If anyone knows how to apply makeup like a pro, it’s YouTube beauty guru Jaclyn Hill. After spending more than six years teaching subscribers everything from mastering winged liner to applying false lashes, the former freelance makeup artist is now giving fans some product essentials to pair with her brilliant tips.
“People always say, ‘Can you tell me exactly what makeup brushes I need? There’s so many out there,’” Hill, who has over 5.4 million YouTube subscribers and more than 5.7 million Instagram followers, tells PeopleStyle. So, the 28-year-old joined forces with Morphe to launch her own “basic collection of brushes that every single person needs.”
For the makeup pro, the partnership is a no-brainer. “Having good tools is so important. Going forward, I am launching my own cosmetic line, but it is not in my plan to [create] brushes. Since Morphe already makes incredible ones, I [felt] like this is the most organic thing.”
Besides using well-made tools, there are many other steps Hill says are vital when applying your makeup to ensure it looks flawless and stays in place all day. And the bona fide beauty expert is sharing her expertise below.
Start With Your Skincare
“Your makeup is only going to look as good as your skin does,” Hill says. The expert makes sure to exfoliate “three to four times a week,” always uses hydrating masks and slathers on moisturizer to prep for makeup application.
“I am very dry and I use a lot of pharmaceutical grade skincare that I get from my aesthetician, which is why I don’t talk about it very often because I know people want something they can go and buy,” she explains. “But I will say I am obsessed with the La Mer Soft Cream. I have been using it for close to two years. It’s my favorite moisturizer ever.”
Buy here
Invest in Quality Makeup Brushes
Like taking care of your skin, Hill believes selecting high quality brushes makes all the difference in your makeup application. “I have had a lot of experience trying out really cheaply made brushes. You get hair falling all over your face and they’re scratchy and you don’t get the right blend,” she says. “I would personally rather do my makeup with my fingers than use bad brushes.”
So when she teamed up with Morphe to create her brush collection, Hill knew exactly what she wanted. The complete 24-piece kit contains every face and eye brush someone would need to go full-on glam, but if basic makeup is what you usually go for, each brush can be purchased individually, too.
“I would say the Morphe JH02 Bronzer Brush is an absolute must,” Hill says, noting that her favorite bronzers to use it with are the Marc Jacobs O!Mega Bronzer and Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer.
Buy Marc Jacobs bronzer here
Buy Morphe JH02 brush here
She adds, “It doesn’t matter what look you’re doing, who you are or how old you are — everyone needs a good bronzer brush. It feels so luxurious and blends product beautifully.”
As for eyes, Hill thinks the Morphe JH30 Beast Mode Blender Brush is an essential. “If someone wants basic makeup and wants to throw on a light brown color in the crease, that is what I will tell them to use. It’s great to have on-hand,” the makeup artist says.
Then she recommends the Morphe JH05 Contour Brush, which she says makes contouring “foolproof,” even for beginners. “I’ve never seen anything identical in the industry to this one. Contouring is hard, but this blends it so soft and seamlessly. It makes it easy,” Hill says.
Buy Morphe JH30 brush here
Buy Morphe JH05 brush here
“Honestly, it is the best highlighting brush in the universe. I use it with Becca’s Champagne Pop [Hill developed the shade for the brand in 2015] on a daily basis. I love Kylie Cosmetics Loose Highlight in the shades Fiji and Santorini. They’re really blinding and gorgeous,” Hill says
Buy Becca shimmering skin perfector here
Buy Kylie cosmetics highlight here
Prep With a Primer
Even though Hill admits she used to call primers a “gimmick,” she’s changed her mind. “I thought moisturizer was more than enough, but now I am definitely 100 percent pro-primer,” she says.
Her all-time favorite? Sisley Paris’ pricey ($200) formula But to her, it’s worth every penny. “It has the perfect amount of tackiness so your makeup grabs onto it like glue. Everyone I’ve recommended it to, no matter what their skin type is, they all say it is amazing.”
Buy Sisley primer here
Choose the Correct Powder
Hill says there’s no other way to get “that flawless, airbrushed look” without powder, but stresses how important it is to select the right one to make sure your face won’t look cake-y. “If you’re using a full coverage foundation don’t use a full coverage powder,” she says. “You have to choose one or the other.”
Even with her dry skin, Hill says a lightweight translucent powder locks in her favorite Too Faced Born This Way Foundation without “suffocating” her skin.
“I’m obsessed with the CoverFX Perfect Setting Powder and the new Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder. They both don’t feel chalky on your skin or give cake face,” she says.
Buy Cover FX setting powder here
Spritz On Setting Spray
Finishing off your look with a mist makes so much of a difference, Hill can’t fathom the idea of doing her makeup without it. “I have not left the house in probably five years without using setting spray. It is that important to me,” she says.
Hill recommends applying a “generous” amount all over to “melt together” all the product. “Your skin looks so much more natural,” she says (the Morphe Continuous Setting Mist is her favorite). “It’s magical.”
Buy setting mist here
Use a Long-Wear Lipstick
If you don’t want to bother reapplying a lipstick as it fades throughout the day, Hill has the best solution for you. “The Jeffree Star Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick is one of my favorite formulas in the industry. I’m really into nude liquid lips. My favorite two from him are the shades Mannequin and I’m Nude,” she says. “It doesn’t go anywhere [all day.]”
Buy lipstick here
This article originally appeared on PEOPLE.COM
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