If you're like us, you want all of the beauty hacks while following all of the current trends [1]. Looking for an easy way to find the perfect foundation shade? Want at-home nail tips and tricks [2]? Yes, please — anything to make our lives easier and get the most out of our products. We are all guilty of buying a product and letting it sit because we don't technically know how to use it, but with these hacks, you can say buh-bye to those days.
Ahead, we've rounded up our favourite YouTube videos that have such great beauty hacks, you might just find yourself an hour deep watching them. Now go ahead and grab your headphones — we have gathered some tips to suit all your beauty needs.
How to Make Eye Shadow Last
To make eye shadow — brown, in this case — last all night, beauty influencer Bretman Rock [3] says he always applies black kohl eyeliner as a base. At 8:58 of this video, he pauses his routine to emphasise this step. "The first time I didn't use a base, the brown would kind of fade," he explained as he dots the liner and smudges it across his lids.
The Surprising Way To Get a "J. Lo Glow"
Jennifer Lopez [4]'s makeup artist Scott Barnes did a makeup tutorial with Tati Westbrook, where he revealed his secret to the J. Lo glow. Surprisingly, it's spray sunscreen: in the video, he sprayed Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Lightweight Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 [5] ($8) on Westbrook's chest and shoulder to give her that iconic sheen — and it really did work.
How To Make Your Own Geode Soap
For the DIY-loving people out there, why spend money on daily necessities like soap when you can make it in the comfort of your own home? YouTuber Kirbie Johnson shows us how to do it (but spoiler alert: all you need is white and clear glycerin soap at a crafts soap and a little food colouring).
How to Apply False Eyelashes
While Nikita Dragun — YouTube vlogger and Dragun Beauty founder — is usually the beauty pro, this video shows that it's her mother has some sage makeup advice, too. At 4:40, she explains that when you're applying false lashes, you should angle the mirror so you can look down at it. "I feel like it relaxes the skin around my eyelashes and creates a plateau waiting for the lashes to be laid [sic]," she said.
How To Make Applying Lipstick Even Easier
Looking for a full-proof way to apply lipstick? YouTuber Tina Yong tries out the Laneige lip cards, which doesn't require much effort. The lip cards come in the shape of a mouth on a piece of paper that you can "kiss" onto your lips. It also comes with a plastic cover small enough to fit a couple different shades in your purse. The best part: you can use the cards up to three times.
How To Get Chrome Nails Without Powder
YouTuber Sandi Crystal Ball shows us how to achieve mirror-like chrome nails at home without the messy dip powder application. She does it using the Joya Mia chrome gel polish, and the results are nearly identical.
How To Get the Perfect Eyebrow Arch
In the most surprising hack we've seen so far, YouTuber Mayra shares at the 4:40 mark how you can use a spoon to create the perfect eyebrow arch. Simply place the utensil above your natural brow hair and trace around the upper edge, because as she says, "this is going to give you that perfect guide."
How To Find Your Foundation Shade
Don't know how to match your foundation to your face? Accidentally bought the wrong shade? YouTuber Tina Yong has a tip: pick three foundations and draw a line on the side of your jaw to see which blends into your skin and matches your neck perfectly. If you bought a foundation shade that is too pink, she explains that you can actually use it to cover dark under-eye circles or any areas that have pigmentation. If you bought something too yellow, you can use it to cover up any pimples or redness on your face."
How To Get Acrylics-Like Nails At Home
Tired of paying for a new set of acrylic nails every other week? Want the same effect but without the damage? YouTuber Lisette has a hack to solve all of our nail dilemmas: polygel. Polygel is a nail enhancement that can be applied to sculpt a full set of nails that look like acrylics but without the downsides.
The Many Ways To Use Lipstick
We all know lipstick can be multipurpose (and it's not the first time we've used it on our cheeks!) but YouTuber Tina Yong has plenty more ideas. In this clip, she shows how you can use lipstick to cover your under-eye dark circles, fill in your eyebrows, contour your face, and even how to use it as eye shadow.
How To Make Eyeliner Out of Coloured Pencils
YouTuber Rachel shares her hack of how to use coloured pencils as eyeliner for the prettiest rainbow look. But note: to safely achieve this look, make sure to use nontoxic coloured pencils.
How To Minimize the Appearance of Pores
Want to minimize the appearance of your pores? Sometimes, all it takes is a deep clean. Beauty Within hosts, Rowena Tsai and Felicia Lee, share how to do a facial steaming, which makes it easier to remove the debris out of the pore. They also recommend using tea tree, eucalyptus oil, or a toner after to prevent future breakouts.