Unsatisfied with what you see in the mirror this morning? Consider going faux. We’ve assembled some of the best beauty tricks to hide, lengthen, brighten, shrink, tame and glamourize you.
My Colorist is Booked!
There’s nothing tackier than obvious roots, so grab your mascara, wipe the wand of excess product and lightly touch up the trouble area. Blondes need to use a taupe or gold mascara. And of course, don’t use waterproof — regular mascara will rinse out when you shampoo.
Make Deep-Set Eyes Pop
Cindy Crawford’s pal, makeup artist Sonia Kashuk, suggests making eyes appear larger with very light lid colors. Stay away from dark shadows and keep liner smudgey. Finish with a few coats of black mascara. (This is great for puffy eyes, too.)
Fix My Nose!
Apply foundation as usual, then draw a fine line from the center of the nose, to just before the tip with a shimmery white pencil such as Circle of Beauty’s ‘Silver Shine’. Blend it slightly then dust with powder. Add a dot of neutral taupe eye shadow below the tip of the nose if you’re going for a shortening effect.
Hide Zits
We’ve been doing it since we were kids but it’s still not easy. Sonia Kasuk’s daring alternative — turn an imperfection into a beauty mark for a night. Just apply a light colored brow pencil and a tiny bit of powder! If that doesn’t work for you, remember to use yellow-based concealer and foundation to counteract a pimple’s redness.
Hollywood Hair
Creating those trendy up-dos and twists takes practice and, in most cases, extra hands. Kristi Furhman, often under the gun to prep stars at MTV, loves Revlon Spare Hair — tiny, clever pieces that add oomph to dull locks. Her favorite is an elastic covered in synthetic hair with little spikes and loose strands to give a sleek pony tail that rumpled runway look. She advises finding an exact color match or a sharp contrast for best effects. Another option — slick hair back with gel, then add a faux chignon at the nape of the neck for a starlet effect.
I Want Cheekbones
Not everyone is born with the sculpted features of Gwyneth Paltrow. For the subtlest way to accent your cheekbones, try a sweep of shimmery highlighter just above the “apples” to add a little depth.
Plump Up Lips
No Gore-tex implants for you? Use lip liner to create the fullness you want. Begin at the outer corners and work inward, filling in with a pale-toned lipstick. Avoid shiny glosses, which draw attention to the areas where you “cheated.”
Brighten Red Eyes
Maria Verel recommends a combination of allergy eye drops and black eye liner to bring out the whites of the eyes. Apply drops on dry eyes with a tissue. Apply liner to upper lid corners only and smudge.
Marilyn Monroe Bedroom Eyes
For that smoldering effect, Sonia Kashuk recommends individual clumps of false lashes. Pick up a section with tweezers, dip the roots into lash adhesive and attach to the base of your natural lashes. Focus on the outer corners — this is where you’ll want extra volume. Once you’ve finished applying, curl the entire row of lashes then coat with mascara to bring uniformity.If you can’t find individual lashes, buy a full set and cut them with manicure scissors.
My Nails Are a Wreck
You’ve got two options. For the short term, whip out your nail buffer and keep ‘em short and neat. Paint with a flesh-toned opaque shade that practically makes the fingertips disappear. The long term solution is fake nails — no, not the awful press-on kind from TV. Thanks to companies like Creative Nail Designs, you can have natural-looking tips applied at a salon in about an hour.
Puffy eyes: Use cold, gel-filled masks or eye creams, or you could try gels and pads with cucumber, chamomile, or green tea — all of which reduce inflammation. If you have extra skin under your eyes or if extra fat has collected under the skin, consider surgery to remove it and resurface the lower lid.