By the time you’re well into your 20s, you’ve probably graduated college, experienced love and had a first real job. When it comes to beauty, however, there are some things you may or may not have picked up along the way. If you’ve dabbled in smoky eyes and facials, then you probably know things like your signature lip color or your favorite foundation by now. If the land of Sephora is totally overwhelming for you, don’t fret — we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re a professional makeup artist in training or a no-makeup kind of gal, here are 28 beauty tips every 20-something should know.
- Wear sunscreen daily, even if it’s not sunny out.
- Play around with makeup to find what works and what doesn’t — it’s meant to be fun.
- Contour skin to flatter and don’t go overboard with bronzer.
- Add a few drops of moisturizer to your foundation to get a dewy finish.
- If your hair is oily, skip conditioning your roots and apply from mid-shaft to ends.
- Natural, homemade DIY recipes are effective and cheap.
- Replace your mascara every three to four months.
- For lived-in hair (aka bedhead look), a salt spray or texture spray is the way to go.
- Fill in lips with a lip liner before applying lipstick to make it last longer.
- Don’t skip your neck and decolletage when applying an anti-aging night cream.
- Wake up tired eyes with a few swipes of highlighter around the temples and inner corners of the eye.
- Never go to bed with makeup on or without washing your face.
- Remember to clean your makeup brushes weekly (or at least biweekly) to prevent breakouts from dirty brushes.
- Use hair products formulated for colored hair to keep your color intact.
- Q-tips are your best friend when applying eye makeup. Dip into makeup remover and clean up where needed.
- Dry shampoo is everything. Seriously.
- To extend the life of your manicure, add a clear top coat every three days.
- Finish your blowouts with a blast of cool air to set your style.
- Disguise chipped nails by adding a coat of festive glitter polish on top.
- Exfoliate skin before applying a self-tanner in order to avoid streaks and uneven application.
- Fix brassy, blond hair color by using a purple shampoo to clarify and brighten.
- For a flawless foundation application, use a primer or moisturizer first.
- Apply lotion before spritzing perfume to make it last longer.
- You don’t have to splurge on every single beauty purchase. Drugstore finds are pretty amazing.
- Shower with lukewarm water that is on the cool side. Hot water feels great, but dries out skin and hair faster.
- A lip balm or hand lotion doubles as an emergency cuticle treatment.
- Use your finger to pat — not rub — in concealer for optimal coverage.
- If you run out of eyeshadow, use your bronzer as a substitute.
