13 Worst Makeup Mistakes To Avoid at All Costs

Habits and choices in our makeup routines that must better be avoided. Find out surprisingly common makeup mistakes that you should avoid at all costs.

The quest for beauty is universal. What woman doesn’t want to look beautiful all day, every day?

Of course, we are mere humans, and as such we are all guilty of committing a beauty sin or two either due to ignorance, laziness, or other reasons. It doesn’t matter if we spend hours in front of the mirror, or we only got two minutes for our makeup in the morning – we have to make it flawless.

So, we’re putting some of the worst, surprisingly common makeup mistakes that you should avoid at all costs.

Top Makeup Mistakes to Avoid

1. Wrong Foundation and Concealer Shade

Nothing ruins a good look like the wrong foundation and concealer shade. Choosing the right shade is perhaps one of the trickiest aspects of makeup, especially if you are an amateur.

The best way to go about this is to try a few shades on your jawline and not the back of your hand. Never the back of your hand. The color that disappears into your face is the best shade for you.

RELATED: How To Apply Foundation Like A Pro: Best Application Techniques

This video will be pretty helpful as well.

Also, try to test tones in natural light instead of store lighting, and if it’s all still too confusing, ask a makeup expert for guidance. It is their job after all.

2. Stop Applying Makeup on Areas With Acne

While it is tempting and sometimes necessary to cover up your acne with makeup, try not to make a habit of it.

Acne covered skin needs to breathe to heal and covering it up with layers of foundation and makeup will only lead to clogged pores which will make your acne worse.

If you must apply makeup, choose oil-free and hypoallergenic brands.

3. Keeping Expired Makeup

You should throw away expired makeup! We cannot stress the importance of this point enough.

You have to make it a point to go through your makeup stash at least once in 6-8 months and throw away everything that has expired. If you’re confused about the shelf life of your favorite products, check out this makeup expiration guide.

Makeup expiration guide telling the expiration dates of your most popular beauty products. Learn what to keep in your makeup toolbox and what to get rid of.The lifespan of some of the products might surprise you! #expiredmakeup #makeupexpiration #lifespan
Visual makeup expiration guide

4. Not Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

Sure, it’s not fun, but it’s got to be done. Even if you’re the only person using your makeup brushes, you have to ensure that you clean them regularly.

Unclean makeup brushes can become a breeding ground for bacteria and can wreak havoc on your skin. Depending on your usage, ensure that you clean your brushes every 3-4 weeks with baby shampoo and lukewarm water or you can always invest in a brush cleaner which makes the job much easier.

5. Choosing Quantity Over Quality

Cheap makeup and dupes from obscure brands may seem tempting but remember, you get what you pay for.

While there are tons of good drugstore brands that are perfectly fine, stay away from unknown brands. Do your research because who knows what chemicals have been used in these products and what possible reactions they could have with your skin.

It’s better to invest in 2-3 good lipsticks than having a bunch of bad ones. Choose quality over quantity always.

6. Overdrawn Eyebrows

While thick, well-shaped eyebrows are all the rage right now, there’s always the danger of going overboard and ending up looking clown-like.

Here’s a good article discussing eyebrow techniques in detail. Also there are many online tutorials like this one on how to do your eyebrows right.

Remember to use an eyebrow pencil that is as close to your natural hair color as possible. Going too dark will make you look scary and going too light will be visibly different.

While we’re at it, here’s a helpful infographic on face and eyebrow shapes.

Find out which eyebrows fits you better! This guide will help you to understand your face shape and choose YOUR perfect brows. #EyeBrow #FaceShape
Choose YOUR perfect brows based on face shape

7. Applying Your Eye Makeup Before Foundation and Concealer

While there’s nothing “wrong” with this, you will save yourself a lot of trouble and time by finishing your eye makeup before applying concealer, especially if you’re going with a dark smokey eye. No matter how careful you are and how good the brand of eyeshadows you’re using is, the fallout is inevitable.

So, finish up your eye makeup, clean the fallout and then apply concealer and foundation.

8. Using Unnaturally Dark Lip Liner

It was not attractive in the 90s, and it’s not attractive now.

Please choose a lip liner that is a close match to your lipstick to avoid looking strange.

RELATED: 6 Makeup Mistakes That Age You

9. Putting Too Many Coats of Mascara

When it comes to mascara, less is more, unless you want your lashes to end up looking like a clumpy mess.

Use an eyelash curler to open them up and then apply a maximum of two mascara coats, ideally one that will add volume and another that will lengthen your lashes.

10. Not Blending Your Foundation Into Your Neck

This one is a rookie mistake that can totally ruin your look if you’re not careful.

You don’t need to apply foundation on your neck but always remember to take what’s left on your brush and blend it into your neck for a flawless finish.

11. Not Using Color Correctors

Ladies, you’ve got to stop underestimating the power of color correctors, unless of course you were born with perfect skin in which case you can ignore this point entirely.

They work like magic on pigmentation and dark circles and keep your foundation from looking washed out and grey.

12. Applying Lipstick on Your Bare Lips

It’s always better to use a gentle scrub on your lips and follow that up with chapstick before you apply your lipstick. This will ensure a smooth and long-lasting finish.

13. Not Trying Anything New

On a final note – sticking to the same boring routine for years, in general, doesn’t mean anything wrong. However, makeup is supposed to be fun.

So, don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and try out some new fun looks like here in the video below.

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