sponge and reapply foundation over where the tears ran," Najor says. "The dampened sponge delivers a softer application of foundation and will blur the tear lines." We could cry, it's so simple. Your New Mascara Dried Your Lashes All Spiky
Don't know about you, but we hate looking up from a mascara application to spikes on spikes. And, we all know how incredibly difficult it is to remove mascara without screwing up your entire eye look. Solution? "Run a lash comb through the lashes until they break apart," Najor says. "But, keep in mind you may need to clean up afterwards from possible mascara fall on the face." If you haven't applied your base yet, you're solid. If you have, use a fluffy brush to swipe away all of the crumbles. Your Undereyes Are Raccoon-Like, Courtesy of Slipping Shadow
Sometimes, your undereye concealer is just a little too emollient, and you'll catch yourself looking like you've been partying for a week straight. Your shadow slipped beneath your lashline — yet again. Najor's got an easy fix for this. "Roll a Q-tip in moisturizer and remove the dark marks, and then reapply your concealer," he says. "Set it with powder to prevent this from happening again." You Overdid It On Your Brows
Bold brows are a coveted, current beauty look. But, sometimes you may wind up looking just a little cartoonish. We were pretty surprised by Najor's tip for fixing this flub — it involves your teeth. "You can generally soften the brows with a clean toothbrush," he says. If you don't have one lying around, Najor suggests using whatever's left on your foundation brush or sponge to diffuse your set. And, lay off the pigment next time! Your Lipstick Won't Stick To The Inner Part Of Your Lips
No matter how many times you swipe, that slim strip of skin never seems to want to hang on to pigment. "This typically happens when the inner part of your lips is wet," Najor says. Instead of reaching for more product, he's got a sneakier trick. "Inhale through your mouth to dry the inner part of your lip before you apply your lipstick," he says. How simple is that?
This happens especially in this transitional type of weather, when your skin is all, "WTF is happening?!" Your gut reaction may be to reach for an exfoliant and start over, but Najor has an easier fix. "Take a Q-tip rolled in moisturizer and soften the skin," he says. Since it's a precise point, the moisture will only hit where you need it to. This is also clutch for those around-the-mouth flakes, when you don't want to muck up your lipstick. We love Muji Cotton Swabs — they're super-soft and come with a slightly pointed tip for extra precision. You Have A Teardrop Line Through Your Base Product
Whether it's allergies or news that your favorite celebrity couple has split (#RIP Emma and Andrew), you could be left with a tear track. Slapping some concealer over the smudge won't fix it. "Dampen a wedge makeup sponge and reapply foundation over where the tears ran," Najor says. "The dampened sponge delivers a softer application of foundation and will blur the tear lines." We could cry, it's so simple. Your New Mascara Dried Your Lashes All Spiky
Don't know about you, but we hate looking up from a mascara application to spikes on spikes. And, we all know how incredibly difficult it is to remove mascara without screwing up your entire eye look. Solution? "Run a lash comb through the lashes until they break apart," Najor says. "But, keep in mind you may need to clean up afterwards from possible mascara fall on the face." If you haven't applied your base yet, you're solid. If you have, use a fluffy brush to swipe away all of the crumbles. Your Undereyes Are Raccoon-Like, Courtesy of Slipping Shadow
Sometimes, your undereye concealer is just a little too emollient, and you'll catch yourself looking like you've been partying for a week straight. Your shadow slipped beneath your lashline — yet again. Najor's got an easy fix for this. "Roll a Q-tip in moisturizer and remove the dark marks, and then reapply your concealer," he says. "Set it with powder to prevent this from happening again." You Overdid It On Your Brows
Bold brows are a coveted, current beauty look. But, sometimes you may wind up looking just a little cartoonish. We were pretty surprised by Najor's tip for fixing this flub — it involves your teeth. "You can generally soften the brows with a clean toothbrush," he says. If you don't have one lying around, Najor suggests using whatever's left on your foundation brush or sponge to diffuse your set. And, lay off the pigment next time! Your Lipstick Won't Stick To The Inner Part Of Your Lips
No matter how many times you swipe, that slim strip of skin never seems to want to hang on to pigment. "This typically happens when the inner part of your lips is wet," Najor says. Instead of reaching for more product, he's got a sneakier trick. "Inhale through your mouth to dry the inner part of your lip before you apply your lipstick," he says. How simple is that?