You Asked, We Answered: Your Biggest Makeup Questions, Answered
In honor of our 2021 Allure Readers' Choice Awards, we're answering readers' biggest and most-burning beauty questions in our annual series, You Asked, We Answered. In this edition: solutions to your biggest makeup concerns.
Earlier this year, we asked Allure readers to send us their most-burning beauty questions via a survey as part of our 2021 Readers' Choice Awards. More than 1,300 members of the Allure Beauty Enthusiast Community sent in inquiries relating to three categories in beauty — skin care, hair care, and makeup — seeking solutions to their common concerns. Now, we're making good on our word to answer those questions.
You Asked, We Answered — a recurring series in which Allure editors answer real reader questions on a number of topics — is back, baby. Now, we're addressing your biggest questions about makeup.
Below, you'll find seven inquiries on your biggest makeup concerns, including false eyelash application, lip gloss, and multi-tasking makeup — along with helpful solutions. Scroll down to find out if your most-burning makeup questions were asked — and then answered.
1. What are the best multitasking makeup products?
Look, the past year-and-a-half have been rough. Nobody has the time these days to sit around and apply makeup all day. And anyone who does probably doesn't have the energy or the desire to, anyway — totally fair. That's why we're not shocked at all to see so much reader interest in multitasking makeup that gets the job done in minutes.
One of our favorite makeup products specifically designed for multiple purposes is LiveTinted Huesticks, which can be used as a color corrector, lipstick, blush, and whatever else you like, really. Cream blushes such as Tower28's BeachPlease or CoverGirl's Fresh Clean Cream Blush are also perfect for multitasking; just apply all your excess blush to the eyelids and lips with your fingers for a monochromatic look.
Clear mascara — like the classic Maybelline New York Clear Great Lash — also has a plethora of uses. After applying it to your lashes, use it to whip stubborn eyebrow hairs into formation. Or you can take a tip from hairstylist Justine Marjan, who once told Allure that she tames clients' flyaway hairs with the mascara.
And then there's the end-all and be-all of multi-use products: Vaseline. We know it's not technically makeup but it has so many uses, we had to give it an honorable mention. Not only is the petrolatum jelly a perfect lip balm, but it can also be used as a cuticle cream. And a makeup remover. "It's light and lubricated, so the makeup slides right off without harming the skin," Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara previously told Allure.
Read more about multitasking beauty products.
2. I want to get into the lip gloss trend — where do I start?
In case you missed it, lip gloss is already having a full-on moment in the 2020s. Everyone's more nostalgic for the '90s than ever, so no shocker there. Plus, wearing face coverings much of the time has people putting away their matte lipsticks and picking up more comfortable, moisturizing alternatives.
But, of course, with every trend comes a never-ending flood of new products to pick from, and lip gloss is certainly no exception. Which begs the question: What lip gloss should you buy?
The key things you want in a gloss are shine, pigment (if you want something colorful or sparkly), and a non-stick formula. Some of Allure's favorites are Milani Ludicrous Lip Gloss, Patrick Ta's Beauty Major Glow Lip Shine, and, of course, Lancôme's iconic Juicy Tubes.
You might think that glosses can't last as long as lipsticks because they're wet and can transfer so easily — but they definitely can if you follow this tip makeup artist Tom Pecheux previously told Allure: "You don't want to bring the gloss all the way to the lip line, especially along the bottom lip; you need to leave a little bit of room for it to spread out," he advises.
Read more about the best lip glosses.
3. How do I give myself a manicure at home?
With salons closing and reopening repeatedly throughout the past year or so, professional manicures have become a lot less accessible. If you feel safe visiting a salon (with the proper safety protocols) and can snag an appointment, you should definitely support your local nail technicians and nail artists by doing so. That might not be everyone's case, however — luckily, giving yourself an at-home manicure is actually quite simple if you can carve out the self-care time.
Here's everything you'll need to have on hand (no pun intended) according to nail artists Betina Goldstein and Lisa Logan: a nail file, a nail buffer, a nail brush, cuticle oil, a base coat, a topcoat, and whatever nail polish colors you like.
Starting with clean, bare nails, use a nail clipper to trim off any excess length (that is if you have any) before filing nails into your desired shape. Instead of filing back and forth, file in one direction. “Seesaw filing can cause hangnails," Logan explains. "Swiping in one direction on either side of the center will ensure a smoother finish sans hangnails."
Then, buff the nails until they're smooth as possible and follow up by slathering a little cuticle oil around all your nail beds. You can push cuticles back with… well, a cuticle pusher, but New York City board-certified dermatologist Howard Sobel warns again trimming cuticles at home. "If you cut incorrectly, that can lead to further breakage, rips, and tears, and ultimately an infection in your nail bed," he previously told Allure. Ouch.
