The 7 Biggest Makeup Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)
Whether you’re a makeup pro or a new starter, everyone makes mistakes. And as a beauty editor and makeup and skincare consultant for 17 years, I’ve seen many made with makeup (some of them my own) and I’ve given plenty of advice on how to quickly undo them.
But hey, nobody’s perfect! Accidents happen and you can’t learn new tricks if you haven’t learnt from past mistakes. (*sets up inspirational quote Instagram account*)
So here are the top 7 makeup blunders I’ve seen over the years, along with some friendly, expert advice on how to fix them. From *those* foundation lines, to not priming your eye makeup properly, keep scrolling to right your makeup wrongs.
Mistake #1: Not blending your foundation down to your neck
The key to a flawless makeup finish is to blend, blend, blend. If your makeup isn’t blended properly, it could end up looking unnatural and cakey.
Not blending your makeup properly is particularly noticeable on your jawline and neck. Most people wear the right shade of base for their natural skin tone however the skin on your neck is usually slightly lighter than your face, so you need to take your base downwards for a seamless finish.
Instead of applying your base and then stopping at your jawline, take the excess from your brush or fingers down your neck too. That way, you won’t have an obvious line on your jawline separating your face and your neck, and this will mean it is all blended in nicely together.
Image – Pixel-shot/Adobe
Mistake #2: Choosing the wrong shade of base
And speaking of base shades, choosing the wrong one is the next cardinal sin. No matter how tanned or pale you want to look, your natural tone never lies so choose a shade that’s the exact match and then you can warm it up or pale it down naturally with other products afterwards.
To find your perfect base shade, blend a line of three or four shades, that correspond to your undertone, along your jawline. Then choose the one that you can’t see anymore and has blended in seamlessly with your natural skin tone. There’s your perfect shade!
Mistake #3: Not priming your eye makeup
Now, it’s not exactly going to change the world if you don’t wear an eyeshadow primer, but it might just mess with your makeup longevity. An eyeshadow primer works in the same way as a skin primer, its main role being to keep your makeup on for longer. It also helps to intensify the colour of your eyeshadow.
Eyelids are typically greasier than the rest of the face, plus your eyes are always moving so tend to rub against the rest of your brow/eye area throughout the day. I hate to say it, but this happens more easily the older you get as gravity starts to takes hold, so it’s best to start investing in an eye primer now.
My fail-safe eye primer is Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (£15/$18) which keeps my eyeshadow and liner in place for the entire day and doesn’t feel sticky or uncomfortable.
Image – Urban Decay
Mistake #4: Applying makeup on top of un-prepped skin
Going straight in with your makeup in the morning definitely saves time before work, however, it’ll add extra time onto your day later. If you apply makeup directly onto uncleansed skin, you’re also putting it directly on top of dead skin cells meaning your base won’t sit evenly or smoothly.
It will start to rub off much earlier than it should and you will find yourself touching up your makeup more frequently throughout the day. Your skin might also look more oily than usual, and your skin won’t be able to fully gain from the skin benefits in your base.
Make sure you cleanse with water every morning if you can and hydrate with a serum and moisturiser containing SPF. Doing skin prep does make your morning routine longer, but you’ll thank yourself when your base still looks smooth hours later and doesn’t need regular touch ups.
Mistake #5: Applying only one layer of lipstick
I’m sure you’re thinking, “I can apply as much lipstick as I like thank you very much.” But my clients always ask me why their lipstick rubs off so quickly, despite buying the ‘long lasting’ formulas and making sure their lips are smooth and prepped before application.
Well, you can buy all the high-tech lipstick formulas you like but the colour won’t stay if there isn’t a base colour underneath. So, I always advise applying a coat of lipstick and then blotting it with a tissue. Then, apply another layer and you’ll find that because there’s that base colour underneath, the overall shade will stay for a lot longer, rather than rubbing off at the first sign of food or drink.
Image – Live That Glow
Mistake #6: Pumping your mascara wand in and out of the tube
Yes that old chestnut! But seriously – stop doing it! Without overthinking about why we even do it in the first place (whyyyy do we do it?), the reason it’s bad is because it pumps unnecessary air into the tube. And adding air to anything makeup-related dries it out.
So, pumping your wand in and out of the tube is not only completely and utterly pointless, it’s also shortening the life of your long saved-up-for mascara! Taking the wand out once before use is enough. Your brush should be fully loaded enough with product without the need to keep dipping it back in for more.
Mistake #7: Going too dark with your bronzer
Remember the days of ‘the more tanned the better’ circa 2008? Of course everyone loves looking tanned (*throws arms up in the air*) but there’s a tan, and then there’s a muddy, orange hue. Which is a look you could end up with if you overdo it with your bronzer.
The purpose of bronzer is just to warm up your natural skin tone, not change the colour of it completely. So, although I know it’s tempting to buy the darkest bronzer on the shelf, choose a shade that’s one or two hues darker than your natural skin tone instead. That way, you can build it up as much as you want without worrying it’s going to look unnatural.
The takeaway
Like I said, nobody’s perfect and we’ve all made at least half of these mistakes in our lifetime. But learning each of the small tweaks above will give you makeup pro status in no time.
Get Glowing!
