Image: Taylor Swift (via Getty)
What does it really take to get celebs looking red carpet-gorgeous? A devoted glam squad armed with lots of unexpected (but surprisingly easy) beauty tricks. Hint: That whitening toothpaste is good for more than just your teeth …
1. Turn your eyelash curler upside-down
“I just learned a great trick from Taylor Swift — something I’ve never seen before!” reveals Pati Dubroff, celebrity makeup artist and creator of Pati Dubroff Beauty. “I asked her to curl her lashes, and after she did the top lashes she turned the curler upside down and curled the bottom lashes. I was blown away — it really made a difference. I will be doing this on my clients from now on, once I get the hang of it!”
2. Give your brows a dye job
Riawna Capri, colourist and stylist to a slew of young Hollywood starlets like Julianne Hough and Nina Dobrev, says that one of her favourite beauty tricks is to colour her clients’ eyebrows, not just their hair. “It always makes them look fuller and frames the eyes,” says Capri. “And if you go a little darker you can create a nice contrast with the hair colour.”
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3. Perfect your eye makeup with a Post-It
“I use a business card or post-it as a stencil on the outer corner of Christina Aguilera’s eye to give a crisp line when I’m using a dark shadow,” reveals celeb makeup artist Kristofer Buckle. “It’s also a great way of keeping the under-eye safe from falling eyeshadow.”
4. Try toothpaste on your fingernails
Celebrity manicurist Jenna Hipp, who works with Jennifer Lawrence, Zoe Saldana and Jennifer Garner, uses toothpaste on her client’s nails (really!). “Clean up your nails quick with an old toothbrush and whitening toothpaste,” she suggests. “Not only does it whiten tips in seconds, it also exfoliates dry cuticles.”
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5. Set your hair twice
“Often for red carpets, when I am looking to create a wave or curled look, I will set the hair twice to keep the volume, reinforce it, and preserve the look,” reveals Pantene celebrity stylist Danilo, who works with Gwen Stefani. “Usually, I'll pin the curl and let it cool; once it's cool, I'll mist a light hold aerosol hairspray to keep the style in place.”
6. Define your 'waterline'
“Kate Winslet taught me years ago the importance of defining the waterline of the upper eye, especially when doing a naked or soft eye look,” reveals Dubroff of using a waterproof pencil along the inner rim just beneath the top eyelashes. “This step makes the lashes look fuller and gives the eye a frame, but doesn't disturb the pale lid.”
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7. Get glowing with oil
“The quickest way to fake glowing skin is to use good face oil,” says celebrity aesthetician Sonya Dakar, whose clients include Bar Rafaeli and Gwyneth Paltrow. “It will automatically nourish your skin and give it a healthy shine, and not [leave it] greasy or oily. Apply a facial oil to damp clean skin twice daily. Use it alone or mix it with your tinted moisturiser and your skin will glow in a pinch!”
8. Apply moisturiser with a brush
While not necessarily vital, it’s a super-luxe feeling to apply your moisturiser with a makeup brush. “Instead of applying moisturiser with my hands, I use long strokes to apply...to feet, up the legs and the backs of hands and the arms in long, gentle strokes using a foundation brush,” says Hipp, who uses her namesake Essential Nail & Hand Cream. “Then I massage in using firm, targeted pressure.”
9. Blur body imperfections
The skin on the body is just as important as the face, emphasises Dubroff. “This is for sure important on shoots and red carpets but applies also to real life. If you spend time making the skin on the face flawless but let the skin of the body look lifeless, the overall (look) is less polished. I use Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream on all of my clients to blur imperfections and give the skin a radiant sheen.”
This piece originally appeared on Today.com
What secret beauty tips and tricks do you swear by?