Yep, You Can Use Every Last Piece of Makeup in More Than One Way

Photo: Getty Images/10000 Hours
Besides my practically 10-step skin-care routine, the rest of my beauty regimen is actually pretty lazy. I'm all about dry shampoo (or air-drying when I actually wash my hair), slathering on a BB or CC cream, and multi-tasking beauty products (those lip-to-cheeks tho!). So whenever a makeup artist tells me about hacks for using one makeup item for other things, I'm all ears.

Other times, I'll discover "twofers" on my own—like that time I ran out of brow gel so wound up swiping my black mascara on my eyebrows for a fluff-up. That worked just fine. To share the uber-useful multitasking makeup tips that'll save you precious minutes in the a.m., I'm rounding up all of the best makeup products that have double duty powers.

"I love a makeup product that can do double duty," gushes Gabriel De Santino, makeup artist and CEO of Gabriel Cosmetics. "They're especially useful when traveling, if you have limited storage space for beauty items, or are looking to save some cash." All very important reasons. And so: Keep scrolling for the intel.

Clear mascara

Mascara's fabulous for lengthening and thickening your lashes—obviously. But, just as I've learned, that bristly wand is just as useful for fluffing up your brow hair. "Clear mascara can be great for the lashes or brow," says Molly R. Stern, a celebrity makeup artist. De Santino's a fan too—"It's also a great mascara primer, and it can tame hair fly-aways," he says. Or, if you don't happen to have clear mascara, regular works too, but keep in mind your brow will be of the more-is-more variety.

Blush

A simple cream or powder blush can be used in a myriad of ways, the chicest of which is for the monochromatic look. "A trick I do often is to use a bright pink or apricot blush on cheeks and as an eyeshadow to create a monochromatic look, which is perfect for spring and right on trend," says De Santino. "My fave twofer is a blush to lip, or vice versa," adds Stern, who's also admittedly a fan of using cream contour as an eyeshadow. All you need is your fingers or a small brush to swipe the shade onto your cheeks and eyelids.

Lipstick

Your lip tube can add glam to more than just your pout—slather it onto your lids and/or cheeks for an even dusting of shade. "In a pinch, lipsticks can be used on your cheeks to add some color," says De Santino. "I just wouldn't make it a daily routine, though, because it can clog your pores." Personally, I've also had success swiping my finger on my lipstick du jour and wiping it on my eyes, too.

Highlighter

Similar to the blush trick, highlighter's also a fun way to get an all-over glow. Seriously—don't just leave the fun for your cheekbones. My colleague and fellow beauty editor Zoe Weiner swears by using the shiny stuff on her eyelids as well for an iridescent sheen as an eyeshadow stand-in. Get creative with it!

Once you're done with your look, here's a makeup artist's intel on how to use a setting spray to seal it all in. Oh, and this is what to do if you wind up sleeping with makeup on

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