7 Deadly Makeup Sins by Jenna Gnoato
Over the years there have been endless beauty trends come and go. Some good, some bad and some that are just god damn awful. I’m pretty sure the majority of us have fallen victim to a beauty fad at some point. Whilst some of us learn from our “experiments” (we’ll call them that), there’s still some that are yet to catch on.
The beauty of makeup is that it can allow you to express or transform yourself into anything you want to be but also allows you to enhance your own true beauty.
Below I have put together a variety of beauty blunders that many people make and given tips for the everyday woman on how to enhance those gorgeous features and not hide them behind those makeup mishaps.
The “mask”
Foundation creates a base for your makeup so choosing the right shade for your skin tone is very important. Choose a colour too light and you look like the walking dead. Go too dark and your face looks like it has spent a month is the Bahamas and left the rest of your body at home, creating the dreaded jaw line mark. Just as the seasons change so will the tone of your skin so it is always great to have a couple of shades in your foundation. A lighter colour for winter and a couple of shades darker for summer. You can then mix the 2 shades in between to create your perfect shade.
I always recommend asking a makeup professional to colour match your skin but if you prefer to do it yourself always match the colour to your neck/jawline, not your wrist.
And as I always say for a perfect application use a brush and blend, blend, blend!
Big Juicy Lips
We’ve all seen the latest lip trends floating about and most of us dream of having those gorgeous juicy, plump lips. There are a few ways to achieve this but if you’re not enthused about pumping a foreign substance into your face, makeup is the next best thing. Over lining your lips can go from drab to fab very quickly, the key is to not over line them too much. Here are some simple steps to achieve a gorgeous pout without looking like Goldie Horn from the first wives club.
- Prepare your lips. Exfoliate with a lip scrub or soft toothbrush to remove any dead skin. This will also increase blood flow to the area and kick start the plumping process.
- Using light feathery strokes line your lips with a lip liner only slightly darker that the lipstick you will be applying. You don’t want to over line your whole lips but just the centre and gradually connect it back to your natural lip line by the time you get to the outer corners. When over lining you do not want to line more than 2mm outside your natural lip line.
- Apply a thin layer of lipstick with a brush, dab with a tissue then apply another layer until you reach your desired effect.
- Apply gloss to your lips and a highlighter to your cupids bow. This will attract light and as that light reflects it will give the illusion of fuller lips.
- If it looks a little messy don’t worry! Apply a small amount of concealer – around one shade lighter than your foundation, to a small detailer brush and erase away any mistakes.
Drawn on Brows!
Another trend that has been flooding the beauty scene these past few years is the “perfect eyebrow”. We really have quite the array of brow designs to choose from – the Instagram brow, natural brow, drag brow, surprised brow and of course the dreaded nike tick brow. While some of these brows are defiantly less desirable than others, I always recommend to keep it simple and go with the natural looking brow.
In order to create the most natural and flattering looking brow you must first create the ideal shape (well almost). If you don’t feel confident in shaping your own brows you are best to consult with a beauty or brow therapist. Once this is achieved the rest is made quite easy for you.
Using your preferred brow product (I find powders the easiest to use) begin by lightly filling in any sparse areas of your brows. Use light feathery strokes in the same direction as your brow hairs. Step back and asses the brows. You may find that one looks slightly different than the other. You can then add more product to areas of the brow to even them up. For example, extending the tail of the brow or adding more of an arch to the top of the brow. Remember your brows should be sisters not twins so don’t be to hung up on them looking exactly the same. It’s always good to set your brows with a clear or tinted brow gel to prevent then going walk about throughout the day.
Stuck in the 90s
Unfortunately a fact of life is that we are all going to age and as our faces change so should our makeup. If your in your 50’s or 60’s the same makeup you wore when you were in your 20’s will no longer suit you. In some cases it can actually make you look older than you are.
My best tip… “Less is Best”. Steer clear of the bright and shimmery colours as these will draw attention to your wrinkles and instead choose matte and neutral shades. Using heavy foundation will settle into fine lines and add years to your look. Opt for a lighter coverage dewy foundation with a cream blush for a more subtle natural looking finish. If you find your skin getting dryer make sure you are keeping it well moisturised before applying your makeup to avoid the “crepey” look. If using an eyeliner try a shade of brown, as black can look quite harsh.
Lines Sharp as an Axe!
One of the golden rules of makeup is to blend. Whether it be your bronzer, blush, eyeshadow or foundation the key to a flawless application is blending. Harsh makeup lines can be easily avoidable with a few easy steps.
- As I said earlier “less is best”. Always apply a small amount of product and gradually add more to build your desired look. If you apply too much at first it will be harder to blend out and easily become quite messy.
- The best tools for blending are fluffy brushes. The size of the area depends on the size of the brush you will need to work with. For example – use a smaller brush for the eye area, a medium for your blush and a larger brush for you bronzing.
- When blending out your product use small circular motions trying to keep it neat and within the area you have applied. Getting too crazy means your makeup gets blown out of control and gives no structure to the face.
- When using cream based products blend out with a sponge for easier application.
Over-Defining the Eye
Eyeliner is one of the best ways to define the eye area but I also feel this is one of the biggest mistakes some people can make with their makeup. I know myself that I have been the culprit of the bold dark lower liner which does no justice for the eye area. One of the Best tips I have learnt as a makeup artist is to smoke it out. Now we are not talking creating a big dramatic dark shadow around the eye but just blending out your liner to soften any harsh lines. One of the easiest ways I do this is using an eyeshadow or coal pencil. Simply apply the liner to the desired area and gently blend with a small blending brush (eg- pencil/bullet brush).
Always remember that if you are applying liner to the lower lash line always apply it to the top as well. This will prevent your eye looking to bottom heavy and dragging it down.
Caking on the Concealer
Concealer is used to hide imperfections your foundation has not been able to cover. Application of concealer should be very light especially when working around the eye area to avoid the product settling into fine lines and becoming thick and cakey. There are two types of concealing:
- Colour correcting – This should be used when there is discolouration that your normal foundation or concealer will not cover. Colour correctors should be applied to the areas only that need it before you apply foundation. When working over this area it is best to use dabbing motions rather than swiping to prevent spreading or wiping away the concealer. There are 3 main colours for colour correcting:
- Green to counteract redness
- Orange/apricot for purple tones
- Purple/violet for orangey toned imperfections.
- Brightening the eye area and covering blemishes – When concealing under the eye area use a hydrating concealer 1-2 shades lighter than your foundation. Apply in a “v” shape to help brighten the under eye area and make you look more awake. When concealing blemishes apply a concealer the same shade or one only slightly lighter that than your foundation over the affected area and lightly dab to blend out the product.
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