We have all spent twenty minutes in front of a mirror trying to recreate a viral beauty look, only to end up looking like a completely different person—and not in a good way. You watch your favourite Nigerian beauty creators glide through a full-face application or whip up a sleek natural hairstyle in under ten minutes, making it look so simple. Meanwhile, your foundation is separating, your false lashes are sticking to your fingers instead of your eyelids, and your ponytail tie just snapped in half.
The secret isn’t that they have special genes; they just have a vault of clever, battle-tested tricks that streamline chaotic beauty routines into clean, stress-free results. Through BellaNaija Beauty’s popular #5ForHer series, we sat down with six top Nigerian makeup artists and beauty creators to get the inside scoop on the game-changing hacks they actually rely on daily.
If you are ready to stop fighting your products and start achieving a polished look, here are six creator-approved beauty secrets you need to copy immediately:
Bibyonce’s Layering Makeup Trick
Photo Credit: @bebeomagbemi / Instagram. Apply cream products in thin layers for flawless skin finish
“Apply cream products in thin layers and build gradually. Whether it’s foundation, blush, or bronzer, less is more. The most beautiful makeup looks like skin, not makeup.”
Marycolette’s Trust In Braids
Photo Credit: @marycolette_/ Instagram. You can never go wrong with braids, especially when they’re blonde
“When in doubt, get braids. They’re my ultimate beauty hack because they’re low-maintenance, versatile, and instantly makes me feel more put together without doing too much!”
Sophie Nwachukwu, a.k.a. Highlights By Sophie’s Skin Prep Secret
Photo Credit: @sophiepaulberry/ Instagram. For a flawless soft glam like this, a well-hydrated skin is a must
“A beauty hack that has never failed me as a makeup artist is proper skin prep. Hydrated, well-prepped skin makes every makeup look smoother, longer-lasting, and more flawless because, the makeup is only as good as the canvas underneath it”
Onaopepo Babarinsa’s False Eyelash & Glue Hack
Photo Credit: @onaopepo_a/ Instagram. Apply lash glue to your eye-line directly so your false lashes stick on easier
“I used to REALLYYYY struggle with applying false lashes until I started applying the lash glue to my lash line directly. I actually have a video on this that went viral, it’s my favorite hack ever.”
Tobi Adebiyi’s Hydration Tip For Smoother Makeup Application
Photo Credit: @tobiadebiyii/ Instagram. A well moisturized and hydrated skin makes your makeup application smoother
“Hydration before makeup. As someone with dry skin, I’ve learned that beautiful makeup starts long before foundation. Well-hydrated skin makes makeup apply smoother, last longer, and look more radiant throughout the day.”
Oyinn Abdul’s Natural Hair Styling Tip
Photo Credit: @oyinnabdul/ Instagram. Use bobby pins and a piece of attachment to secure your bun or ponytail
“One of my favourite hair hacks is using an old, stretched-out hair tie to pack my hair quickly. I usually cut the hair tie and attach bobby pins to the ends, which makes it so much easier to secure my hair in different ways. I use it to pack my natural hair, create a base for a ponytail and even style my braids in different ways. It takes seconds, and it’s one of those little tricks that has genuinely never failed me”.
