The Only 15 Makeup Tips You Need to Simplify Your Daily Routine

Are you looking to simplify your natural makeup routine? Just because you're not a pro, doesn't mean you can't have effortless-looking natural makeup—and, yes, it can also be effortless to apply. Cynde Watson, a professional makeup artist, beauty expert and Director of Education for IT Cosmetics, has a few easy tips that will have you ready to go in minutes with a natural makeup look that will last all day.  

"The beauty world can be really intimidating, and I want to help you navigate and simplify how to do a natural makeup on a daily basis," says Cynde.   

Use a spray primer.  

Good makeup always starts with good skin, according to Cynde, so reaching for a spray primer to start off is an essential. "[A spray primer] will help your makeup stay on all day and also smooth out your pores, so you start with a smooth surface."  

Start with a foundation first.  

"The whole thing about foundation is that you not only want to smooth out your complexion, but you want to even out your skin tone. You want to make sure you're taking your foundation back to the ears and also down the neck," says Cynde.  

Put on concealer AFTER foundation.  

"A lot of the times people over-conceal because they're putting on their concealer first, but if you put on your foundation first, you get a sheer veil of coverage then go back in and you can spot cover where you need concealer and that way it looks very natural," explains Cynde. So, if you're finding that your makeup doesn't look natural, your concealer could be the culprit. Cynde likes to use a concealer brush, but she says using your fingers is totally okay too.

Make your eyebrows symmetrical by mapping them out.  

Before you go in and start shaping your brows, Cynde suggests mapping them out first to ensure you get the perfect shape. "It's truly about what's right for your face. The best way to choose the perfect color for your brows is to really just match the actual color of your brow, not the color of your hair," Cynde says.  

Use a pencil or a powder eyeliner instead of liquid liner, if you're a makeup newbie.  

And with that, all you have to do is trace the lash line. "If you take your liner and start tracing your lash line—get as close as possible—it will look the most natural."  

Put your eyeliner on out to in instead of in to out.  

"Most people start from the inner and go out, but if you take your liner and start tracing your lash line just all the way in the lash line get as close as possible that way it's going to look the most natural. Then, you want to come out to in to get that tail," she says.  

Go for the blackest mascara. 

"When you choose a mascara, you want to make sure you're choosing the blackest mascara because it really opens the eye," explains Cynde. Specifically, Cynde recommends opting for a thickening and lengthening mascara. 

Replace your mascara every 60 to 90 days.  

You have to remember to replace that mascara every 60-90 days. That's the most important thing about mascara—according to Cynde. 

Don't pump your mascara—it'll dry out.  

Another mascara tip? "When you're opening your mascara you don't want to do that pumping back and forth because you're pumping air into your mascara and it makes it dry out faster," explains Cynde.  

Use bronzer to warm the skin.  

Cynde recommends applying bronzer where the sun naturally kisses your skin. "It's almost like you went on vacation, but you didn't," she says.  

Use contouring to add a shadow.  

"A contour is cooler—it adds a little bit of shadow to your face," explains Cynde. "So, a contour recedes and a highlighter is what lifts."    

Only use a highlighter on the high points of your face.

It's important to differentiate what goes where when it comes to bronzer, contour and highlighter. Cynde uses highlighter in her cupid's bow and inner eyes—and all other high points of her face to give a brightness.   

Make sure you're using a clean brush for blush.  

Before applying blush, Cynde wants to remind you all to make sure that brush is clean. If you have a second brush that you haven't already used for highlighter, definitely use that—but if not, make sure to clean your brush properly, so it doesn't have any highlighter left on it.  

On your lips, start with your lipstick and then fill in with the pencil.  

"Apply to the bottom first (with your lipstick) and then mesh them together, so you're not using too much lip color. Now, you're using your pencil just to fine tune."  

Finally, finish with a setting spray.  

There is no better way to seal in your makeup and make sure it lasts all day, explains Cynde.