Making Your Products Last Longer

Illustrated by Sydney Hass.

If you're like me, your makeup bag holds a lot of power in your daily routine. Our favorite products are an integral part of our lives, with a fierce red lip giving us that hit of confidence before a first date or a crucial coat of mascara waking up a tired face after a late night.

Putting on makeup can be instantly gratifying, but does your beauty bag contain the baddest, most efficient arsenal of products possible? Stocking it wisely will make all the difference in your final look. Read my product pointers, straight ahead.

Buy A Full-Coverage, Matte Foundation
You can easily manipulate the finish of your base by mixing a little moisturizer with your foundation. One drop of your favorite moisturizer gives the foundation a satin finish. Two drops transforms it into a BB cream, while three drops turns your base into a sheer, tinted moisturizer.

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Illustrated by Sydney Hass.

Use Synthetic Brushes
Natural bristles tend to absorb and retain product, leaving those products (essentially, your money) in the brushes themselves. Synthetic bristles (like these from Artis) pick up more product and then deposit it onto the desired location.

Another tip is to stop “tapping off” the excess product from your brushes. Break that wasteful habit and only dip your brush once or twice, based on how much you need.

Wet Your Eyeshadow
Many eyeshadows can pull double-duty as eyeliner as well. Simply wet your angled brush with a makeup spray such as Makeup Forever AquaSeal before dipping it into your favorite eyeshadow. This, in effect, turns the eyeshadow powder into an easily manipulated liquid liner. This trick works particularly well with dark tones and bright, neon colors to give you a distinctively on-trend look.

Related: Get A Gorgeous Smoky Eye

Illustrated by Sydney Hass.

Opt for Product Palettes.
Palettes aren’t just for the makeup pros. In fact, most major brands sell empty palettes for makeup artists to fill with their top picks. Instead of tossing the last bits of your lipstick, snip the tip of a cotton swab (or pick up this handy kit from MUJI) and scrape out the remnants, transferring them to a sleek palette.

Invest in Travel-Size Empty Containers
These stackable containers from MUJI are a must-have for making your products last. When a pressed-powder compact breaks (which will happen, if it hasn't already), scoop the product into the jar for an instant loose powder. Similarly, try combining coconut oil and a shimmer powder product (such as a broken bronzer or iridescent eyeshadow) for an instant highlighter or bronzer for your body. For liquid formulas, I use handy squeeze bottles.

Cut Makeup-Removing Wipes Into Strips
Unless you're using a makeup-remover towelette as a substitute cleanser, you'll rarely ever need a whole one. By cutting a wipe into smaller sections, you won’t waste an entire towelette when you are only trying to whisk away a little fallen eyeshadow or change a lip color.

Start paying closer attention to what fills your makeup bag and find the right products to meet your needs, so you can begin each day with a flawless face.
Next: Keep A Flawless Face Longer By Following These Tips

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