Model Shares the Insider Beauty Hacks You May Have Never Heard Of

Models have a knack for making their picture-perfect appearance look completely effortless, but one model has revealed that things aren't always as natural and flawless as they may seem.

Fashion model and digital entrepreneur Marygrace Tropeano attributes her flair for everything fashion, skincare and style to a series of "hacks" that she picked up throughout her lengthy modeling career.

The 21-year-old recently took to TikTok, where she has over 1.2 million followers, to share her insider tips and tricks with the masses.

In a spunky video that plays against upbeat music, Tropeano whizzed through a number of hacks, detailing everything from how using a credit card to apply mascara can prevent under-eye smudges to the benefits of silk pillowcases in warding off breakouts.

Other nuggets of industry intel ranged from how lifting tape gets applied to models' faces in photoshoots for subtle enhancements on camera, to how clear nail polish can prevent jewelry from tarnishing or irritating sensitive skin.

More hacks included using a dryer sheet to reduce hair static, swapping commercial cleansing balms for olive oil—which Tropeano claims can remove makeup while nourishing the skin—and drinking two cups of green tea on the day before important shoots for clear and radiant skin.

To round off the viral clip, Tropeano added that setting spray makes for an excellent step-in makeup base primer.

"Being a model is a passion that grew up with me since I was five. I never thought that I would have pursued it as a career and created content alongside of it on social media," Tropeano told Newsweek.

"I truly love doing what I do, hence why I am always excited to get on set which is where I always learn something new. In the past, I'd modeled under the rain, or been on set and wore heels for more than 12 hours at a time. It's fair to say that I've learned a few tricks over the years!"

"I thought that it would have been fun and useful to share these tips with my audience. Hopefully I can continue to share the behind-the-scenes side of my career on social media and of course, more insider tips and tricks," she added.

What Do the Comments Say?

Indeed, her hacks have certainly pleased her followers. Tropeano's TikTok post, which had been introduced as "life hacks learnt after becoming a model," has been viewed more than 1.7 million times since it was first shared to the platform on January 18. The majority of her tips have been received well by her digital community.

"I have been using olive oil to remove my makeup for years and people would make fun of me," one user wrote.

Another user added: "Setting spray as primer is genius."

"Setting spray as primer is the best tip ever," shared a third TikToker.

As an experienced model, Tropeano knows her stuff. She has appeared on catwalks for Dolce & Gabbana, worked with H&M and Aéropostale, been photographed for glossy publications like Harper's Bazaar and is a regular fixture at European fashion weeks. However, some TikTok users aren't totally convinced by Tropeano's tips. Her faux olive oil cleanser hack has received particular backlash.

"People, don't use olive oil as a cleanser it will break you out," one user commented.

A different TikToker shared: "Please don't use olive oil, it will clog your pores."

Looking back at her career trajectory, Tropeano told Newsweek: "I really thought I was going to work at someone's company at some point. I am really glad to be able to wear amazing designs, be part of campaigns, meet new people and share everything with my followers. I am extremely grateful to be able to call my job a hobby."

Tropeano began modeling in her native Italy at the age of 5, after encouragement from her parents. She's now based in London, where she's signed with a number of high-profile modeling agencies ranging from BAME Models in the U.K to Les Fleurs Management in New York.

The model now hosts a podcast and runs a social media agency, which she'd recently founded after studying marketing at university. She continues to focus her attention on growing her social media presence, which now spans YouTube where she has over 500,000 subscribers and Instagram where she boasts another 229,000.

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