How to Give Yourself a Face Lift Using Makeup

If you're looking for a more lifted appearance but don't want to go under the knife, you've got options. And while facial sculpting tools and collagen creams may yield results with prolonged use, there's a quicker, albeit temporary, solution that's taking hold of beauty enthusiasts and influencers everywhere: makeup. Lately, we've been seeing tons of videos on how to apply makeup to give your face a more lifted appearance and were curious to learn more. So we tapped two celebrity makeup artists to get their best tips on how to get a faux-face lift using none other than the right makeup products and techniques.

Keep scrolling for eight expert-approved tips for giving yourself a "face lift" using makeup.

Pay Attention to Where You Place Your Blush

Makeup artist Christen Dominique demonstrates how the right blush placement can instantly "lift" your face. The technique is referred to as blush draping, explains Sir John, a celebrity makeup artist with a client roster filled with A-list celebrities like Zendaya and Beyoncé. The idea is, instead of adding blush to the apples of your cheeks, you apply it on the high points of your face to create lift.

"Make sure that you go high on the temples of the cheek with blush," says Sir John. A little bit of product on the tops of the cheeks, and even on the temples will help create that sculpted look without contour.

Blend Your Contour Upward

If you choose to contour your face, Jamie Dorman, a celebrity makeup artist, says to make sure to blend upward after placing color, which will create a lifted appearance. We recommend a cream contour, like Makeup by Mario Soft Sculpting Stick ($30), which will be easier to work with and blend as needed.

Skip Heavy Concealer Application

Gone are the days of applying concealer in a large triangle under the eye if your goals are to lift. Instead, apply concealer on the inner and outer corner of the eye going upwards to highlight and — you guessed it — to lift. Not only does it give beautiful results, but it also requires less product and can be used for natural no-makeup makeup or ultra-glam looks.

Don't Contour Your Forehead Too Much

Another contouring trick that will offer a youthful radiance is to go easy on the contour. "Try not to contour your forehead too much," says Sir John. "That closes the face and minimizes what the eye can see."

Try a Lifting Eyeliner Technique

Not only can you lift the appearance of your face, but you can also do so with the eyes. One trick Sir John recommends? The lifting eyeliner technique. "Start in the tear ducts and give yourself a beautiful saturated line with a pencil or gel along the upper lash line," he says. "Once you get to the pupil of your eye, instead of going down, go slightly up, so it gives a lifting effect. Lifting liners can elongate the eyes and make them appear brighter, wider, and bigger."

For a visual on this technique and others like it, check out Sir John's "The Art of Makeup" series available on Assemble, a digital platform where Black and brown innovators share lessons from their careers. The episode "All About the Eyes" is great for learning more eye makeup application tips.

Place Mascara on Center Lashes

Concentrate most of your mascara on the center of the eyes and less on the outer parts, says Sir John. "That will induce that 'Bambi' effect that we love to see," he adds. One of our favorite mascaras that offers lift and volume is the Ilia Beauty Fullest Volumizing Mascara ($28).

Try a Lateral Brow

When it comes to the brows, opt for a softer, subtle arch (think: Audrey Hepburn brows). Sir John says brows that are more of a lateral shape elongate the face and emphasize the bone structure and eyes. "The goal with the lifted look is to make sure that you see a radiant complexion with open and fresh eyes that are aware and awake," he says.

Dorman also recommends highlighting directly underneath the high point of the brow instead of underneath the entire brow bone. "Use a precision brush for this, such as Westmore Beauty Dual Side Brow Brush ($19) with a cream highlighter," she says. Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter Wand ($42) is a cream highlighter that never disappoints.

Don't Focus on the Bottom Lash Line

Finally, Sir John recommends keeping the makeup on the bottom lash line minimal. Again, less is more. To make the eyes pop, he says to try a beige liner on the bottom lash line. Avoid white eyeliner as it can be too stark of a difference.

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