After your let that oil sit for a minute or two, wash it off and use the nail brush to ensure you get a dry base for your nail polish. Then, the fun really begins. Paint on your base coat, two coats of polish, and topcoat in thin layers — and be sure to let each layer dry completely before moving onto the next. Goldstein recommends laying your hand down on a table or any other steady surface to prevent major mishaps, otherwise, you're basically all set.
Read more about how to do an at-home manicure.
4. How can I get really long eyelashes?
Also due to mask-wearing, interest in eye makeup has also skyrocketed, unsurprisingly. In fact, when polled, a majority of Allure readers agreed that long eyelashes are the no. 1 thing that makes them feel confident these days. And, of course, one of the easiest ways to fake super-long lashes is to wear falsies. We know that word can evoke dread or fear for a lot of folks, but we promise it gets easier with a little practice.
First thing's first, you want to pick the right type of false eyelashes for you. If you're totally new to falsies or just prefer a low-key look, go for pairs that are shorter and wispier (they're more lightweight and won't startle you when you look in the mirror at first). Some of our favorite natural-looking falsies include Ardell Lash Accents in #301, Artémes Love & Light Lashes, and Eylure Luxe Silk Marquise Lashes. Otherwise, the sky's the limit. Some thicker, bolder lashes that we love are Glamnetic Lush Lash and Dark Swan of Denmark Tempt Lashes.
Before you even attempt to apply those suckers, make sure they're the right size — otherwise, you'll end up blinking all day long with discomfort or prematurely lose a strip lash. "Always start by measuring your lash to your lash line," New York City makeup artist Tommy previously told Allure. "A lot of these bands are longer than people's eye space, so it's always good to measure and trim accordingly."
Once you've nailed down the perfect band length, paint a thin layer of lash glue (clear formulas like Duo Brush-On Adhesive are always best, if you ask us) along the base of one lash and wait around 30 seconds for it to get tacky. Then comes the intimidating part: actually putting it on your eye. If you position your mirror just underneath your line of sight and look down while applying the strip lash instead of straight forward, things will go much smoother, as makeup artist Joanna Simkin once told Allure. Just tip for chin forward and little and be sure not to close your eyes all the way.
All that's left to do once you've got that down is to repeat the process on the other side and use a little black eyeliner to mask any visible gaps.
Read more about false eyelash application.
5. How do I pick the best mascara for me?
Obviously, falsies aren't exactly convenient for everyday wear. Thankfully, there's always mascara — another product that can be hard to pick thanks to the massive pool of options. You can never go wrong with the classics: Tarte Maneater, Dior Diorshow, Maybelline New York The Falsies Lashlift, the list goes on. If you require extra va-va voom, there's Anastasia Beverly Hills' volume-packed Lash Brag. And Colourpop's BFF Mascara is always there when you want a splash of color. All of them are Best of Beauty winners and/or Allure editor favorites.
No matter the mascara (or mascaras) you choose, there are a few tricks and tips you can use to get the most out of it. Like makeup artist Georgie Eisdell, you could apply mascara on closed eyes while wiggling the brush back and forth as you sweep in upward motions (sounds weird, but take contributing editor Marci Robin's word: it works).
If you're really dedicated to lengthy lashes, you can take the approach of beauty editor Devon Abelman, who times her mascara application by listening to songs that are least four minutes long (again, sounds strange at first but it's effective as hell).
"I kick things off by sweeping the wand upward from the roots of my lashes to the ends with a feather-light touch… Next, I push up my lashes with only the tip of the brush," she previously wrote. "Now, I do the classic sweep through my lashes with the regular amount of pressure that I assume the average person uses."
After applying mascara to her bottom lashes with a wiggling motion, she repeats the whole process again for lashes that one could easily mistake for extensions.
Read more about the best mascaras.
6. Should I get eyelash extensions?
Speaking of eyelash extensions, that's one of the most-missed and most-wanted beauty treatments, as many readers told us in our annual survey. The TLDR on those is that they're teeny-tiny fibers that are attached one by one to the base of your natural lashes using medical-grade adhesive. Costs vary among salons, but let's just say these appointments are going to cost more than your monthly false eyelash and mascara habits — and cost isn't exactly the only big factor you'll want to consider before getting them.
Although they're a very glamorous, longer-term solution for those who want big lashes, extensions require a lot of maintenance and some straight-up lifestyle changes in order to keep them from falling out prematurely (or breaking your real lashes in the process). Here are a few tips for that, per previous Allure reporting.
Sleep on your back to prevent extensions from rubbing up against your pillow. Apply a small amount of baby oil and comb them with a spooley brush daily to prevent flaking and tangling. And most importantly, try your damn hardest not to play with them too much (this one's extremely difficult because they're so freaking soft).
Read more about eyelash extensions.
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