Bold lips, taping, contouring, strobing and baking. These things may sound strange or even unsafe, but they are all current trends sweeping the makeup world.

Bold Lips

Bold lips have been around for centuries, but they are currently in the spotlight again. From Kylie Jenner’s Lip Kit to Ariana Grande’s new Mac collection, browns, berry colors and even blues are the must-have colors to obtain the perfect pout. But we all know not everyone can pull off the bright blue lipsticks.

Some tips for successfully achieving this look include simplifying the rest of your makeup look. Try wearing a nice clean eye look and fresh face with more muted tones. Another essential tip is not over-lining the lips. There is nothing wrong with making your lips look larger, but make sure not to go overboard; you do not want to look too much like Miranda Sings. Do not be afraid to experiment with it and find the perfect shade for you.

Taping

Scotch tape is not only a necessity when wrapping gifts, but it can also be used to attain that perfect sharp line for eyeshadow and eyeliner. We all have had that problem of blending our eyeshadow too far out. Tape helps create the sharp edge that no hand is steady enough to do. When using tape, a person can create different angles at which the eye shadow extends. Normally, the tape is placed from the corner of the eye outward to just below the eyebrow. It should be around where your temple is. Once you have done your eye makeup, simply pull away the tape, to reveal a nice crisp line.

Contouring

Contouring is the new way to get the look of high cheek bones without the plastic surgery. It gives your face shape by highlighting and darkening certain areas.

Makeup artist, Beau Nelson told Teen Vogue, “Contouring is giving shape to an area of the face and enhancing facial structure through makeup. It’s not supposed to be too noticeable, just a subtle definition.”

You brighten areas with a few shades lighter than your skin tone and define and shape areas with a few shades darker. Place the lighter color in areas such as the center of your forehead, the bridge of your nose, and under your eyes and chin. Places such as your temple, cheek bone, jawline and the sides of your nose are where the dark shade is applied. Once the cream or powder used is blended out, your face will have new definition. When contouring, you must remember to blend it out; harsh and noticeable lines will take away from the magic.

Strobing

Strobing is so simple and can leave your face glowing. It is an easy way to contour, and all you need is your favorite highlighter. The focus of strobing is to apply your highlighter to places on your face where light naturally hits it. These places include cheekbones, the brow bone and the bridge of your nose. By adding some shine, your face will look fresh.

This technique is great for when you are on the go. It looks like you spent hours contouring and doing your makeup, when only it took a matter of minutes. It is also great for those days when you do not want tons of makeup on your face.

Baking

Baking is one of the newer trends that have hit the makeup industry. This technique sounds more like something you would find in the kitchen, but we promise no oven is needed. Baking your face may sound confusing, but if it is done correctly, it is simple and can leave you looking flawless.

Baking only consists of a translucent powder and a fluffy brush. The technique involves leaving powder on certain areas of your face for several minutes. Take a makeup sponge, dip it in the powder and apply it places like under the eye, the center of the forehead and the jawline. By doing this, the heat from your face sets any foundation or concealer previously applied. Put enough of this powder on the face so that you can still see it. After the allotted time, you lightly brush off any excess powder. This leaves your face smooth and soft.

A few tips to remember: do not to put on too much powder or leave it on for too long. This can dry out your face and defeat the purpose of it. Also, moisturizing, in general, but especially before this, can be key to making this technique flawless.

Understanding some of the basic makeup trends can help you achieve a simple, flawless looking face. Don’t forget to experiment and practice. One of the most important guidelines is to understand and know your face type, what works and what doesn’t.