3 top makeup artists share their easy makeup looks

If you’re the type of gal who feels butt naked without a swipe of eyeliner, then this one’s for you. Alphie Sadsad, National Artistry Lead of Sephora Australia, says creating a cute, quick liner look IS possible – and you don’t need to mess around with makeup brushes. He says a simple, clean and polished makeup look can be achieved using just your fingers.

Before creating your eye look, Sadsad says to start with a flawless, even base. “Apply Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation as your foundation and concealer, using your fingers where you need evening out. Starting around your nose, apply product to under-eyes and any unwanted mates i.e. pimples. Using your fingers will give you the ability to create a customised coverage,” he says.

To add a touch of warmth to your makeup look, reach for a multitasking formula like Nudestix Nudies Matte All Over Face Colour in Bondi Bae; “Swipe on your lower eyelids and blend with your finger. Add more for a deeper tint. Follow with swiping on your cheeks - smile and apply from the apple of the cheeks and tap to blend.”

For the all-important eyes, Sadsad says to reach for KVD Vegan Beauty Tattoo Liner Liquid Eyeliner, and use the tightlining technique in between your lash line to create the illusion of big, open eyes. Don’t worry - while it sounds difficult, it’s actually pretty easy. You simply just apply your liquid liner above your top lash line (read this tightlining tutorial if you’re a total newbie to the eyeliner technique). Next, smudge the liner by blending it out with your ring finger for an insanely simple smoky liner effect. If you’re feeling confident (you go, girl!), you can wing it out instead. “If you love more definition, add more liner on to the top lash line. Either blend to create a smoky liner, or wing out to create a cat eye. Finish off with two coats of the Sephora Collection Size Up Mascara,” says Sadsad.

Whether you like it in a gloss, oil, liquid or some other swanky-new form, a simple pop of colour on your lips can instantly up your beauty look, making you look pulled together in a matter of seconds. And you know what lipstick look is both incredibly trendy and super quick and easy to do on those I-had-to-be-out-the-door-10-minutes-ago mornings? That hazy, dreamy, blurred lip look.

According to YSL's Director of Artistry, Ross Andrewartha, a diffused red lip is a quick and easy way to complete your everyday makeup look, and he says it’s best teamed with a soft, natural makeup base. For this, he likes to use a semi-matte foundation.

“Take a large pearl size amount of Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Primer to massage all over the skin to prep and hydrate, ready for foundation. Using your fingers, use two pumps of Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, tap between the fingers and work the product in to diffuse the foundation into the skin. This is an easy application which gives you a second skin effect and blends the foundation effortlessly,” he says.

If you want to add a touch of highlighter to your complexion, Andrewartha suggests applying YSL Touché Eclat under the eyes and on the high points of the face. “You can also use your fingers for this step to melt the product into the skin to create a complete and flawless base,” he suggests. 

Now for the lips. Andrewartha says to finish the whole look with a vibrant pop of colour (his go-to is YSL Rouge Voulpté Shine in shade 8). However, there’s a bit of a trick to it. Before going straight in and applying the lipstick directly onto your lips, he says to firstly dab it onto your cheeks using your fingertips. Then, using the colour on your fingertips, dab the excess product onto your lips for that soft, hazy look. We would suggest starting in the centre of your lips and working your way to the edges. It’s kinda like finger-painting for your lips, and it looks good and takes WAY less time than meticulously applying lip liner and lipstick.

If you're after that luminous and dewy makeup look, MAC Global Senior Artist Carol Mackie says you can get your skin looking like a million bucks in a matter of minutes. You just need a few cheeky beauty tips – and to really nail that lit-from-within look, you’ll need to make sure you’ve prepped your skin correctly. “For quick and easy makeup application, start by ensuring your skin is really hydrated,” says Mackie.

“Spritz your face liberally with MAC Prep and Prime Fix + to really hydrate, soothe the skin and prep for moisturiser. Add a couple of drops of M.A.C Prep and Prime Essential Oils into the palm of your hands and massage into the skin.” For foundation, Mackie says “Apply Studio Fix Fluid Foundation with a MAC #170 Round Slant Brush starting at the centre of the face, blending outwards and down the neck. This brush allows you to apply your foundation in seconds!” If you’re on-the-go and don’t have time for brushes, just use your fingers and make sure you blend well.

If you want to add a little something extra to your glowing skin look, and if time allows, Mackie says you can apply a nude lipstick onto your lips, cheeks and eyes, “for a super-fast, chic, monochromatic look.” She suggests applying it straight onto your lips, before rubbing them together and tapping around the edges (similar to the ‘diffused’ lipstick technique!). “Take a little colour with your finger onto your cheek, tapping and blending as you go, to create a soft, natural flush of colour. Take a little more lipstick with a MAC #217 Blending Brush and do exactly the same on the eyelids. The tip here is to use minimal product on your brush and on your finger and it will blend super easily.”

To finish, swipe some mascara over your lashes and make sure your brows are in place. “Complete the look by curling lashes and applying Prep and Prime False Lash Maximiser to lashes and brows, brushing them up. Follow with MAC Extended Playlash Mascara to separate and lengthen the lashes,” says Mackie. “Voila! This look should only take you five minutes, tops!”

Looking for more tips on how to create luminous, dewy skin? Check out 15 of the best foundations for glowing skin.

Main image credit: Sevak Babakhani