From fighting frizz using a satin scarf to Katie Jane Hughes’ face base priming technique, here are 5 beauty tricks I learned on TikTok this month.
As we near the end of the year, it’s safe to say that some of the best beauty tips we picked up over the past 12 months have come from TikTok. Do we now get to say that the hours we spent scrolling on TikTok were all worth it? Perhaps not. But we can say that we’ll be heading into 2024 with a wealth of #beautytok knowledge that has improved our pamper routines for the better, from learning Pat McGrath‘s perfect lipstick trick to Erin Parson’s black eyeliner hack this month.
Ahead, we’re ending the year off with a well-rounded quintet of makeup and hair tips and tricks including, but not limited to, fighting frizz during sweater weather using a satin scarf, and learning how to “prime your brush” for foundation the Katie Jane Hughes way.
Try Erin Parsons’ clever black eyeliner hack
To be a fan of makeup artist and vintage cosmetics collector Erin Parsons is to know that her glam is most often accompanied by flawlessly drawn-on eyeliner that appears ultra-black. Thankfully this month on TikTok, one follower on the app asked Parsons the question we’ve all been dying to know the answer to. “Erin, how is your eyeliner SO black? Is it multiple layered products?” they commented on one of her videos. In response, Parsons posted an entire tutorial detailing her black eyeliner hack — which has already gone viral with two million views so far.
“Layering is key to ultra black eyeliner,” reads the title of the tutorial. And after watching the clip, which involves three layers of eyeliner, this certainly appears to be true. First, Parsons draws on her desired liner shape around the rim of her eye with a Westman Atelier pencil liner, leaving a little gap at the outer corner to elongate the eye before using a thin brush to help shape it further. She follows this step up by blotting over the eyeliner, and setting it with powder, using what she refers to as the “wet-dry” technique. For the second layer of eyeliner, she reaches for a waterproof pencil and traces over her first layer.
“The reason I don’t start with a waterproof pencil is because it’s really hard to manipulate. If you make a mistake, you’re kind of stuck with it,” says Parsons in her post. Lastly, she suggests using either a water-activated paint or a gel liner to set everything and solidify that ultra-dark finish of this black eyeliner hack. Should you encounter any slip-ups along the way as you attempt to recreate Parsons’ look, know that it’s nothing a little micellar water and a pointed Q-tip can’t fix!
As seen in Parsons’ tutorial, this Westman Atelier Eye Love You Clean Kôhl Eyeliner pencil, or one like it, is the first and most important product needed for this technique. “Because it is not a waterproof pencil, it’s really easy to manipulate,” says Parsons in her TikTok post. Using an eyeliner that can be blended out is key for nailing the base of this black eyeliner hack.
Preserve your curls when getting dressed with this headscarf trick
Curly girls (and really, anyone who spends more than a minute styling their hair) all know the dreaded moment when your makeup is finally complete, your hair has been styled, and it’s time to throw on a sweater during the winter months. You can almost guarantee that once your clothes have been tugged over your head, you’ll be left with unwanted frizz, a disrupted curl pattern, and makeup marks around the rim of your sweater. To this dishevelled hair dilemma, I say, ‘No more!’
To pull off this hair-saving hack posted by @hermela_solomon, you’ll first need to grab a satin scarf — which you’ll likely already have if you’ve got textured hair. The satin material will ensure the scarf can glide over your hair with less friction, and help to prevent frizz. All you’ll need to do is rest the scarf over your freshly styled hair and pull your sweater on over top. In the end, your hair stays intact and so does your makeup. How’s that for a win-win situation?
Whether you want to wear it as a bandana, scarf, headband or bonnet, this Multi-way Sleep Scarf by Kitsch is a staple for anyone with curly hair. Its 100 percent satin charmeuse material makes it our top pick for this trick.
Remedy dry, creasing concealer with this technique
The colder it gets outside, the drier your skin can become. This is particularly irritating when you discover that after having gone through the trouble of completing a full face of makeup, the dryness of your under-eye area is causing your concealer to crease, settle into fine lines, or crumble. To remedy these dry under-eye disasters, I’m taking notes from Dacey Cash on TikTok. “It really comes down to prep,” she explains in her post.
First, Cash begins by warming up a small amount of moisturizing eye cream between her fingers, before dabbing it underneath the eye and pressing it into the skin. Then, she gives her skin a moment to absorb the product before going in with the next product. “A lot of these issues [that arise] when you find your makeup kind of migrating around the under-eye space or even kind of settling into lines is honestly [caused by] a little bit too much product,” explains Cash. If you’re trying this technique, follow up these steps with your foundation of choice, avoiding the under-eye area.
Next, you’ll want to mix an eyeshadow primer and your favourite concealer between your fingers and apply the mixture under the eye. “The primer is really going to help the concealer set on its own, therefore you’re going to need less powder,” she says. “And, it’s also going to help create a little bit of a barrier between the oils in your skin from breaking down the concealer throughout the day.” To smooth out any creasing that may have occurred, look upwards and blend your concealer out with a brush. Lastly, lock it all in with a bit of powder using a fluffy brush as you continue to look up.
Our pick is Nivea’s Q10 Power Anti-Wrinkle and Firming Eye Cream. The Q10 coenzyme ingredient paired with creatine within its formula team up to keep skin looking smooth and nourished ahead of makeup application.
Achieve holiday party hair in seconds with this trick
Where holiday party hair is concerned, few styles are as chic as the French twist. Truly timeless and elegant, this style is a safe bet for any social gathering this yuletide season, and we’ve found a hack that makes it easier than ever to achieve. In a TikTok posted by Carrie Muir, which is now approaching one million views, the hairstylist demonstrates how a simple ponytail can be transformed into this classic French updo in less than a minute.
Once you’ve secured a ponytail at the back of your head, loosen your hair tie a couple of inches, as though you were going to take it off. Then, create a gap in the hair between your scalp and your hair tie so that you can loop your ponytail through. Tie off the end of your ponytail, and begin to roll it inwards toward the base of the pony to create that “twist” look. Pin your twist in place with a couple of decorative bobby pins, et voilà!
While you could use any old bobby pin for this hair hack, these glittery pins by Goody will take the look to another level during soirée season. Did we mention they’re slide-proof?
Get a flawless face base, the Katie Jane Hughes way
When a professional makeup artist like Katie Jane Hughes talks, I listen. Hughes — who does glam for stars like Hailey Bieber and just launched her own makeup brand — appeared on my TikTok feed last month sharing this flawless face base hack, and I instantly knew I needed to share it in this month’s edition of TikTok beauty hacks. Her tutorial, which explains how to “prime your brush,” kicked off with a warning that caught my attention.
“Don’t put your foundation on like this,” she says in her post as she swipes a brush along her jawline in long, cakey strokes. “Put it on like this,” she suggests as she demonstrates swirling the brush around her palm in rapid circular motions. “By getting the product into the brush thoroughly and then saturating the face with what’s in this brush, you don’t have to fight to blend all of that product,” she explains.
As we all prep for party-approved glam, this hack couldn’t have come at a better time. “You will find that you get better wear out of it, your makeup looks even more natural, and it will look like you got your makeup done by a professional makeup artist,” says Hughes. Consider me convinced!
Made for blending and buffing, this foundation brush by Vieve is the same one used by Hughes in her TikTok video. Thanks to its super soft bristles, any product you apply using this brush will go on flawlessly and streak-free.
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