November 25, 2025
The quickest way to enhance your makeup this year is not by adding more products but by mastering smarter techniques. We asked professional artists and combined their insights with 2026’s most trusted trends to bring you a refreshed list of makeup tips and tricks that genuinely improve your routine. Every technique is wearable, beginner friendly and created to help your products perform better.
Good makeup begins with good preparation. Cleanse, moisturise according to your skin type and allow your skincare to settle before applying your base. Massaging skincare in helps it absorb properly and creates a smoother canvas. Artists consistently agree that rushed skin prep results in patchy, uneven makeup.
"My best tip is to prep your skin really well! Bad skin prep can mean make or break for your makeup - especially the base! Prep according to your skin type and concerns you most want to focus on disguising E.g., pore minimising." - Christina Rodio @crodiomua
Sunscreen should be the final step of your morning skincare and the first layer your makeup sits on. Choose a formula that suits your skin type to ensure your base glides on evenly and stays smooth throughout the day. A film-forming SPF also helps blur texture and improve longevity.
Underpainting continues to trend in 2026 because it creates natural structure without looking heavy. Apply cream contour and cream blush before your foundation or skin tint. When you layer a sheer base over the top, the dimension looks soft and authentic, mimicking real skin rather than obvious product placement.
Instead of applying one heavy coat of foundation, work in light, sheer layers. Build only where you need coverage. Pair this with targeted concealing and your base will look fresh for far longer, avoiding the cakiness that appears when too much product is applied at once.
One of the most relied upon professional techniques is pinpoint concealing. Take a tiny brush and tap concealer only on the blemish itself, then blend the edges lightly. This method allows your natural skin to show through and stops makeup from looking thick or flat.
Powder is most effective when placed intentionally. Set only the areas where you crease or produce excess oil, such as the under-eye area, around the nose and across the T-zone. The current soft-focus trend, often called cloud-skin, favours dimension and light rather than a flat, matte finish.
Blocky brows have been phased out in favour of a lifted, feathered look that feels cleaner and more modern. Use hair-like strokes through sparse areas and finish with a clear gel to hold shape. Softer brows instantly balance both natural and full-glam styles.
Tubing mascaras are excellent for everyday wear because they are lightweight, never smudge and remove easily with warm water. Waterproof formulas are best reserved for humidity, long days or occasions where you may tear up. Choose based on your needs rather than habit.
Pressing eyeliner into the upper lash roots gives immediate depth without a heavy look. This is a favourite technique for autumn and winter because it emphasises the eyes while still looking clean and understated. Pair tightlining with demi or cluster lashes for lifted definition.
"When applying eyeliner in a client's waterline, do ensure to push in her eyelid. This will allow her not to tear and you will have control over the eye as opposed to the client feeling scared and uncomfortable." - Ebru Karacayli @ebrukaracaylimakeup
Lash placement can completely transform the eye shape. Outer-third clusters create lift, while half lashes keep the inner corners light and comfortable. This approach is ideal for anyone who finds full strips overwhelming or wants an everyday, flattering effect. MODELROCK clusters and half lashes make it easy to customise your look.
"Add MODELROCK GLUE and leave it to dry for 40 to 50 seconds before applying your lashes. When you apply your lashes with tacky glue, it will stick perfectly without running all over your eyes. Preventing your top and bottom lashes from sticking together. The best way to apply your lashes easily is to put a mirror under your face and look down to open your lid area. That way, you can be in control of where to place your lashes." - Huda Fode @hudafode
A single wash of colour keeps eye makeup modern and effortless. Shades such as olive, lilac and copper are trending this year because they brighten the eyes without clashing with other features. Apply one sheer layer across the lid, blend the edges, then pair with mascara or a few outer clusters.
"If you find yourself without your colour correction palette, just mix an eyeshadow of the colour you want your concealer to be, with your normal concealer - and voila! You have your smart and cheap colour corrector concealer palette. Try it!" - Ann Hassarati @annhassarati
Your lip finish can influence your entire look.
A blurred lip is particularly popular in 2026 for its natural, wearable look.
"Exfoliate your lips before applying LIPSTICK. Leaves you with a smoother, softer canvas for your products. For lip colour to last for hours, once you apply your favourite shade, lay a tissue over your mouth, then dust a light translucent powder over the top to set the colour from bleeding or budging. May seem a bit extra, but the payoff is worth it!" - Ann Hassarati @annhassarati
This long-standing artist trick remains one of the most effective. After applying your first layer of lipstick, lay a single-ply tissue over your lips and dust translucent powder through it. Remove the tissue, then apply a thin second layer of colour. This sets the pigment without dulling it and significantly reduces transfer.
Clean tools mean better application and better skin. Quick-clean your brushes daily if you use them with creams or liquids, then deep clean weekly. Sponges should be washed frequently and replaced when they show wear. Always allow tools to dry fully before storing them to prevent bacteria build-up.
Professional artists often choose one feature to lead and allow the others to support it. If you opt for a bold lip, keep the eyes soft and vice versa. Balancing textures is equally important. Pairing a radiant base with a softly set T-zone, for example, ensures the face looks polished but not overloaded.
This is the quickest way to look fresh without committing to a full routine.
The underpainting peeks through on camera, giving dimension without heaviness.
Light catches the copper tone beautifully in evening lighting while the lashes and lips add definition and longevity.
These simple upgrades make a noticeable difference to application ease and overall finish.
Switch to targeted placement and allow cheeks and high points to stay luminous.
Work in sheer layers and build only where necessary.
If your makeup looks slightly off, recheck your undertone and ensure your base and lip shades complement it.
If a full strip feels too dramatic, use half lashes or place a few clusters at the outer corner for lift without heaviness.
A skin tint, pinpoint concealing, soft brows, mascara or a few outer clusters, and a tinted lip. This takes roughly five minutes and always looks put together.
Yes. Blurred edges and stain-style textures are very popular this year because they are comfortable, long-wearing and suit everyday makeup.
Use the tissue-through-powder method between thin layers. It locks pigment in place while maintaining a smooth finish.
Tightlining paired with demi or cluster lashes creates depth and lift without looking intense.
