The most common makeup mistakes—and how to avoid them

Picking the wrong color foundation

Your foundation is supposed to blend in with your skin. Picking the wrong color will highlight the fact that you’re wearing makeup, and cheapen the overall look.

Stretching your eye for the perfect wing

Pulling on your eye can cause damage to the sensitive skin, in addition to creating a very uneven line. Instead, use tape to create the perfect wing.

Applying blush too low

Blush is meant to be placed on the apples of the cheeks and blended back on the cheekbones. However, many put it lower. This can age you, making your face look overdone and clownish.

Testing foundation on your wrist

Your wrist is not an accurate representation of your skin color. Instead, try testing your foundation on your neck or jawline. This will give you a better idea of the right coloring and tones you need to match and blend with.

Overwashing your face

Washing your face is important, as it helps to keep your skin healthy and blemish-free. However, make sure not to overwash it, as it strips your face of its natural oils and creates dry, flaky skin.

Putting on makeup in bad lighting

Putting on makeup in bad lighting can create a completely different (and often worse) look when you step out into natural light. When possible, put on makeup near windows to ensure that you can see your look clearly.

Keeping your mascara too long

None of us want to buy pricey mascara more than we have to, however, most mascara has a shelf life of about four months. Not only will it cease to function the longer you have it, it also becomes susceptible to bacteria.

Wearing waterproof mascara every day

Waterproof mascara is perfect if you’re headed to the pool or a wedding, however, it’s not for everyday use. The formula will dry out your lashes, and the extra scrubbing needed to take it off can cause more damage.

Putting bronzer all over your face

Many of us want to look tanner than we are, so we use more bronzer to add to that healthy glow. Unfortunately, using too much bronzer will just make you look orange. Only apply bronzer where the sun would naturally hit you, like on the tops of your cheeks or at your hairline.

Sleeping in your makeup

One of makeup’s greatest faux pas, leaving products on overnight can do a number on your skin. To make sure your face stays healthy and blemish-free, take off your makeup before bed.

Too much concealer

Concealer is not meant to go over your whole face, but to cover up imperfections. Make sure that you don’t go too heavy on your targeted area, and try to pick lighter products that don’t cake.

Doing your lips first

Lips may be the focus of your look, but that doesn’t mean that they should be done first. Always do your lips last, so that you don’t get powder or other makeup stuck on them in the meantime.

Using too much mascara on the bottom lashes

While you want your upper lashes to look dark and luscious, you only want to minimally highlight your bottom lashes. Only put one coat on the bottom, as thick mascara there will highlight any wrinkles you may have.

Skipping the neck

Your makeup can only look so natural if your face looks one way and your neck looks another. Make sure you blend your makeup all the way down to create a comprehensive look.

Not changing your foundation with the season

You should be matching your foundation to your skin, so it makes sense that you should have a different foundation depending on the season. Get at least a foundation for winter and summer, and you can blend the two for a tone anywhere in-between.

Letting your lipstick bleed

Blurred lipstick lines aren’t doing any favors for anyone. In order to prevent this, line your lips with concealer or lip liner to create crisp definition.

Not doing eyeliner for your eye shape

There are many gorgeous makeup tips out there for eye makeup, but you need to consider your eye shape. What works well with one shape may not work for another. You want to find the best variation for you, so do your research.

Doing too much

In any good makeup look, there should be one focal point. Have you really outdone yourself on the eyes? Then try a softer lip. Gone for a bold lipstick? Tone down the eyes. Doing too much can just make your look come across as clownish instead of sophisticated.