On the occasion of International Makeup Day, celebrated on September 10, HT Lifestyle spoke to content creators Mehr Panchal and Aparna Thomas in an exclusive interview about their favourite beauty and makeup hacks . The internet is packed with beauty hacks, but with so many tips doing the rounds, it can be hard to tell which ones are actually worth trying.
From achieving a seamless, natural-looking base to getting that lit-from-within glow, they share the simple, tried-and-tested tricks that have earned a permanent spot in their beauty routines. (Also read: Adah Sharma’s wellness ritual includes staring at ‘tree’ for 10 minutes daily; calls crows her fashion icon: Interview ) For Aparna, less is more when it comes to creating a natural-looking makeup base. Because your skin still looks like skin, rather than looking heavily covered,” Aparna said, it makes such a difference. She recommends starting with a small amount of foundation and adding coverage only where it is needed. “One makeup trick I always swear by is keeping my base really thin. Instead of applying a lot of foundation everywhere, I start with a small amount and only build coverage where I actually need it. She also likes using a damp sponge after applying her base with her fingers to get a seamless finish. “I also like pressing my base in with a damp sponge after applying it with my fingers. It takes away any excess product and gives the skin a much more seamless finish,” she added. Blush placement is another trick Aparna uses to change the overall look of her makeup. “Another favourite little makeup trick is changing where I place my blush depending on the look I want. Her final tip is to start with less product and build gradually. “And I always start with less product and build it up. Mehr, meanwhile, prefers a fresh, glowing makeup look and has a simple trick for creating a subtle, lit-from-within finish. She also recommends paying attention to lip preparation, especially when using matte products. When it comes to setting makeup, Mehr suggests being strategic with powder instead of applying it all over the face. “Another trick I’ve found really useful is setting only the areas that tend to get oily instead of powdering the entire face.
For a more lifted, fresh look, I keep most of the blush slightly higher on the cheeks and blend it towards the temples rather than bringing it too low,” she said. It’s much easier to add more blush than to fix too much, especially when you’re doing your makeup in a hurry,” Aparna said. “One of my favourites is mixing a tiny amount of highlighter with my cream blush ; it gives that naturally lit-from-within glow instead of looking like you’ve layered highlighter on top,” Mehr said. “I also always exfoliate my lips gently before applying lip products, especially matte ones, because the colour sits so much smoother,” she added. It keeps the skin looking fresh and dewy,” she said.
For Mehr, the key to good makeup is enhancing the skin rather than covering it completely.
“I am a clean-girl makeup through and through, hence, it should enhance your real skin underneath as well,” she added.
