Five common makeup mistakes

Jan 29

There's no rigid right or wrong way to do makeup. It's supposed to be fun, a way for you to show off your best assets and express yourself in the process. So what qualifies as a "makeup mistake"? Well, you're making one if what you're wearing is unflattering and uncomfortable on your face - with or without your knowledge! It could also be a technique that you overdo.

Are you guilty of these common makeup mistakes?

1. The wrong foundation. Foundation is a tricky, tricky beast. We obsess about getting the perfect shade, as we should since this is quite a feat during the first few tries. If done incorrectly you have a useless bottle of makeup and a few hours seething in embarrasment over your too-white (or dark) face.

However, I feel that not enough people think about the correct formula for their skin and their lifestyle needs. For example, if you're a stay-at-home mom you will probably not need to wear something as heavy and matte as Revlon Colorstay for your day-to-day activities. If you're an oily office girl who commutes, an illuminating watery foundation is a bad idea because it will most likely look too shiny and faded by the end of the day.

2. Harsh eyebrows. Bold eyebrows are big this year and I admit that I like the look...for editorials. The runway. Photoshoots. Events. But outside of these situations very dark and sharp eyebrows are just too much. I noticed that makeup artists and enthusiasts have a tendency to overdo eyebrows because they pile on a lot of product. Newbies are also guilty when they become too pencil-happy and have not heard of the great marvel that is the plastic spoolie.

Dark yet still very much wearable

Soft eyebrows should be the default for an everyday look. Choose a shade that's one step lighter or is the exact color of your hair, and avoid layering if you don't really need it.

3. Overdone eyeshadows. News flash: your face is not a coloring book where you need to work inside the lines. Too colorful (as in more than four) and overly precise eyeshadow application rarely looks appealing. Well, if you're doing it on purpose then go for it and don't listen to ornery ol' me. Otherwise, you have to take a step back and really look at the way you do your eye makeup. Are there obvious demarcation lines between colors?

Looks fab in photos but is borderline ridiculous in person unless you look like a model. Photo from April Lopes

I didn't know it but I was guilty of this for a long time. I thought my makeup looked fine until I saw how experts did it! So always watch YouTube videos from the best gurus and absorb the tutorials through your pores.

4. White shimmery eyeshadow on the brow bone. Eyeshadow palettes tend to come with a highlighting colour - usually a shimmery white - to bring out the arch of the eyebrows. This is a terrible idea, on Asian skin especially! Shimmery white is too cool so a splash of it under the eyebrows is quite unflattering. Always use a beige or champagne color on the brow bone. Use the shimmery white only on the inner corner of the eyes or as a lid wash (and sparingly too).

5. Rubbing face makeup onto the skin. Do you rub face powder on your T-zone when retouching? Do you rub concealer or cream/gel blush in the process of blending them? I hope not! Instead of rubbing, pat product onto the skin in quick, feather-light motions using your fingers or preferred applicator. You will get a more even finish while maximizing the opacity of the makeup.