10 uh-oh no-no's!!

We've all made these mistakes at some point BUT this topic wouldn’t be especially useful without learning how to avoid these major makeup mistakes again! Here’s a rundown of the mistakes and how to overcome them.

Disney Rainbow face

• If you want to wear bright makeup then go for it,  BUT pick 1 feature- eyes, cheeks, OR lips- not all of the above.
• If you love blue eyeshadow, then wear it in moderation- you can apply on the outer part of the eye or smudge along the lashline, but not all over the eyes.  If you must wear the blue eyeshadow all over the lids, then put a neutral color in the crease to tone it down.
• Choosing a dark blue vs a bright blue also works- it isn’t as overpowering but still has that blue color you are aiming for!  

Overbronzer

• Rule #1:  For all that is holy, DON’T APPLY BRONZER ALL OVER YOUR FACE.   Just because you want to look tan, doesn’t mean bronzer all over will make you look like a golden goddess….
• Apply a darker bronzer just under the cheek bones and a bit on the forehead, or if it’s a lighter colored bronzer, you can apply on top of the cheekbones and down the nose.
• Make sure your bronzer is just 2 shades darker than your skin- any darker than that, and it starts looking orange and fake.  My favorite bronzer is NARS Laguna Bronzer

Sticky Lips

• The trick to avoiding sticky lips, is to find the correct lip gloss.  My favorite non sticky ones are MAC lipglasses and NARS lipglosses.
• Don’t apply too much lip gloss.  If it starts dripping down your lips, you know it’s time to back away from the lip gloss tube….

Lipstick Teeth

• After you apply your lipstick, stick a finger in your mouth, close your lips around it and pull your finger out.  It will take off the lipstick on the inner part of the lips that rubs off on your teeth.

Clown Blush

• Apply blush a little bit at a time- you can always add more, but it’s very hard to take away.
• Choose a blush that is 1-2 shades darker/brighter than your skin.  So, if you have medium color skin, go for a medium pink or a medium coral color- if it’s a bright pink, you’ll have the clown look. If it’s a pale pink, it won’t show up much.  

Cakey Face

• This comes down to one thing:  DON’T APPLY TOO MUCH POWDER.  Powder is a wonderful product- it gives a matte look to the face and makes your foundation last longer, but it can also be your worst nightmare since it’s easy to apply too much and get a “cakey” looking complexion.  Apply powder only where you feel you need it- generally on the T zone (nose, chin, and middle of forehead).  If your skin is dry, you may not need powder at all.
• To apply a thin layer of powder, I prefer using flat powder puffs instead of brushes as you can control how much powder you pick up. Pat the powder on instead of swiping, and it will apply a thin layer without messing up your foundation underneath.

Spider Lashes

• Throw away your mascara that is more than 3 months old.  If it’s older than that, it can grow bacteria and start to get clumpy.
• If you want to apply 2 coats of mascara, do it quickly as once it dries, it’s easy for it to clump on your lashes.
• When you pull the mascara wand out of the tube, scrape the excess off the end of the tube so you don’t apply too much mascara at once.
• Finally if you still have clogged lashes brush them through with an old tooth brush.

Overdrawn Eyebrows

• If your eyebrows are very light or super thin, you can still fill in with an eyebrow pencil, BUT use sparingly and apply in short strokes just where the “bald” spots are.  For the rest of your brows, use a matte eyeshadow or brow powder with a small angled brush- it looks less harsh and more natural.  
• If your hair color is light, you want your brows to be 2 shades darker than your hair color.  If your hair is dark, your brows should be 1-2 shades lighter.

Pasty Face

• This usually is the result of too light a foundation… It can be very hard to notice until you walk outside in natural light or see pictures of yourself and see the clear difference in color between your face and your body colour Do your best to do your makeup in natural light or a well-lit room so you can see exactly if your foundation matches your body.
• Mix your foundations.  I keep at least 2 colors on hand to mix on those days that I may have gotten a slight tan- I keep one in my lightest skin color (what my skin looks like in the winter months), and one 2-3 shades darker than that.  I can then custom mix and get the perfect color by adding more dark or lighter foundation.

Over-tweezing (or ignoring) your eyebrows.

• The brows are such a central and important feature on your face. When they’re well groomed they can enhance your eyes and your entire look.
• If yours are out of control, it’s worth the time and money to let a professional take tweezers to them. Get a referral from a friend in order to find someone you know will do a good job. The worst thing you—or a pro—can do is to take off too many brow hairs.
• As we get older, the brows naturally become more sparse, so if you tweeze your brows too thin, they might never fully grow back. If you follow your brows’ natural arch—but clean up the areas over, under and between brows—you’ll find the best shape. Visit a pro for a tune-up every few months and you should be able to keep them groomed on your own in between.

And one more thing....Don't overdo the shimmer! You can go from dewy and pretty to disco grease ball in no time if you overdo it! Keep it light, use a fan brush to blend highlight powder or cream on certain areas of your face, NOT ALL OVER! See pictures below on where to apply highlight and contour. I see so many people make this mistake of thinking because it's summer that the shimmer should be in overload...save others from the blinding glare and ease up on that! :)

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did!!