I've watched over 1,000 makeup tutorials on YouTube and these are the best tricks I've learnt

As a self-proclaimed YouTube addict, I spend most evenings cuddled up on the couch with a cup of tea and my Chihuahua Pumpkin, ready to stream all the latest makeup tutorials from my favourite beauty gurus.

Whether you love them or couldn't care less, it's undeniable that beauty influencers have completely changed the way we learn about makeup, skincare, hair and more, reaching millions of beauty lovers around the world, using techniques and tricks traditionally reserved for makeup school.

Thanks to YouTube, the everyday man or woman can now become a self-taught makeup artist, gain an in-depth understanding of products and formulas, and participate in an industry that we interact with on a daily basis but previously knew very little about. It’s accessible in a way it never was before and the knowledge that’s shared everyday on the platform genuinely helps viewers to look and feel their best.

And I can vouch for that! 

Almost my entire makeup application knowledge has come from watching tutorials and I’ve also picked up many interesting and quirky techniques that have become staple aspects of my routine. From foundation application to eyeshadow blending, here are 12 of the best (and most unique) makeup tricks I’ve learned from watching YouTube.

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Start your winged liner from the outside

Alexa Chung, aka queen of the cat eye, does her liquid liner from the outside in. She said in her Vogue Beauty Secrets video that it’s this section that gives you “the perfect cat eye” which is why it’s important to start with It first. She follows the line from her under eye and creates the wing as an extension of that.

Via Vogue, Alexa Chung's Genius Trick for the Perfect Cat-Eye, 2019

It’s all about a transition shade

It’s standard amongst makeup artists to use a transition shade when doing an eyeshadow look. A transition shade is usually a matte neutral shade used to help shadows blend seamlessly together. It’s the first colour you put down (typically in the crease) and is picked up throughout the process to help prevent skipping, patchiness, and disjointed colours. While basically every single beauty guru uses a transition shade, this technique was brought to the mainstream public very early on by Jaclyn Hill.

Don’t wash your face in the morning

Bella Thorne has been open about suffering from bad cystic acne for years. In her Vogue Beauty Secrets video, she mentioned that she now doesn’t wash her face in the morning because she found out she had been overwashing it, leading to irritation and more severe breakouts. Instead, she goes straight in with her skincare and claims it has helped her skin clear up so much.

Via Vogue, Bella Thorne's Guide to Acne-Prone Skin Care and Glitter Eyes, 2019

What’s the best tip you’ve learned from watching YouTube? Who is your favourite YouTuber to watch?