12 Common Make-Up Mistakes
1/ Not making sure your primer and foundation work together – Oil and water don't mix. Both foundation and primer should be either oil/silicone or water-based so your foundation doesn't end up patchy.
2/ Sucking in your face when you contour – When you suck in your cheeks, your skin moves up and you end up putting the contour in the wrong area. Instead, look straight ahead in the mirror and imagine a line going from the tops of your ears to the corners of your mouth for perfect placement every time.
3/ Contouring too much – Always start from the ear and stop at mid-cheek under the cheekbone to create a natural contour. Blend towards your upper hairline to draw the eyes up.
4/ Lining the entire rim of your lash line – When lining the bottom and top lash line, only line the outer two thirds. Enclosing the entire rim makes your eyes look smaller.
5/ Pumping your mascara tube – We often think that pumping the tube allows us to get more product but it actually defeats the purpose. Pumping pushes air and bacteria into the mascara causing it to dry out, clump and flake. Instead, move the brush in circular motions as you take it out from the tube.
6/ Smiling when you apply blusher — This makes it sit too low on your face. Always apply blusher to a rested face.
7/ Powdering your whole face – Apply finishing powder on the T-zone only, or where oil tends to develop throughout the day. Powdering your entire face —including dry patches — can cause your makeup to look cakey. Opt for a translucent loose powder, which is lighter and more absorbent than its pressed counterpart.
8/ Only lining the edge of your lips – In addition to lining the rim you should also fill in the entire lip to ensure your lipstick stays put all day.
9/ Putting highlighter on the tip of your nose – This attracts all the attention to its widest part. Instead, only highlight the bridge.
10/ Using the wrong eyeliner – Liquid liner should only be used for the top lids. If you want to line the bottom, a pencil works much better. But don't forget to smudge it a little.
11/ Overusing mascara on lower lashes – Using a little mascara on lower lashes can give your gaze extra expressiveness. But too much will shift everyone's attention to the wrinkles around your eyes. No matter how small those wrinkles are, thick mascara will make them stand out.
12/ Going too dark on your brows – Filling in eyebrows too heavily is one of the biggest makeup blunders of all. Blondes should try light taupe or a pencil one or two shades darker than their natural hair. Brunettes should choose a product one to two shades lighter than their hair. Redheads should try taupe and medium brown – not red. Grey-haired gals should go for light brown or taupe and those with black hair should go with dark brown.