Common Make-Up Mistakes

Foundation application
Photo: Dreamstime
Make-up application has inherent tendencies toward error based on the make-up type. Because of this, there are a wide range of common make-up mistakes. These mistakes can usually be addressed by explaining some basic principles and by understanding the purpose behind the cosmetics.
 
So let’s have a look at the various make-up types, the common mistakes made with these make-up types, and the way to correct these mistakes.
 
Foundation:
 
Foundation make-up is designed to give the user a smooth, even canvas for the rest of the cosmetics to be used. Foundation is meant to even discrepancies in skin tone and minimize the appearance of minor flaws, providing an even, clear complexion.
 
COMMON MISTAKE: A common mistake women make when using foundation is in choosing the wrong shade for their actual skin tone. This leads to the foundation looking artificial, because it contrasts with the skin’s actual color.
 
Solution: Foundation should blend smoothly with the overall tone of the skin. Once applied, the foundation should be near-invisible. This is true whether you use a cream, liquid or powder formula foundation.
 
Foundation is never intended to provide you with “color”. You don’t want a foundation to make you look like you’ve been in the sun. There are many other products designed for this purpose which are intended to provide a more natural-looking result.
 
COMMON MISTAKE: Another common mistake women make with foundation is in application. Many women apply their foundation to the face only, stopping along the curve of the chin and at the edge of the jaw line. This often leads to obvious demarcation between the areas with and without make-up. If the proper shade is us chosen, the effect is less pronounced, but can still be seen by the shift in the texture of the skin.
 
Solution: Blend your foundation to all the parts of the face that are exposed. Pay particular attention to the neck area since the neck is often slightly lighter in complexion than the face and the discrepancy can be made more pronounced without the blending effect. It is also not out of the question to extend the blending of some foundation into the cleavage if you are wearing a low-cut garment.
 
Furthermore, if you are planning to wear your hair in an up-style, you should also pay attention to the ears and consider blending the foundation onto them as well. Nothing is quite as distracting – or detracting from a look – as having the ears shining too pale, in comparison with the rest of the face.
 
Blush and Contouring:
 
Cheek color – commonly called blush – and contouring make-up are used to enhance the shape, contours and planes of the face. The blush is used to give the cheeks a colored-glow to mimic the natural blush response. (This is where it gets its name.) Since blushing is indicative of innocence and youth, women whose cheeks were pinked by blushing were considered to be youthful and more desirable.
 
Contouring make-up differs from blush in that the colors used are neutral and intended to create shading effects to manipulate the planes and contours of the face.
 
COMMON MISTAKES: The most common mistake made when using blush or contouring make-up is over-use. Too often, women over-apply their cheek color or try to affect too-much change using a contouring make-up. The end result is a look that can be characterized as “unnaturally overdone” at best, and “clownish” in the worst cases.
 
Solution: “Less is more.” This is never truer than when considering the use of blush and contouring make-up. The key is to use subtle application in either case. A light shading will always appear more natural and be less heavy on the skin.
 
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