Miriam’s Tricks for Pro Makeup Application

After more than 30 years in the beauty industry, Miriam Gee has mastered the art of makeup that looks polished but never overdone.

As the matriarch of Gee Beauty, she’s the trusted source for timeless beauty advice — the kind that works in real life, not just on a photoshoot.

Over the years, Miriam has collected small techniques that make a big difference in how makeup looks and wears. These are the kinds of tips she shares with clients every day in the studio — simple adjustments that elevate your routine and make application easier.

Here are some of Miriam’s go-to makeup rules for effortless, flawless results.

1. Use a Compact Mirror for Perfect Eyeliner

One of Miriam’s favorite tricks for clean eyeliner and mascara application starts with something simple: a compact mirror.

Hold the compact slightly below your face and tilt your chin down, then look into the mirror while applying liner or mascara. This angle naturally exposes the lash line so you can tightline without getting product on the lid.

It’s a small adjustment that makes a huge difference in precision.

2. The Pencil Trick for Lifted Blush

Blush placement can completely change the shape of the face.

Miriam uses a simple guide: place a makeup pencil from the side of the nose toward the top of the ear. Apply blush just above this line and blend upward toward the temples. The result is a naturally lifted look that enhances the cheekbones and brightens the entire face.

And one of Miriam’s golden rules: blush should sit higher than you think. Keeping color higher on the cheekbones creates a fresh, modern shape that instantly elevates your makeup.

3. Beauty Oil Is the Secret to Radiant Skin

Glowing makeup always starts with glowing skin.

Miriam loves to prep the complexion with a beauty oil lightly pressed into the skin before makeup. It adds hydration and gives foundation something smooth to blend into.

For extra radiance, tap a tiny amount on top of makeup on the high points of the face — temples, cheekbones, even the neck and earlobes.

It creates that effortless, lit-from-within glow.

4. Add Cinnamon to Your Lip Scrub

For naturally fuller-looking lips, Miriam adds a pinch of cinnamon to a sugar lip scrub. Massage the mixture gently onto the lips for about a minute. The cinnamon helps stimulate circulation while the sugar exfoliates, leaving lips smoother and slightly plumped. Finish with balm or gloss for a hydrated, healthy-looking lip.

5. Sit Up Straight While Doing Your Makeup

This may be Miriam’s most unexpected beauty rule. Always sit upright when applying makeup.

When you slouch or lean too close to the mirror, you distort the natural angles of your face. Sitting straight allows you to see your features clearly and apply makeup in a way that looks balanced and lifted. Posture, it turns out, is a beauty tool.