So here I am, helping you do makeup better with a list of the top 5 most common makeup mistakes — and tips on how to fix them.
Your eyelashes shouldn’t be goopy with product. I get that some girls want their eyelashes to look full, but gunked-up mascara just looks like gunked-up mascara. The purpose of mascara is to lift, volumize, and open the eye area — not draw attention to the mascara. If mascara isn’t giving you the fullness you desire, you could also try eyelash extensions or falsies. Try: Benefit’s Yes They’re Real.
2. Eyebrows — too much or not enough
Eyebrows are the frames for your eyes, so you want to put them in a nice frame. Almost everyone should be shaping their brows to some extent (unless you happen to be one of the lucky ones with perfectly colored hair and shape, but the rest of us need to do a little extra work). Your eyebrows should start at a 90-degree angle from the inside corner of your eye, and end at a 45-degree angle from the outside edge of the eye. The eyebrow arch should start from the outside of the iris when you are looking straight. Fill the brows in gradually and take a step back to check the overall balance with your face (you can always add more product later if needed). ALWAYS use a shade that is close to your eyebrow color or one shade lighter. For an even more natural look use two shades of brown. Never leave harsh lines; use Q-Tips to blend.
3. Is that eyeliner or a black eye?
Just because you choose to wear eyeliner doesn’t mean you should trace your eye
(or worse — only put it on the bottom of the eye). Dark eyeliner makes eyes look smaller and sometimes rounder (not in a good way). Putting it only on the bottom brings “heaviness” to the lower part of the eye, giving a tired look. If you choose to wear liner with a daytime look, keep it thin and very close to the lash line. You can use your finger to smudge the line for a more polished look. Always put liner on in a “winged” manner; never draw a line around your eye. And if you’re in your mid-thirties or older with light to medium skin tone and you don’t have dark brown eyes, don’t use black eyeliner. It’s too stark and makes the eyes look tired. Try a warm brown color or plum instead.
4. Foundation that does not match
It can definitely be tricky finding the right foundation. But you shouldn’t look like you’ve left a mask on your face. When choosing a foundation, match it to your chest and upper arms, rather than your face and neck. Make sure to match it in natural light! The fluorescents at the store can make it hard to color match. Choose a foundation with a yellow base. Only 1% of the population has a pink undertone, and yet most of the foundations sold these days are that way. Lastly, let some natural skin show through. Foundations that are too thick tend to draw attention to the fact that you are wearing a lot of makeup (but if that’s your thing ok).
5. Daytime makeup vs. nighttime makeup
Simply, don’t confuse the two. Even some of the most beautifully done makeup can look terrible in bright light. Keep your daytime look light to medium. Never go too dark on the eyes in the day — you’ll just end up with raccoon-looking eyes. The focus becomes the makeup and not your great features. Think of daytime makeup as an opportunity to show off features that are usually drowned out in the nighttime. For example, at night your eye color usually looks a little more muted/darker, whereas in the day the color really has an opportunity to stand out. So choose shadows that enhance the color of the eye rather than take away from it. Keep it light and bright, and this will open the eye area and make you look refreshed and alive. The skin is another example that can flourish in daylight. Put focus on a sun-kissed look that you usually aren’t able to see at night. Then, when nighttime rolls around, you can let a new persona emerge, with dark, smokey, sultry eyes.
