Five Beauty Tricks I Wish I Had Known Sooner!
Here’s the deal… I wouldn’t consider myself a professional makeup artist or expert. However, I’ve learned a lot about makeup (both products & application techniques) over the past 7 or so years from having to do my makeup for YouTube videos & photoshoots! In this blog post I’m sharing 5 makeup tips & tricks that have been a game changed for me - especially being Asian. Whether you feel like a beginner or intermediate makeup wearer (lol) hopefully this blog post will be helpful in upping your everyday makeup look! Like always you can watch my YouTube video for a step by step application tutorial & also shop the products I used below by clicking on an image.
What are the different types of Asian eye shapes? Identifying your eye shape for the perfect makeup application
Let’s chat about eye shapes for a sec, because working with, rather than against, your features is a total game-changer! Asian eyes are beautifully diverse, and figuring out your specific eye shape can help you tailor your makeup routine so everything looks extra flattering.
Almond Eyes: These have a distinct, visible crease and are generally oval-shaped with a slightly lifted outer corner. If your eyes have that classic “almond” outline—wider in the middle and softly tapering—you probably fall into this category! The symmetry here means lots of eyeshadow looks will suit you.
Hooded Eyes: Hooded eyes have a little fold of skin that partially covers the lid, making the crease less noticeable. Sometimes when your eyes are open, you barely see much of your eyelid at all. Smoky eyes can look especially sultry on hooded eyes—pro tip!
Monolids: This shape doesn’t really have a defined crease, creating a sleek, smooth area from the lash line up to the brow. Monolids are basically a blank canvas for creative eyeshadow play—don’t be afraid to go bold with your colors or placements.
Downturned Eyes: Here, the outer corners of your eyes gently slope downward, which gives a soft, dreamy look. You can bring instant lift with clever eyeliner or upward-blended shadow—think of it as a subtle wing for a little pick-me-up effect.
Don’t stress if you can’t pinpoint your eye shape exactly—lots of people have a mix! The magic is in customizing your makeup to enhance and celebrate what you’ve got.
Best Eye Makeup Tips for Almond-Shaped Eyes
Almond-shaped eyes are beautifully versatile and can pull off a variety of eyeshadow and liner styles. Want your eyes to look bigger and more awake? Here are some of my favorite tips to really make almond eyes pop:
Shade placement matters! Try blending a slightly deeper eyeshadow shade onto just the outer third of your eyelid. This subtle contour helps accentuate the natural curve of almond eyes, creating a softly lifted effect.
Brighten with shimmer. Pop a touch of shimmery or light-reflecting shadow along your lower lash line (focus on the inner half). This fun trick draws light to the eyes—think of it as the sparkly version of morning coffee for your face.
Liner for shape. When applying eyeliner, start thin at the inner corner and let the line gradually thicken as you reach the outer edge. Wing it out slightly to elongate your eye shape.
Play around with these techniques to see what flatters your unique eye shape best. A little experimentation goes a long way—almond eyes truly are a makeup playground!
Tip 1 - How to best apply foundation for a flawless medium to full coverage look? Use a slightly damp beauty blender sponge & here’s how to get the perfectly damp sponge!
How damp should my beauty blender sponge be? Over the years I have tried so many different things to get that smooth, medium to full coverage flawless foundation look. I’ve found that using a beauty sponge achieves this look the best, but it actually matters how you set up the sponge. If you wet your beauty sponge and wring it out with your hand right before use, the sponge will be too damp and will pick up your foundation as you apply it - Leaving your foundation splotchy. And if you’re really trying to get a full coverage look, this will be nearly impossible because of the water still in the sponge. For the perfect damp beauty sponge, wet the beauty blender the night before (if you can remember) & wring it out. Let it air dry over night and in the morning your sponge will be ready to use with any of your foundations. If you are in a hurry or forget to wet the sponge the evening before, all you have to do is dampen the sponge, wring it out with your hand in the sink, then take a towel or wash cloth, wrap it around the sponge and squeeze out the remaining water. You may think by just wringing it out with your hand that you got all of the water out, but you’ll be surprised by how much remains when you use the towel method. In this video I used Tarte’s Face Tape, but you can can achieve this look with any foundation!
Here are the products featured in this tip
Tip 2 - How & where do I apply bronzer? Best bronzer and blush application for a round face! If you have a round face, use your bronzer & blush as a contour on the sides of your face (and use blush on your nose) to lift & elongate the face
Since I have a more round face I’ve found that where I place my bronzer and blush really matter!! I like to use many bronzer like a soft contour. Focusing the product in the hollows of my cheeks (mostly under the cheek bone) and bring it up slightly onto the cheekbone & up the temples. I show you exactly where I place the bronzer in my video in case you’re wondering how to apply bronzer! If you’re wondering “should I be wearing blush?” The answer is YES! For blush I like to apply it to the high points of my cheeks and lightly bring it down to the apples of my cheeks - focusing most of the product on top of the cheek bones and temples. Don’t forget to apply blush to your nose as well!! This is my tip for always looking sun-kissed. Blush is the key to making your skin look healthy and alive :)
Tip 3 - How do I make my eyes look brighter and more awake? How do I make my brows look lifted? Highlight the inner corners of your eyes & directly underneath your brows!
This is a cherry on top trick. Even if you don’t like the look of highlighter on the cheeks, nose, and upper lip, I do think adding the slightest bit of highlight to the inner corner of your eyes is something worth trying! Adding a bit of highlight to the inner corner of your eyes will instantly brighten up your eyes and help you look more awake. Depending on what kind of highlighter you use will determine how dramatic the look is, so find one you like & give it a go! I love the new Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighters because they’re super shimmery and give the most beautiful bounce back of light. Also you can create the look of an instant brow lift by highlighting directly under the eyebrow - not always necessary but something worth trying for sure!
Tip 4 - How to apply eyeshadow to Asian eyes (mono lid) How to make your eyes look bigger with makeup? Eyeshadow application is EVERYTHING & here’s what I’ve learned from makeup artists over the years. Be sure to watch the YouTube video for the visual tutorial
Step 1: Apply an all over shade onto the lid - pick a shade relatively close to your skin for a nice base
Step 2: Take a slightly darker shade and apply it to the outer corner of the eye and up along your crease (if you don’t have a lid crease apply it where you would have a lid crease to create the illusion of a crease)
Step 3: If you’re wanting to add a pop of shimmer to the eyes - dip your finger into your favorite light shimmer shadow and apply it onto the middle of the lid to add dimension.
Step 4: Apply a darker shade along the lower lash line from the outer corner to about the middle of the eye. If you have more narrow eyes like me, skip on lining the upper lash line and try only the lower lash line - this gives the eyes a more wide look!
Tip 5 - How do I get my lashes to hold a curl? Best mascara for straight Asian lashes. Use waterproof mascara to hold up those stubborn lashes that don't want to stay up
This last tip is more of a product recommendation than an application how-to! If you have short, straight lashes like I do that struggle to hold a curl, try swapping out your current mascara for one of these waterproof mascaras. Both of these hold a curl for me & are some of my favorites! I also would suggest getting a good cleansing balm or makeup remover to help with getting the waterproof mascara off gently without hurting your lashes :)
I hope you enjoy these tips!! Be sure to leave me a comment on this post or on the YouTube video if you end up trying any of these out! Like always, I’m so grateful for you taking the time to watch my videos and read my blog posts!
Finding activewear that actually fits when you're petite is tricky, but luckily Lululemon seems to always have what I need! This haul has the perfect summer pieces for exercising or just running errands - petite approved (I’m 5’2). Plus this butter yellow color might be one of the best colors to wear in the summer!