All things considered, our ever-expanding vanity arsenals could do with some trimming down at times. Most of us have found ourselves deep in the trenches of the beauty rabbit hole, enamoured with a new find every other day. And should we choose to buy into the promise of these hopeful saviours, the chances of us racking up the number of skincare and make-up products we already own is a likely consequence. This is hardly an issue if we’re simply giving into the occasional luxury of indulging ourselves—especially with products we’re confident we’ll be able to give the time of the day to.
But it stands to reason that ever so often, a certain highlighter or lipstick shade might fall through the cracks, hidden away in one of the many drawers on our vanity table. Whilst these products may not fit squarely into our everyday make-up routines, they perhaps represent a different type of mirror moment when we give in to our curiosities and attempt a range of extraterrestrial looks we’ve chanced upon on our social media feeds. But such experimentation doesn’t always necessitate an extravagant use of completely different items; instead, one recent trend might argue for the exact opposite. @divinamuse debuted an anti-mascara look, using mascara to produce an artful eyeliner and eyeshadow-like designs with textural dimension—a creative way to grant the tube more utility.
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The anti-mascara move was a simple one but it hints at the untapped ventures of the beauty world: where a single make-up product could be doubly utilised to create alternative looks. Whilst the blurring of the lines for single utility products isn’t exactly a new discovery, it’s safe to say that the predilection to have a go at creatively mixing up your make-up every once in a while is on a definite rise. And why not—especially when we’re probably getting more use out of them? Below, Vogue Singapore rounds up a couple more experiential ways to play around with what’s already on your vanity desk, proving the double duty potential of some of these make-up products.
Lipstick as blush
Quite probably the most-subscribed hack by beauty aficionados, we’ll tout the lipstick-as-blush hack as a winner in our books. Be it a lip tint, a glossy liquid lip or a creamy lipstick, using your pout product as a blush comes in most handy when you need to give your mien some extra flush—especially when you’re already out and about and it’s all you have on hand. It’s a saving grace for many when all you need to do is bring that lip product to your cheeks, get in a few strokes of colour and blend it out with your fingers.
@missdarcei Reply to @chenniweeny the girlies want an orange blush #makeup #beautytok #makeuphacks #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Darcei
Glitter eyeshadow as highlighter
A dewy, healthy blush may prove to be enough for the clean girl beauty lovers but should you still like your cheekbones to be imbued with a high-shine finish, then the highlighter would still reign supreme in your arsenal. But whilst an everyday choice is one of more neutral silvers or soft golden shades, consider switching it up with a chromatic highlight every now and then—by using your kaleidoscopic glitter eyeshadow palettes. With this simple switch, you can opt for a neon green or azure shine when you’re feeling up to it.
@ilmakiage The perfect accident 💜✨#highlighterhacks #makeuphacks #summer2022 ♬ Heartbroken 2022 – T2 & ARPA
Concealer as liner(s)
With just a single tube—transform your entire look. Apart from using it to veil your blemishes and dark circles, consider using your concealer to create various ‘reverse’ looks such as an ombre lip or an eyeliner shadow that begins from your inner eye corners. By applying the concealer as a makeshift lip liner, achieve a gradient lip once you blend it out. Alternatively, take a tip from @stxph.h’s books and use the concealer to create negative space on the inner lid such that it gives the illusion of a darker eyeshadow applied.
@stxph.h I can’t complete my makeup routine without concealer 😫 Using Tarte Sea Powder Flex Concealer & NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer! #sponsored #SephoraConcealers #concealerhacks ♬ #SephoraConcealers – Sephora
Eyeliners to create freckles
Beauty TikTok trends come and go but some stick around longer than others. The faux freckle look started gaining traction midway through the pandemic and fake freckles are now a playful, fun look that some in the beauty verse are absolute fans of—some even getting their hands on freckle pens. But if creating freckles on your mien is not an everyday affair, try using your brown or other darker eyeliners instead. With its easy-to-control tip, you’ll be able to achieve those freckles—or even other cute drawings—on your face in no time.
@bexcxmpbell #fauxfreckles #makeup ♬ Link in bio for full version of this – Alex Chapman
Eyeshadow as eyeliner
If it’s a lazy day for you, this easy hack will get you your everyday liner look without having to worry about getting it done with perfect control. Using a small flat brush, this trick simply requires you to pick a darker shade and flick it outwards from the edge of your eyes to create a soft shadow line that gives the illusion of a wing. Considering you’ll be controlling it with a brush, this might be a good baby step for those just starting out with eyeliners and want to practise with a product that’s more forgiving.
@samanthaa.nicole Reply to @lindseysantana wing liner w/ eyeshadow tutorial 🤎 #fyp #foryou #makeup #makeuptutorial #eyelinertutorial #eyeliner ♬ Sex and the City (Main Theme) – TV Sounds Unlimited
