If you noticed, this is the third hack-themed article I have written for xenlife, first is about “food hacks”, and second is about “home decluttering hacks”. Well, I like simplifying my life and making things easy, don’t you?

Now this one’s on make-up and beauty related things. I’ve gathered them from experience, from expert advices (Michelle Phan gives nice ones), and of course from other make-up hack posts.

So ladies, here we go.

1. Make white eyeliners as base to make eye shadow pop.

A white base will bring out the colour of your eye shadow. The color will be intensified and will look great. Plus it will bring out the real colour of the eye shadow which is impossible if you put straight to no-base lids.

photo via Courtney Rhodes

2. Use a spoon to perfect your winged eyeliner.

Many of us dream of that perfect winged liner, but it’s a feat that takes lots of effort and frustration to achieve. Smudge and unstable application is your best enemy when it comes to the use of liquid eyeliners. So instead, use the stem of the spoon to create a straight line starting at the outer corner of your eye. Then flip the spoon and use the curved part to create the curved wing effect. Fill in the rest and it’s done!

photo via topinspired.com

3. Hashtag for smokey lids.

Hashtag isn’t just for your twitter post nor your instagram’s anymore. This one’s for a fast fix. Draw a hashtag, slanted, in the corners of your eye. Smudge and blend with your finger, or brush or a smudger and you’re done.

photo via cosmopolitan.com

4. Use a spoon for smudge-free mascara application.

Hold a spoon and let the curve hug your eyelid. Apply the mascara sweeping up. The smudge will go right to the spoon and not on your lids. Repeat the process in your lower lids. An alternative to the spoon is an index card, or credit cards that cut in eyelash-shaped indentation.

photo via michellephan.com

5. Heat up your eyelash curler with your hair drier for curlier eyelash.

A heated eyelash curler will make the lash curl stay longer. The whole curling process is easier too. Just make sure it’s not too hot to handle or you may get burned. Clamp on lashes and you’re good to go.

photo via thestylespy.com

6. Plump your lashes with baby powder.

First, apply the first coat of mascara. Then dust lashes with the baby powder, let it dry and stick a bit. Then add another coat. Repeat the process until you reach your desired effect. The powder grips the mascara in between the coats. The result will be fuller lashes.

photo via pinnedittrieditlovedit

7. Get a perfect lip’s cupid bow by drawing X on your upper lip.

Take a lip liner same shade as your lipstick and create an “x”. Apply lipstick and that’s it.

photo via makeup.com

8. Follow this contour map.

The advised contoured areas include the cheekbones, temples, along the hairline, nose sides, nose tip and the crease of the eye – using contouring make up or a darker foundation. At the top of the cheekbones, at the center of forehead, nose bridge, chin center and cupids bow, a highlighter or a lighter than your skin tone shade foundation is to be used.

photo via fashionlove

9. Make lipstick last longer with a translucent powder and a tissue.

After applying lipstick, place a tissue over your lips. Dust it off with the powder and it will stay longer than before.

photo via Katlyn Tobin

10. Heat pencil eyeliner to make a gel liner.

Gel liner gives a more intense look compared to everyday eyeliners. So to attain this intense smudge, heat your eyeliner pencil (the tip only), let it cool for 15 seconds, and apply it.

photo via thebeautydepartment

11. Check make up in the car.

The light in your bedroom is different form the light outside. Check for inconsistencies in the daylight. But of course you do this before driving.

12. Apply perfume at specified body parts to make it last longer

These areas where perfume may last longer includes the place behind your ear, inside wrists, at the base of the throat, inside the elbow and behind the knee.

 photo via twogirlsinthecity

13. Create a fuller lip with eye shadow.

First, you need to apply your lip colour as normal. Then use a brush or dab a finger in a frosted eyeshadow and dab it in the center of your upper and lower lip. This will create depth giving you fuller lip.

photo via diyncrafts

14. Trim split ends easily.

Section your hair first, twist a selected section, then snip along the outside. This will remove the split ends as you can see the split ends sticking out.

photo via ringfingertanline

15. Re-wet flaky mascara.

Put saline drop solution to your flaky mascara so you can use it again. Just make sure your mascara isn’t past its three-month expiration date.

photo via onegoodthingbyjillee

16. Use an elastic band to create a perfect nail tips.

You probably heard of it by now but let me say it again. There’s nothing more convenient than an elastic band for a perfect tips. Simply wrap the band around your nails, make it taut, pull it around your finger, leave an exact space or nail length you want your tip to be. Paint it the color you want and its done.

photo via nailsfornickels

17. Use hair conditioner when hair shaving cream runs out.

Hair conditioner may work just fine in replacing shaving creams. Say you want to shave your legs? Just take the right amount of conditioner, lather it in and shave. It has the right consistency as shaving cream plus it can leave your legs soft and smooth.

photo via trusper

18. Use your straightening iron to press your shirt collars.

Instead of taking out the ironing board and the flat iron, you can use your hair straightening iron to cover for your shirt collars. Easy right?

photo via brit.co

19. Secure your nail polish bottles with rubber bands for easier opening once they’ve tighten due to dried polish in the cap.

Sometimes nail polish may tend to dry out in the cap and may make the whole polish bottle hard to open. So for a trick, wrap rubber bands around it and twist. The rubber band will provide the grip.

photo via beautyfool

Featured image by Kalle W