I recently got to take a makeup class with Erica Taylor, and let me tell you… I left with a notebook full of “wait, I’ve been doing that wrong?” moments. If you don’t know Erica, she’s a makeup artist with over 30 years in the business, millions of followers, and a real gift for teaching everyday women how to make their makeup look fresher instead of older.
The best part? She sent us home with a copy of her book, The Magic of Makeup: Your Handbook for a Youthful, Radiant Look. It’s now living on my bedroom side table, and I keep flipping back to it.
Here are 10 of my favorite takeaways from the class. Consider this your little cheat sheet! If you want the full deep dive, her book is where all the magic lives.
1. Prep your skin first, always
This was the big one for me. Erica is all about prepping your skin before you even think about foundation. A well-moisturized, hydrated base means your makeup glides on smooth instead of settling into fine lines. If your skin is dry, your makeup will look dry too. Take the extra two minutes and it changes everything.
2. Switch to a hydrating foundation
If you’re still reaching for a heavy, matte foundation, this might be your sign to rethink it. As we get older, super-matte formulas can look flat and dry and actually emphasize texture. A more hydrating, glowy foundation gives that lit-from-within look that reads as youthful. Dewy over dusty, always.
3. Go easy on the powder
I am guilty of over-powdering, and Erica gently called all of us out on this one. Too much powder can age you fast. The trick is to only powder where you really need it, like in the T-zone. Leave the rest of your face with a little natural glow. You don’t need to mattify your whole face into oblivion.
4. Reach for cream products
Cream blushes and bronzers melt right into the skin and give you that fresh, your-skin-but-better finish. Powder versions can sit on top of fine lines and look a little chalky on mature skin. Swapping to creams is one of the easiest upgrades you can make, and it takes ten seconds to blend with your fingers.
5. Use a lip liner for fuller lips
Erica is a big believer in lip liner, not just for color. Where you place that liner makes a huge difference in how full your lips look. A little strategic lining can give you a plumper pout without any needles. (She breaks down exactly where to place it in her book, and it’s worth the read.)
6. Place blush and bronzer to lift your face
This was the “fastest facelift ever” portion of the class, and it kind of blew my mind. Where you put your blush and bronzer can actually lift the whole face. Placing blush a little higher on the cheek and being intentional with your bronzer instantly makes you look more awake and lifted. Erica has a whole signature method for this, and it’s one of the things she’s famous for.
7. Be gentle with under-eye concealer
More concealer is not more. Piling it on under the eyes is what makes it crease and settle into lines, which does the opposite of what we want. Erica’s approach is all about brightening with a light hand and smart placement. She’s known for a specific “triangle” technique under the eyes that lifts and brightens. Definitely grab her book for that exact how-to.
8. Work WITH your hooded eyes, not against them
If you have hooded or droopy lids like so many of us do as we age, this tip is gold. Apply your eyeshadow and liner with your eyes open so you can actually see where the color lands when you’re looking straight ahead. Erica has a clever method, just for hooded lids, that keeps your eye looking open and lifted rather than hidden.
9. Curl your lashes and hit the roots
Such a simple thing, but it makes a real difference. Curling your lashes instantly opens up your eyes and makes you look more awake. Get your mascara right down at the roots for that lifted, wide-eyed effect. It’s one of the quickest age-defying tricks in the book, literally.
10. Don’t forget your brows
Your brows frame your whole face. Softly filling them in and keeping them groomed gives you an instant lift and pulls your look together. The key is a light touch! You want them to look like your brows, just a little more there. Overdone brows can throw the whole face off.
The biggest lesson of all? Erica’s whole message is that looking radiant isn’t just for the young. Feeling beautiful and confident is for every single age, and a few small tweaks can make a real difference in how you feel when you look in the mirror.
If these tips spoke to you, I can’t recommend her book enough. The Magic of Makeup: Your Handbook for a Youthful, Radiant Look is full of her techniques, before-and-afters, and that fun, no-nonsense voice that made the class so good. Mine’s already getting dog-eared.