The Most Common Beauty Mistakes We All Make
Text: Smriti Advani , Urban Clap
Mirror, mirror on the wall. Don’t you want to wow them all?
We’re all closet narcissists (even if we don’t admit it!) and want to look and feel gorgeous every step of the way. And, when it comes to makeup and beauty, there’s definitely no room for compromise. From buying the best products to looking up different techniques, there’s really nothing we’ll stop at to make sure we’re looking our best.
But, hold on a minute! There’s a bunch of really basic beauty mistakes you might be making in your pampering frenzy, and we’re here to point them out:
Relying only on wipes to remove your make-up
No matter how tired, how sleepy or how drunk you are after a night of manic partying – do not roll into bed with your make-up on. As you slumber, make-up can settle in your pores, stretching and enlarging them over time and making your skin look old and rough. But if reaching for a bag of makeup remover wipes is your go-to option, well then, it’s simply not good enough!
Wipes are fine for a first step but should be followed up with a facial wash or scrub. If you apply moisturiser straight after using wipes, you may actually be pushing more dirt back into your pores and wake up with a burst of acne or blackheads! Your best bet? Use a good make-up remover or natural oil like coconut or olive oil to take off all your make-up. Follow that up with a cleansing face wash and a soothing moisturiser and get set for a night’s worth of beauty sleep!
Over-conditioning your hair
While trying to tame that humidity induced frizz, don’t go berserk using hair conditioner. It’s a common myth that the more product you pile onto your hair, the easier it’s going to be to maintain. Nothing could be further from the truth.
All your hair actually needs is a coin-sized pump of conditioner. Run it through the strands from root to tip and not on your scalp. Your scalp is already getting its dose of natural conditioner from the natural oils on your head and applying too much conditioner can weigh your hair down, making it look flat and limp;
Keeping make-up for too long and not cleaning your brushes
Think of makeup as food for your skin and brushes as an essential tool to help blend it all in. Just as food goes bad as it expires, so does your makeup and tools. Applying expired makeup products or with dirty brushes can lead to rashes and itchy outbreaks on your skin, owing to the bacteria that’s breeding in it. Be sure to wash your make up brushes regularly, with mild soap and water and allow it to dry completely before re-using.
As for your make-up, always check the expiry date of a product before you buy it and make sure you dump it (yes, even if it has been barely used!) once it reaches its expiry date. Hey, throwing out old makeup is simply another reason to buy more new stuff, isn’t it?
Skipping Sunscreen
Makeup can certainly help boost the look and feel of your natural skin but sunscreen is going to be your best friend in the long run! The best way to keep your skin looking youthful is to use sunscreen as it acts as a barrier between the sun’s harmful UV rays and can help protect against wrinkles and dark spots.
Applying sunscreen also cuts your risk of skin cancer or melanoma. The best way to use sunscreen is to apply a film of moisturiser, top it up with a layer of sunscreen and then apply your foundation and concealer.
Matching foundation to the back of your hand
We’ve all been guilty of this at some point in time! When you walk into a makeup store, the shopping assistants typically swoop down on you and start dabbing various shades on the back of your hand leaving you utterly confused. But come on, this should really be a no-brainer! Your hand and face don’t receive the same amount of sun exposure and are definitely not the same shade. Therefore what works on your hand won’t necessarily work on your facial skin.
Your best bet is to apply a few dabs along your jaw line to see how well it blends – and remember you want the most natural tone else you could end up looking ghostly white or overly tanned! A classic mistake many women make is opting for a shade lighter or darker than their current skin tone. This can ruin your whole look and take away from the natural, dewy glow you were striving for!
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