Complex makeup tutorials may be trickling in, but for our everyday lives, it’ll be a while before we’re reaching for contour kits and dramatic styles.
In the meantime, I’m focusing on looks that feel fresh now, yet will transition seamlessly from day to night: the right foundation, well-blended eyeshadows, and versatile techniques that bridge the gap between a makeup disaster and a polished look.
1. Bronzey & Glowy
Source: @makenziewilder
I am obsessed with this look, especially for summer or on days when I just don’t have the energy for a full face.
The secret here? You can create this whole glowing vibe with just your highlighter and contour palette. Seriously, that’s it! You just have to know the tricks.
I use the deeper shades for my brows and for contouring, which is such a great hack. If I don’t have a dark eyeshadow handy, I’ll just dip into the darker tones in my contour or blush palette for the crease of my eye.
For the lips, I’ll mix the nude or rose gold shades from the palette with some lip gloss or petroleum jelly. A little bit of highlighter all over is my go-to for looking and feeling more refreshed.
The best part? This entire thing takes maybe five to ten minutes, tops.
2. No Makeup Makeup
Source: @makeupbyjcole
This no-makeup makeup style really shows off how a good brow can completely change your look.
Seriously, your brows can redefine your whole face, and you should never underestimate what a quick shaping can do.
I feel like if you only have a moment for two things before you have to fly out the door in the morning, focusing on your eyebrows and adding a swipe of mascara is the way to go.
I’ll even confess to using last night’s makeup a time or two to pull off this subtle look. It’s all about multitasking!
3. Pretty Eye Makeup for Blue Eyes
Source: @crystal_conte
If you have blue eyes, you can pull off such a wide variety of eyeshadow shades, it’s amazing. But some colors that look particularly incredible are peach, gold, orange, and brown.
I especially love this stunning dusky pink you can see in the photo. Here’s another tip I’ve picked up from this beautiful look, a light shimmer placed on the inner corner of the eye.
It’s my secret weapon for looking awake and alert when all I really want to do is hide under the covers for another hour.
4. Pink Lips
Source: @crystal_conte
Who can resist a soft, baby-pink lip? I know I can’t. That’s why I completely fell for this pink-lipped style, and it’s definitely one of the easy makeup looks you should try.
To get your lips looking this gorgeous and full, you need to start with a great foundation. That means taking care of them!
I always make sure to have a lip balm on me, especially when the weather is super hot or really cold. Another pro tip is to look for lip products that have some SPF in them.
This gives them protection from the sun’s strong rays, which can cause a burn even on cloudy days.
5. White Eyeliner
Source: @makeupbyan
I’m telling you, white eyeliner is such an incredible tool to keep in your makeup collection for so many reasons.
You can put it on your lower waterline, just like in this picture, to make your eyes look brighter in an instant. It’s a lifesaver when you feel tired but need to look like you’ve had way more sleep.
You can also apply white eyeliner across your entire eyelid to act as a primer for vibrant eyeshadows. Every single color appears so much more vivid against that white base. It really helps a bold and colorful look come alive.
6. Makeup Idea for Green Eyes
Source: @iheartmakeupart
Purple and lilac shades look absolutely amazing with green eyes. Pinks and plums, and different variations of those colors, also work beautifully.
A little bit of shimmer on the eyelid is all you need to make these gorgeous green eyes pop. One thing people sometimes forget is to add a quick sweep of color under the lower lash line.
This trick can cover up a lot, including the effects of one too many late nights out!
7. Everyday Winged Liner
Source: @lindahalbergs
What about those days when you don’t have enough time for a complete eyeliner look, but the idea of going without it makes you nervous?
How about trying this? It’s a daily winged liner style that honestly doesn’t take very long to get right.
Since the liner doesn’t go all the way across the eyelid, getting it perfect will take you about half the time. Plus, isn’t it so much easier to nail the outer flick than the inner corner? I think so.
There are tons of tutorials out there, especially on Instagram, that show how to get the perfect wing. I’d definitely suggest watching a few because learning some new makeup hacks is always a win.
8. Matte Brown
Source: @nilltavangar
Dark eyes are so beautiful, and just like other eye colors, there are plenty of shades you can experiment with from your makeup palette. Deeper hues tend to work best with these richer eye colors.
Things like blacks, browns, dark greens, navy blues, and even deep grays are all fantastic options to try. Here you can see a really subtle brown and neutral cut crease.
This look gets so much easier to achieve once you have a good fluffy blending brush. Trust me, not blending correctly is not a great look, especially on your eyes where everyone will see it.
9. Smoked Out Winged Liner
Source: @lindahalbergs
For mornings when you can’t spare the time to create a perfect kitten flick with your eyeliner, you can fake it using just your eyeshadow. Your eyeshadow is actually way more useful than you might realize.
Just look at your palette. The lighter colors can be swept over the eyelid and can even stand in for highlighter when you’re in a pinch.
The darker shades are perfect to use as eyeliner with the right angled brush, and you can even use them on your eyebrows. You can turn any shade in your palette into a lipgloss with a bit of Vaseline.
And if you have a broken shadow, you can mix it with clear gloss to whip up your own nail polish in a hurry.
10. Natural Makeup Look
Source: @iddavanmunster
Isn’t it so funny that the makeup looks that appear the most natural often seem to take the most time? If you want a foolproof way to get this simple and neutral vibe, a nude palette is absolutely the answer.
As I’ve said before, you can use everything in your palette all over your face, which makes it the most versatile piece of makeup you’ll own. Learning how to properly use your highlighter is also a fantastic trick.
Highlighter can make you seem so awake, even after a week of no sleep! That line of white eyeliner on the lower waterline helps again here to make you look more bright-eyed, and it also makes your eyes appear larger.
And don’t be afraid to skip the eyeliner sometimes. It’s good to let your skin have a break, and for that, a basic, barely-there makeup look is absolutely perfect.