Even the most beauty-savvy among us can fall into bad makeup habits that unintentionally age us or create an unflattering finish. A professional makeup artist has revealed the most common blunders – and how to correct them for a flawless look.
1. Overdoing the Foundation
Many women apply foundation like a mask, covering every inch of their face. This creates an unnatural, cakey appearance. Instead, focus on areas that need coverage and blend outwards for a seamless finish.
2. Ignoring Your Skin's Undertones
Wearing foundation or concealer with the wrong undertone (cool, warm or neutral) makes skin look grey or washed out. Test shades on your jawline in natural light to find your perfect match.
3. Harsh Eyebrow Shapes
Over-plucked or sharply drawn brows can look dated. For a modern look, follow your natural brow shape and use feathery strokes with a pencil or powder to fill sparse areas.
4. Mismatched Lip Liner
Dark lip liner with light lipstick creates an obvious 'ring' effect. Choose a liner that matches either your natural lip colour or your lipstick shade for a blended look.
5. Over-Baking Your Face
While the 'baking' technique (leaving powder on for minutes before dusting off) works for stage, it can look heavy in daylight. For everyday wear, lightly set makeup with a translucent powder instead.
6. Sleeping in Your Makeup
This cardinal sin of beauty leads to clogged pores, breakouts and premature ageing. No matter how tired you are, always remove makeup before bed.
Pro Tip:
Invest in quality brushes and clean them weekly. Dirty brushes don't blend properly and can harbour bacteria that causes breakouts.
