I have a confession: I'm a 41-year-old guy with a shaved head and a scraggy beard. It's safe to say I don't know a lot about makeup. But, I do know someone who does. I recently spoke to Angela Wade, a freelance makeup artist who has been in the business for over 12 years. She shared some makeup hacks that she uses to make life a little easier, and to make her supplies last a little longer. I also talked with some of the other ladies in my life, young and old, and hit up the users of Reddit to compile this following list of makeup hacks.

1. Remove Makeup With Cold Cream

You can spend a fortune on "specially formulated" makeup removers, that come in small bottles, wipes, or very expensive jars. And yet, cold cream works better than all of them. Get yourself a jar of Pond's Cold Cream (a 9.5 ounce jar is less than $8 on Amazon) and use it to remove everything from foundation and lip tars, to waterproof mascara and even special effects grade makeup. It will also leave your skin moisturized without feeling oily, and one jar will last you a whole year!

2. Make Gel Eyeliner Last Longer

Gel or cream eyeliners can quickly dry out, but that doesn't mean you should throw them out. To rehydrate your eyeliner, add a small amount of eye drop liquid, such as Visine or Clear Eyes. Then, thoroughly mix it into the eyeliner until you get an even consistency. You can use the same hack on dried-out mascara; however, please bear in mind that your mascara should be thrown away after three months of use.

3. Repair Broken Eyeshadow

Eye shadows can become cracked and broken over time, but there's no need to toss them out. They can be repaired quickly and easily. Simply apply a small amount of isopropyl alcohol to the powder and form it back into its original flat shape. Let it dry completely for a few days, and you will find that your eye shadow is as good as new.

4. Make Tired Eyes Appear Whiter and Brighter

All it takes is a touch of blue; in this case, blue eyeliner. By applying a bold blue eyeliner closely to the eyelash line, you create the illusion that the whites of your eyes are both whiter and brighter. This instantly makes you look more awake and refreshed, which can be handy the morning after a night on the town. You can achieve a similar effect with a navy eyeliner, although it won't be as pronounced.

5. Create a DIY Tinted Moisturizer

Redditor Fightsactualfoo (love that name) discovered that she could create a tinted moisturizer guaranteed to match her own skin tone, simply by mixing a pump of Cetaphil lotion with a pump of her foundation. The benefits, other than the perfect skin tone match, are that it reduces the chance of having a breakout, and eliminates the need to buy yet another makeup product.

6. Make Dry Skin Look Luminous

A great way to improve the appearance of your skin is to make your very own skin refreshing mist. You can buy one of these "hydrating mists" off the shelf, but if you want the best results, try the following recipe. Start with MAC Cosmetics Prep & Prime Fix, then mix with a vitamin C brightening solution (MAC's Lightful C Marine-Bright Softening Lotion is good, though a bit pricey) and an essential oil, like grapefruit or lavender. Once applied, it will give a wonderfully incandescent luster to your skin throughout the day.

7. Turn Eyelash Adhesive Invisible

No one wants to see your eyelash adhesive. However, there is a simple hack to make it completely invisible. Before applying it, add some black eyeliner into the white eyelash adhesive, and mix thoroughly. When it dries, there will be no white line or film left on the lash.

8. Create Your Own Gel Liner

As you know, gel liners can be expensive. But, there is a simple trick you can use on a cheap Kohl pencil eyeliner that can turn it something that flows much easier, darker, and thicker, like gel. Hold the pencil over the flame of a lighter for just one second, and then let it cool down for 15 seconds. When you apply it, you'll see the difference.

9. Make Eyelashes Appear Much Thicker

Plenty of mascara products on the market promise to give you thicker, fuller lashes, but there is a simple hack you can use without having to spend any money on them. Simply apply a coat of translucent powder to your lashes in between coats. The powder will thicken the drying product, allowing the second or third coat of mascara to adhere better. This results in beautifully thick and full lashes.

10. Blend Eyeshadow Like a Pro

Professional makeup artists can create beautifully blended eyes, and yet the results we achieve at home can often look muddy or over blended. There is a simple trick to make sure your eye shadow is seamlessly blended…go down, not up. Start under the brow with your lightest shade and work your way down to the crease color. Continue to the eyelid, blending as you go. Doing it this way allows for placement of color whilst you are still blending, avoid that muddy or overdone look.

11. Remove Glitter Nail Polish Quickly

I found this hack after trying for about five minutes to remove sparkly nail polish from my girls' nails. Being a good dad, I paint their nails on weekends, but who knew glitter polish is harder to remove than chewing gum from hair?! It turns out that a simple coat of Elmer's glue before you apply the polish makes it very easy to remove, once the time comes. It just peels off!

12. Make Smoky Eyeshadow Last Longer

By using eyeliner underneath your dark eyeshadow, you will get better hold and much more opacity. Waterproof or water-resistant eyeliners are the best ones to use, but there is a drawback…they set fast, so be prepared to work quickly. After a few practice runs, you will get long-lasting smoky eyes.

What are your favorite makeup hacks? Share them with us below!

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