There was a point last year when I was stuck in the most frustrating beauty rut. I would put on makeup, step back to look in the mirror, and just kind of feel like something was missing. Turns out, that something was perspective! When I started using makeup products differently than intended, it was like finding the missing piece of a puzzle. There was so much more room for creativity!

What you’ll need:

• Eyeliner
• An angled brush (I like this one by e.l.f.)
• Mascara
• Lipstick (I’m partial to the MegaLast line by Wet N Wild.)
• Lipgloss
• Blush (NYX makes some of my favorites.)

How to…

Use eyeliner and mascara on brows:

It can be difficult to find brow products in unique colors, but you know what’s at almost every drugstore? Colored eyeliner and mascara! With eyeliner, I made tiny strokes to sketch out my brows. Eyeliner is meant to stick to skin more than an eyebrow pencil might, so focus your strokes from the center of your brows to the outer ends. Use light strokes to avoid a too-harsh look. To sharpen up the shape, I put some mascara on an angled brush and applied it to the brows’ outer ends. It made them look super pointy. If your brows aren’t picking up enough color, brush the mascara through a couple times until you get the saturation you’re after.

Use lipstick as blush:

Lipstick works great as blush because it’s really bendable. There’s also a lot more color payoff than with a traditional blush. The way I’ve been applying blush lately is by making lipstick lines under my eyes. I blend them down toward the apples of my cheeks, then up and out toward my hairline.

Use lipgloss as eye shadow:

Glossy lids are an easy way to add glamour to your look. I pop some lipgloss on my bare eyes when I want to bring different textures to my face. When applying lipgloss or any lip products to your eyes, use a clear kind to minimize the chance of any irritation from dyes. Put clear gloss on the back of your hand, then apply it above your lash lines using a clean finger.

Use blush as lip color:

In total honesty, I cheated a tiny bit here and put lip balm on before I patted blush onto my lips—but I promise my lips will thank me later! The blush I used was a powder kind, and I would’ve ended up with a serious case of lizard lips. After your lips have been adequately moisturized, pat blush at the center and blend outward with your finger. Repeat until you’re satisfied with the color.

Look at you! A real makeup MacGyver! ♦