10 Beauty Mistakes You Might Not Realise You’re Making (and how to fix them)

Hi my lovelies!

So I’m back with another post and this time it’s all about the beauty mistakes we’ve all been guilty of and may be doing without realising it! I’ll admit that I’ve made a lot of these mistakes in the past and wanted to share them with you! Let me know in the poll at the bottom what you’re most guilty of!

• Matching foundation to the back of your hand

We’ve all been there, swatching different makeup in the store on the back of our hands. It’s fine with most other products, but for foundation we should make sure the shade we pick is the best match for our skin tone. Because of sun exposure and general skin pigment, the skin on our hands is normally darker than the skin on our faces, which will make for a bad foundation match

How to fix it? Match foundation to your jawline as this gives the best match, and won’t interfere with any makeup you’re already wearing. Before you make a purchase, you should also leave the swatch on for a few minutes to see how it oxidises. You may think a shade looks perfect at first swatch, but some foundations can darken with exposure to the environment.

• Using the wrong shades/formulation of foundation

Another one about foundation, but this one’s all about bad decisions rather than mistakes. Making the wrong shade match is common, especially when you’re new to makeup. You’ve got no idea about the best shade for you or your skin undertones. Finish is important, too. What do you want the final result to be like on your skin? Dewy, matte, satin?  Also dry and oilier skin types will need something different from their foundations, so their skin doesn’t dry out or the makeup just slides off during the day. Do you need a liquid, cream or powder formula? Most people have no clue at first what they want and just pick one up in the store because somebody was raving about it, which usually results in a disaster!

How to fix it? Initially it’s best to get shade matched, or ask someone you trust to tell you which looks the best. Makeup counters will ask you a few questions and then explain everything to you. They’ll tell you the types of shades you should use, what formula is best for your skin, and the best way to apply them. I also like this website which looks at the shades you’ve already used and recommends shades from other brands that match this well.

• Not cleaning your brushes

I was guilty of not cleaning my brushes often enough for a long time, until I read a blog post about how dirty they get even after a couple of uses. Now I make sure to leave some time at least once a week to give all the brushes I use a really good clean. Dirty brushes harbor germs and dirt and  using dirty brushes on a clean face can break your skin out and cause spots, especially if your skin is oilier. Not only this, but using dirty eyeshadow brushes can muddy up your colours, especially if using a lighter colour after a darker one.

How to fix it? Make sure to clean your brushes as often as you can. It’s not the most fun of tasks, especially if you have a lot of brushes to clean, but it’s worth it in the long run. If you don’t have time, you can always clean as you go after each makeup application as it’ll only take around 5 minutes, but your brushes (and sponges) will still need a deep clean every couple of weeks even if you do this. Invest in good brush cleaning tools, or just use Johnson’s baby shampoo like I do, it doesn’t matter as long as they’re clean!

• Curling your eyelashes after using mascara

NO. Please for the love of everything do not do this. The effects of this can be way worse than just an oily face or orange foundation. Attempting to curl your lashes with mascara already on can cause your eyelashes to stick to the curler, and we’ve all seen the horror story pictures on Buzzfeed of someone who accidentally ripped all of their lashes out. It will also get mascara all over your curlers, which is bad from a hygiene perspective.

How to fix it? Curl your lashes before you apply mascara. Use a clean eyelash curler and make sure not to be too harsh with it. Alternatively, use a curling mascara to give the effect without using an eyelash curler.

• Keeping makeup and beauty products after they’ve expired

It pains me to throw away makeup. Like, I literally feel upset when I have to bin something that I shouldn’t use anymore. But keeping makeup and beauty products after they’ve gone off is really bad for you. The longer you keep products for, the more bacteria they can harbour, which can make skin break out or get irritated. Expired eye makeup can give you infections, too.

How to fix it? Bite the bullet and throw away (or stop using) products that are off. Pay close attention to the expiry of different products as they last for different amounts of time. For instance, mascara only lasts around 3 months, but a foundation will last around a year. Sanitise products to make them last longer, and never use something if the texture or smell has changed, as this can allude to them being bad.

• Not taking care of your skin

You can’t expect to have a flawless face of makeup if your skin isn’t taken care of underneath. Having a good skin routine can make all of the difference when you’re putting on your makeup. Normally skincare goes through a 3 step system: Cleanse, Tone, Moisturise, and all three of these will affect your skin so it’s important to choose the right products for you. Bad skincare can also age you faster, so make sure to protect your skin from all those bad things in the environment. 

