Just because you personally identify as a Makeup Maven, splurging on a $50 foundation and stalking Kylie Cosmetics’ website until the new lip kit drops, doesn’t mean you’ll get the makeup looks you desire. It’s frustrating, but the truth is some of your habits (even the ones you think are good) can be deterring you from your goal of looking and feeling flawless. Here are five habits you should break to get the flawless beat face you’ve been yearning for:
Not Cleaning your Makeup Brushes and/or Sponges:
I think we’re all guilty of this one. Whether it’s fixing up your bronzer on your lunch break or applying some concealer before that dreadful 8 a.m. class, we tend to throw our brushes to the side and forget to clean them. By not cleaning your brushes, you allow the bristles to become more stiff and clump together (Source). You can do routine maintenance on your brushes by spraying the bristles with a good cleanser then carefully rubbing the brush on a towel until the product disappears. Along with this, you should also deep clean your brushes once every month or so.
Tip: Hold your brush bristles down so water doesn’t travel to the base of the brush and cause bacteria growth!
Finding Your Foundation Shade by Looking at Your Hand
You’re roaming up and down the aisles of Sephora trying to find the right shade of foundation. Although you want to pump some foundation on the back of your hand, you are matching your face not your hand! Now, you have two options- you can simply ask an employee to help match your shade or you can spot-test the foundation on yourself. The best places to check shades on your face is your cheekbone and along your jawline (Source).
Pumping Your Mascara
We’ve all heard that pumping our mascara can help lengthen our lashes by getting more product out of the tube, but it’s doing more harm than good. By pumping your product, you are pushing air into the tube which makes mascara dry out faster. If you want your lashes to look longer than usual, try curling your eyelashes and adding a few coats of mascara instead of one.
Coordinating Your Eyeshadow with Your Outfits
Yes, really. This is giving us flashbacks to our middle school days. Instead of trying to coordinate your eyeshadow looks to your clothes, try eyeshadows that work with your eye color. For example:
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Brown eyes: bronze, gold, copper, grey, purple, and green
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Blue eyes: silver, gold, taupe, soft browns, and pink
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Green eyes: Grey, brown, and mauve
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Hazel: Purple, gold, taupes, pink, and dark orange
A person’s eye color is one of the most unique things about them and, of course, you want to amplify that! As long as your makeup compliments your natural tones, your eyes will stand out. Do this and your eyes will look as beautiful as ever!
Falling Asleep With Makeup On
The absolute worst mistake you can make when it comes to skincare is falling asleep with makeup on. By falling asleep with a full face, you erase all of the hard work your skin care regimen is doing. Leaving makeup on can cause breakouts, settle into pores, and make makeup application difficult for the next morning.
Tip: If you’re in a rush, try makeup wipes to remove the product!
Makeup is so much more complex than cosmetics that we apply on our face to hide our “flaws.” Makeup has helped people from all around the world, whether it be providing artists with a job or boosting users’ self-confidence. The origins of makeup started to conceal facial insecurities; however, it has taken on a life of its own in today’s times. On our down days, makeup gives us that extra “oomph” that is so needed. Also, makeup is used as a way to express one’s feelings. Our faces are like blank canvases and they have the potential to be turned into virtually anything we want. Always remember- makeup doesn’t conceal, it enhances!