GirlsGuideTo | 7 Common Beauty Blunders

My makeup mistakes probably started younger than most. I was often guilty of playing “beauty parlor” with my older sisters’ makeup, probably smearing lipstick all over and using the brightest eye shadow shades I could find. Now that I’m older and wiser, I’ve learned about application and the simple beauty of a more natural look; however, I still commit a beauty faux pas every now and then, and I’m sure we’re all guilty of this. Here are 7 common makeup mistakes you might be making, and how to prevent them.

Forgetting to Exfoliate
Layering foundation over dry skin makes it appear 10X worse and so much more noticeable. To prevent flaky skin, make sure you’re exfoliating at least once a week then slathering on a rich moisturizer. Smoother skin means smoother application.

Trying to Plump Your Lips
You’ve likely heard of or tried the trick of applying lip-liner just outside your lips to make them appear fuller. However, with one little mistake, this ends up looking way off. If you must, use a lip-liner in the exact same shade as your lips and after drawing the line around them, fill in the entire lip, too. This way, as the day progresses and your lipstick or gloss wears off, you won’t be left with some strange looking outline of your lips.

Overdoing the Eyes
While you might love color, you don’t need to wear more than 3 shades at once on your eyes. At most, you should apply a light shade for your brow bone, a medium shade for your lids, and a darker shade for the crease or liner. Playing with too many contrasting colors will look amateur.

Too Much Shimmer
Part of creating a sculpted look is playing up the dark and light on your face. There are so many illuminating products out there now, with shimmer and highlighting, that a girl can get a little carried away. To avoid looking like you’re a fairy on Halloween, stick with illuminating just one or two features, whether it’s your inner eyes, cheek bones, or just under the eyes.

Making Everything a Feature
Yes, that smoky eye is gorgeous, and so is the hot pink lipstick, and bright blush, but if worn together, you’ll look a bit clown-ish. Pick just one feature a day to play up, like your bright, blue eyes, or full mouth, and leave the rest of your makeup natural and neutral.

The “Tan line”
We’re not talking about the tan line you got on your last vacation, but the tan line between your jaw and neck, if your foundation is the wrong shade. Using a foundation in a shade darker than your skin tone won’t make it appear like you have a tan, that’s what bronzer is for. Only use foundation that’s a perfect match for your skin and then, with a light touch, apply bronzer in the places where sun naturally hits, for a natural looking appearance.

Forgetting About Natural Light
Most of us are probably applying our makeup in fluorescent lighting in our bedrooms or bathrooms. To really ensure how well (or badly) you’ve applied your makeup, you’ll want to check it out in natural light. Grab a handheld mirror and open the curtains of a window to let natural sunlight in. Then, you can really check if your makeup appears washed out, too heavy, or at least see it in the way others will.

Have you ever made an embarrassing beauty blunder?! Share your experience in the comments!