20 Common Beauty Mistakes (you might be making)

common-beauty-mistakes

Some of these I’ve shared before, but thought I’d compile a nice, simple list.  These are all mistakes I’ve made in the past and  have stopped doing because I’ve learned better (and seen the results of not making them!)  Sure, I occasionally make one or two of these here and there, but in general these are 20 simple mistakes that can really improve your beauty regiment!

1. Neglecting the tops of your lashes when applying mascara.

Reason: Mascara, in general, tints your lashes darker. And, every time you blink, the tops of your lashes show. So by making sure you coat the tops and bottoms of your lashes, you’ll insure and all over even look.

2. Not pat-drying after washing.

Reason: After washing your face, you should gently pat your face dry. The typical rubbing and wiping associated with drying your skin is too rough on the skin and that excess tugging and cause premature aging.

3. Pumping the mascara wand to get more product.

Reason: We’ve all pumped our mascara wand into the tube to try to get more product out, but this actually just pushes more air into the tube, drying the product out more quickly. Instead, try shaking the tube (or hitting it against your palm) and when the wand is dry, you’re probably out of product and it’s time for a new tube.

4. Applying lip liner just to the edges.

Reason: That doesn’t look natural! Instead, fill in your entire lip with the liner, or line the edged and then softly fade it into your lip.

5. Neglecting your neck when moisturizing.

Reason: The skin on your neck should be treated with the same love and care as the skin on your face because it’s equally as delicate and prone to aging.

6. Not setting your concealer.

Reason: Without being properly set, concealer will crease, settle into fine lines, and transfer your liners and mascaras. I suggest a softly applying a translucent finishing powder  on a fluffy crease brush, such as Tarte Smooth Operator Finishing Powder.

7. Applying makeup in unnatural lighting.

Reason: You can’t see what it’s actually going to look like, you could walk outside with too much blush or unblended foundation. The best lighting for applying makeup is natural lighting. If that’s not available, find the best brightly lit alternative, and make sure your face is lit equally all around (not just on one side of the face.)

8. Skipping primer.

Reason: Different kinds of primers can fix a lot of different foundation woes. It can help to moisturize, fill in fine lines, prevent foundation from oxidizing, and help the foundation stay put all day.  Pinpoint what you most need, and find a primer that will offer that.

9 Applying too much powder.

Reason: You’ll look chalky. Powder doesn’t have to go ALL OVER the face. Instead, focus on the areas that need oil control and setting (such as under the eyes, forehead, and chin) and leave other areas (such as cheeks, bridge of nose, and temples) powder-free.

10. Not matching your eyeliner to your eye shape.

Reason: Liner can change the way your eye shape looks and using the wrong liner shape can give you a droopy looking eye. In this video about getting the perfect winged liner, I explain that in more detail.

11. Not cleaning your makeup brushes/sponges.

Reason: Brushes and sponges get a build-up of not just makeup, but also your face’s oils, germs, dirt, and bacteria (I know, gross, right?)  This can cause breakouts, make your skin appear duller, spread bacteria, cause a skin infections, and more. Brushes, ideally, should be washed at least bi-weekly, and sponges should be washed after every use.

12. Applying concealer incorrectly.

Reason: Incorrectly applied concealer doesn’t really give the effect you want. Make sure to apply in an upside-down v shape, this brings more brightness to the face and helps eliminate the “bags under the eye” look.  This post from Maskcara gives a great demonstration of what I mean.

13. Lining the entire eye with black liner.

Reason: It looks too harsh. Unless you’re wearing a smoky eye, black liner all around the eye looks too harsh and ends up making you look tired.

14. Sleeping with your makeup on.

Reason: Just, no. I know at the end of a long night it’s tempting but it will clog your pores, cause pre-mature aging, and dry out the skin. And if you need more reasons, watch this video. I keep a little bag of makeup removing wipes by my bed for those “I’m too tired to get up and wash my face” moments.

15. Using a regular brush on wet hair.

Reason: Wet hair is more prone to breaking. This means you need to be more gentle with it. Instead use a wide-tooth comb or a brush designed for wet hair that is softer on the delicate strands.

16. Wearing a lipstick that doesn’t suit your skin tone.

Reason: Well, because it doesn’t suit your skin tone… I have an entire post all about picking the right lipstick for your skin tone to help you out with this problem.

17. Not blending foundation to the jaw line.

Reason: Because every time someone views you from the side they see a harsh foundation line. Don’t forget to blend your foundation back to your hairline and down below the jaw line for a natural look.

18. Putting dry shampoo on the top of your hair.

Reason: You should be flipping your head upside down and applying dry shampoo to your roots this way. This prevents it from being right on the top of your head, weighing your hair down and giving it a possible white cast.

19. Not exfoliating.

Reason: Skipping exfoliation means you’re not removing dead skin cells and not encouraging the renewal and growth of new ones. This results in dull-looking skin. Not to mention, putting makeup on top of un-exfoliated skin results in caky looking foundation.

20. Curling your lashes with mascara on.

Reason: You love your lashes and don’t want to submit them to that kind of torture! Mascara hardens the lashes and makes them brittle. Curling with mascara on could cause breaking of the lash hairs. Always curl first, then apply mascara.

What are some mistakes you used to (or still) make in your beauty regiment?

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I'm Kallie!

Also known as That Practical Mom

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