Make-up
mistakes
In this article I would like to focus on the most common make-up mistakes.
Believe it or not, badly chosen make-up can add ten years to you in seconds.
Mistake 1: Not using any skincare products.
Make-up will hide skin flaws but it should
never be used as a substitute for a
skincare regime. If your skin i s uneven,
dry and flaky, make-up will only bring out
the problem areas that you are trying to
hide and will be more visible.
Lots of women complain that their
foundation looks patchy and horrible,
usually blaming the product. However
it’s not the product, it’s their skin. Your
skin should be well looked after on a
daily basis.
One of the basic products you should use
in your skincare regime is a moisturiser.
Using it every day will help to slow the
formation of wrinkles and fine lines and
will keep the skin looking its very best.
Before you moisturise, remember to
cleanse and exfoliate your skin. This will
keep it clean and rid it of any dirt, makeup, sweat, excess sebum (oils naturally
produced by the skin), dead skin cells,
bacteria and pollutants that come into
contact with the skin every day.
Super important is to use sunscreen
to ensure your skin is protected from
the sun’s harmful rays. Many make-up
products actually have sun protection
factor built into their formulae.
Mistake 2: Choosing the wrong shade or
using too much foundation.
It’s the most common mistake. Don’t try
and bronze your skin using a darker shade,
leave it to bronzers. Always remember, the
right shade of foundation will disappear
seamlessly into your skin. It won’t highlight
large pores or ‘sit’ in your fine lines or
wrinkles but will lightly cover up your
imperfections and won’t be obvious. Ensure
you bring the colour down to your neck to
blend and always try before you buy. Your
face could be lighter in some areas and
darker in others, especially in summer, so
ensure you choose the right shade(s).
Use it sparingly. If you apply lots of
foundation, it will settle into fine lines
and will look ‘cakey’ and unnatural.
Apply it only where needed to cover any
discoloration - there is no need to cover
your whole face if your skin is beautiful.
Mistake 3: Over-concealing under eyes.
It seems to be the answer to erasing
under-eye circles but if used incorrectly
can actually make you look older. Too
much make-up under the eye area will
highlight wrinkles and fine lines. Prep
this delicate area with a moisturising
eye cream. Use your finger to blend it
into your skin but be gentle. Look for a
concealer with a lightweight texture and
ensure the shade is right for your skin
tone. Don’t forget to powder lightly to
prevent it creasing.
Mistake 5: Applying
too much blusher.
Mistake 6: Applying
too much bronzer.
Mistake 7: Applying
too much powder.
Too much or poorly applied blusher
is not a good look and can make
you look years older. Always keep in
mind your skin tone. Fair skin looks
best in soft apricot and pale pink
tones, olive skin with bright corals
and rose tones and dark skin with
berry or plum. Ensure the blusher
is well blended into your skin. Your
face will look ‘alive’ and you will look
years younger!
It can make your skin look orange or
‘dirty’. Bronzer should not be obvious
but make the skin appear as if it has
a healthy glow. Generally it should be
two shades darker than your natural
skin tone. With a big fluffy brush, apply
it to the areas the sun would naturally
hit: to the top of the hairline, temples,
cheekbones and down along the jawline.
With almost no product left on the brush,
dust it over the nose and neck.
Over-powdering will leave you looking
dry, heavy and cakey and it will settle
into your fine lines.
Use a light powder and apply only
where needed. Instead of re-applying
powder throughout the day use
blotting paper instead.
Mistake 8: Wearing the wrong shade of eyeshadow.
It is a common mistake to match an
eyeshadow colour to your eye colour.
You should go for the opposite of your
eye colour! It will bring out the colour of
your eyes more.
For blue eyes, the best colour
complements are; gold, bronze, copper,
Mistake 9: Applying
very thick eye liner on
the bottom lash line.
Thick lines under your eyes won’t
give you the most flattering look.
It will make your eyes appear
smaller and will drag the rest of
the face down. Create a softer
look by applying eyeliner on the
top lash line and complimenting it
with powder eye shadow along the
bottom lashes.
brown, champagne, yellow-beige,
peach, terracotta. Women with brown
eyes are very lucky as they have a
widest range of options when it comes
to eyeshadow; bronze, purple, peach,
teal, navy, green, mahogany. For green
eyes try; purple, pink, sepia, rust,
mauve. Hazel eyes contain a range of
tones, they are somewhere between
green and brown and often have flecks
of gold and grey. If you wish to pick
up green flecks try plum, lavender or
violet. If you wish your eyes to appear
browner, use yellowy-browns and greys.
Burgundy, deep purple, dusty pink are
great for hazel eyes too.
Mistake 10: Wearing the wrong lipstick colour.
The two most important factors when
picking out a lipstick are skin tone and
the size of your lips. If you have thin
lips, you should stay away from dark
colours as it will make your lips look
even thinner. If your lips are full you
should avoid bright colour as it will
make your lips look bigger.
Always try a lipstick before you buy it
and the back of your hand won’t do the
trick, you will have to apply it on your
lips. You probably are trying to avoid a
red lipstick as it makes your teeth look
yellow. The good news is that you just
bought the wrong shade. Look for a red
lipstick with a blue undertone to it, it will
make your teeth look whiter instantly.
Remember if you are not sure about
what colour to get, don’t be afraid to ask
for help. There is always someone there
at the make-up counter to help you out!
So ladies, eliminate these ten mistakes
from your beauty and make-up routine
and it could make you look younger!
By Asta Perkins
astaperkins.co.uk
@astaperkins
Mistake 4: Drawing on exaggerated eyebrows.
Photo credit: Albert Pocej
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Not everyone is born with a naturally
thick and beautiful set of brows,
however it doesn’t mean that you
should pick up the darkest brow pencil
and get carried away. Remember, our
eyebrows frame our face and play an
important role in facial appearance.
Keep them shaped and defined a nd
choose a pencil that is one or two
notches lighter than your natural brow
colour. Colour brow gels are also a
great choice.
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