How to fix it? Make sure you’re cleansing your skin everyday morning and night to get rid of dirt and impurities. Tailor products to your needs (I.E a 15 year old will not need anti aging products.) If skin is oily, make sure to use oil free cleansers and moisturisers, If it’s dry, moisturising is essential. It’s all about personal preference.

• Not removing makeup properly

This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Going to bed without removing makeup can mean dirt gets into your skin and stays there, and your skin can’t breathe overnight meaning all of the oils your skin releases can get trapped and cause breakouts and bad skin. Not only that, it also means your skin isn’t clean, which harbours germs. 

How to fix it? Take your makeup off every night, without fail. Even if you’re so tired you can barely keep your eyes open, it’s really important to at least remove all of your makeup. To make sure you get everything, use a dedicated eye makeup remover (they usually have oils in them to remove all that stubborn mascara), then a makeup remover that is best for you and the makeup you have on. I personally like Clinique’s take the day off removers to get all of my makeup off at night. Wipes may be convenient and easy, but they only get makeup off the surface of your skin, so a liquid or balm cleanser is best. Finally, always follow makeup removal with cleansing your face to make sure you get everything.

• Sharing eyeliner and mascara with others

It doesn’t matter whether it’s your friend, your sister or a stranger, sharing these products can cause major eye infections. I learned this at 14 when going through my ’emo phase’ after sharing an eyeliner pencil with a friend,  I got a bad case of conjunctivitis that lasted a couple of weeks! Why? bacteria from your eyes can get on the mascara wand or eyeliner pencil/brush and as your eyes are super sensitive, it can cause irritation or infection really easily if you share. The bacteria multiplies really easily inside a mascara tube, and can cause major problems.

How to fix it? Don’t share mascara or eyeliner. Other products are usually fine as long as they’re sanitised after use, but these are the worst culprits. Alternatively, some stores sell disposable mascara wands, so those are an alternative to use.

• Washing your hair too often

Yes, the beauty mistakes spans to hair, too. washing your hair every day or too many times in a short period can strip your hair of all the nourishing oils it has, meaning your hair can become dry, frizzy and prone to split ends and breakages (a.k.a everything you don’t want). If your hair is coloured, washing too often will also mean the colour won’t last as long: the more you wash, the more colour you wash out.

How to fix it? If your hair is already damaged from too much washing, try a deep conditioning treatment or some coconut oil to nourish those dry locks. Avoid too much colouring if you can as this damages hair too. Try only washing your hair a few times a week, and use dry shampoo if you feel your hair getting greasy on in between days. It also depends on your hair type. Those with finer hair will need to wash their hair more, as it gets greasy more easily.

• Not getting enough sleep

Ever heard of the term ‘beauty sleep’? It’s not just vanity for vanity’s sake. Not sleeping long enough is really bad for your skin, and I’m really guilty of this one. When you don’t get enough sleep at night, it not only affects your body, making you feel less rested and tired, it also affects your skin. Sleep is when everything in your body rebalances, and skin cells regenerate, so not having enough can wreak havoc on your health, and it shows in your face. Lack of sleep can lead to dark circles, breakouts, dry and dull complexion, and in the long run it can make your skin appear to age more quickly. In layman’s terms: no sleep = bad.

How to fix it? Try to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night, even if it means going to bed early! If you struggle getting to sleep like I do, try drinking herbal tea and avoiding caffeine before bed (my fave is Clipper Tea’s Snore and Peace). While it might be tempting to check twitter or instagram for 10 minutes before bed, try not to as your mind needs to relax. Try listening to some relaxing music to wind down for a good night’s sleep!

So those are the common mistakes you might not know you’re making – are you guys guilty of any of these because I sure was/am! Are there any more beauty crimes you know about or have any tips and tricks? Let me know in the comments because i’m really curious to know!

Thank you guys for reading, and please don’t forget to give this post a big like and a share if you enjoyed it, and I’ll see you all very soon in the next post! Remember to click that lovely follow button to be updated about any of my new posts!

More Posts from me:

9 Perfectly Pink Lip Colours for Spring! ||The Lust List: April 16 || Big Beauty Haul! || Birchbox April 16 Unboxing || Review: Ciate Cheekbone Cheat||Look Incredible Beauty Box – April 2015! ||  March Beauty Faves! || Natural (ish) makeup Tutorial || ||20 Beauty Blog Post Ideas to Combat Writer’s Block! ||

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Disclaimer: Photos in this post were not taken by me.