"Back-Combing" Lashes and Other Tips From Jennifer Lopez's Makeup Artist Scott Barnes

You know how Jennifer Lopez seems to be aging backward and always looks like she's just paid a visit to the fountain of youth (which we now know is actually olive oil)? Yep — that's the work of makeup genius Scott Barnes — AKA J Lo's go-to makeup artist.

If you can think of an iconic J Lo beauty look, there's a good chance that Barnes is behind it. The singer's 2020 Super Bowl halftime performance? That was Barnes. J Lo's purple Oscars eyeshadow moment? Barnes was responsible for that one, too. Her Golden Globes glam? You guessed it — Barnes. Because of his impressive track record, there's no one we trust more with our beauty questions than him.

We've outlined J Lo's makeup artist's best beauty tips, so we can try to absorb his genius. Learn from the master, ahead.

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Makeup Tip: Apply Foundation Before Eyeshadow
Getty | Kevin Mazur

Makeup Tip: Apply Foundation Before Eyeshadow

In a launch event for Barnes' makeup line, he told POPSUGAR that when it comes to the order in which he applies products he likes to do foundation first and then apply eyeshadow.

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Makeup Tip: Back-Comb Eyelashes When Applying Mascara
Getty | George Pimentel

Makeup Tip: Back-Comb Eyelashes When Applying Mascara

Barnes told us that he uses a special technique to apply mascara to make eyelashes look like falsies. "I back-comb the lashes with mascara," said Barnes. "I don't know if anybody's tried to do this before, but instead of just going up and only coating the bottom [of your lashes], I kind of go in and pull the lash down. It makes the lashes look like they're faux."

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Makeup Tip: Use Light Eyeshadow to Brighten the Inner Corners of Your Eyes
Getty | James Devaney

Makeup Tip: Use Light Eyeshadow to Brighten the Inner Corners of Your Eyes

To brighten up your eyes and make you appear more awake, add a touch of shadow to the inner corners. "You can go on the inner corner and just kind of give it some light, which brightens up the inside and open your eyes," Barnes said.

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Makeup Tip: Use Black Eyeshadow as a Liner
Getty | Steve Granitz

Makeup Tip: Use Black Eyeshadow as a Liner

For a dramatic, smudged eyeliner look, opt for black eyeshadow instead of a pencil. "You can really work this black along the lash line, just to punctuate. It's almost like using a pencil and then smudging it," said Barnes. It stays in place better and blends easier than eyeliner.

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Makeup Tip: Apply Eyeshadow Above the Crease For Hooded Eyes
Getty | Frazer Harrison

Makeup Tip: Apply Eyeshadow Above the Crease For Hooded Eyes

If you have hooded eyes, Barnes shared a trick for applying eyeshadow to this eye shape: blend eyeshadow slightly above where your eyelid naturally creases. "All of a sudden your whole eye will open up — then you don't do too much at your lash line because then it'll close your eye," said Barnes. "Dark takes away from, light adds to. So if you have a little bit of the hooded lid, you want to take the light off of it."

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Makeup Tip: Use Makeup For More Than Their Intended Purpose
Getty | Jeff Kravitz

Makeup Tip: Use Makeup For More Than Their Intended Purpose

In a video with Tati Westbrook, Barnes revealed that he loves to use makeup products for multiple purposes. "[They make you think that] you need an eye primer, and then you need the eye shadow, and then concealer. . . . You're walking away with all these things when you could just get two things and do a whole face with it," he said.

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Makeup Tip: Use Cream Products For a Natural Look
Getty | Theo Wargo

Makeup Tip: Use Cream Products For a Natural Look

Barnes mentioned in a video with Westbrook that he prefers the finish of cream products to powder ones. "I love cream. I think cream works primarily better than powder . . . it looks like it's coming from inside the skin."

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Makeup Tip: Apply Powder With a Small Tapered Brush
Getty | Emma McIntyre

Makeup Tip: Apply Powder With a Small Tapered Brush

Barnes recommends in the video with Westbrook that you apply powder with a small tapered brush, rather than a large fluffy one, for strategically setting your makeup.

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Makeup Tip: Blend Your Makeup Into Your Neck
Getty | Kevin Mazur

Makeup Tip: Blend Your Makeup Into Your Neck

Barnes cautions that you should always bring your makeup down your neck, chest, and hands to ensure your bronzed glow matches the rest of your body.

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Makeup Tip: Use Concealer to Shape Your Face
Getty | Jason LaVeris

Makeup Tip: Use Concealer to Shape Your Face

Barnes suggested that Westbrook take her concealer down into her smile lines to highlight them and bring forward those indentations. It will help your makeup appear smoother.

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Makeup Tip: Prep With a Rich Moisturizer
Getty | Michael Tran

Makeup Tip: Prep With a Rich Moisturizer

In a segment with FOX 11 Los Angeles, Barnes told viewers that mixing a small amount of a rich moisturizer into your foundation will help you glow.

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Makeup Tip: Overline Your Lips
Getty | Jon Kopaloff

Makeup Tip: Overline Your Lips

One of Barnes's most used tricks is using a lip pencil to draw outside your natural lip line, giving a more voluminous appearance. In his segment with Fox 11, he told viewers to ensure you blend the liner in with the rest of their lip color.

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Makeup Tip: Use Slightly Shimmery Powders Over Contour
Getty | Frazer Harrison

Makeup Tip: Use Slightly Shimmery Powders Over Contour

Barnes uses powders with slightly shimmery finishes to blend out his contour, moving in an upward motion. It makes the lines disappear into the skin.

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Makeup Tip: Bend Your False Lashes Before Applying Them
Getty | Dia Dipasupil

Makeup Tip: Bend Your False Lashes Before Applying Them

Barnes's method for applying false eyelashes lets him apply them super fast. First, he turns the lash band inside out to stretch it and then applies the glue. Then he places the lash on the lid, finds the inner and outer corner, and presses that down and taps the center.

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Makeup Tip: Use Sunscreen to Make Your Body Glow
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Makeup Tip: Use Sunscreen to Make Your Body Glow

One of the most surprising tricks that Barnes revealed in his first video with Westbrook was using sunscreen to give a sheen to the skin. Using a spray formula, like the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Lightweight Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 ($7), on your chest and shoulders will give you a full-body glow.

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