Celebrity Make-up Artists Are Going Wild For ‘Sandbagging’, But What Exactly Is It?

Get ready to sandbag your make-up!

From contouring and strobing to slathering her hair in gorilla snot (yes, really), Kim Kardashian’s beauty habits have already sparked endless trends. Now, the reality star’s most trusted make-up artist has spilled yet another of her beauty secrets; cue the sandbagging trend.

Though it sounds less than glamorous, the make-up technique has long been used by professionals to tackle the problem of runny, liquid-based products.

Lipsticks that bleed outside of your lip line? Liquid eyeliner that runs or creases? Not a problem if you’ve got a sandbag.

So what exactly is it, and how do you go about ‘sandbagging’ your own face? As Kim’s make-up artist, Mario Dedivanovic, explains, sandbagging is the simple idea of creating a barrier around your eyes or lips using heavily applied loose powder.

After perfecting your foundation and concealer, Mario advises patting a whole load of translucent powder around your lips and eyes, before applying a lipstick or eye product that has the potential to wander where it’s not wanted.

The powder will act in the same way a sandbag does during a flood, by soaking up any excess oils and moisture, and forming a barrier that the smudges can no longer cross. Once you’re done, simply dust off the excess powder with a soft brush and you’re good to go.

A key technique among the Kardashian women (we imagine they’ve tested it thoroughly), the practice helps to give your make-up extra staying power, and you won’t have to worry about hourly touch-ups.

Ready to sandbag? Follow these simple steps:

1. Apply your foundation and concealer as normal
2. Dip the edge of a beauty sponge into loose translucent powder, and apply heavily around your eyes and mouth.
3. Apply your lipstick and eye make-up as normal, letting the powder barriers soak up any smudges.
4. Simply dust off the excess powder when you’re done using a small make-up brush