While many modern TikTok or YouTube makeup tutorials can often be confusing to follow for beginners, we found two common Gen-Z tips that can be used and replicated at any skill level. We reached out to celebrity and professional makeup artist, Natasha Moor, founder of Natasha Moor Cosmetics, who suggested practicing the following two tips you’ll often see in a Zoomer-made tutorial: using concealer as a highlighter, and blending with a makeup sponge as opposed to a brush or your fingers. Read on to learn more about these techniques, and why any makeup lover at any age can insert them into their daily routine!

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While you may have been taught to use concealer only when covering up acne or your under-eyes, many TikTokers and BeautyTok gurus can be seen using the tool as a way to hight their best features as a part of contouring. “It’s common to apply too much foundation when you’re looking to hide red spots or blemishes, but that can actually have the opposite effect,” Moor warns. Your goal, she says, is to “highlight your best features, as opposed to covering your entire face.” If you apply too much product, she notes, it can seep into fine lines and wrinkles and even look like a “mask.”

“I love using a hydrating liquid concealer as my foundation for a lighter, smoother finish,” she explains. By using a makeup sponge (we’ll get more into that later), Moor says that you can “start with a little and build your coverage, using your makeup sponge to press the concealer into your skin.” Ultimately, she advises to “keep it natural with a light feeling.”

Better coverage overall— Moor says— happens when you use a beauty blender or makeup sponge (rather than a brush or your fingers) when concealing imperfections. While this is often debated amongst online makeup enthusiasts (as many grew up and like using brushes or fingers), Moor says that a beauty blender is something Gen-Z gets right, as it can transform your overall look for the better.

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“Applying a hydrating liquid concealer with a damp beauty sponge as your foundation is the modern way to create a light, soft, even finish,” she says. She suggests avoiding “stick concealers, which can be too drying on aging skin.” To start, Moor says to “apply your liquid concealer or light foundation to your hand.” Then, “pick up the product with your sponge.” Now, “press the product gently into your skin, but don’t wipe the product onto your skin.” Voila!

Marissa is a Brooklyn-based culture journalist and staff writer at SheFinds, covering edgy celebrity style, timeless beauty trends, lifestyle and entertainment news. Her coverage of indie music, NYC fashion, underground and pop culture is featured in PAPER Magazine, Paste Magazine, The Knockturnal, Bandsintown and more. You can reach her at [email protected]