Often we stick to our make-up routines religiously, but sometimes tiny tweaks can make a big difference to our overall look. Just ask a professional, who could point out where we’re going wrong – usually they’re things we could be blissfully aware of.
Sona Gasparian, an LA-based Armenian make-up artist, mega-YouTuber and founder of addictive beauty blog, Simply Sona, did just that.
Here are the five make-up mistakes she sees being made time and again, so that you know what to try and avoid:
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1. Matching your foundation to your neck colour
“You should be matching foundation to your overall body tone. Matching your foundation to your neck is one of the worst mistakes you can make because your neck is typically much lighter than the rest of your body. Also, do not apply foundation to bare skin; always make sure to use a moisturiser and primer before foundation.”
2. Using a warmed toned bronzer to contour
“When contouring, do use a taupe matte bronzer, don’t use a warmed toned bronzer. Warm bronzers with yellow undertones are great for giving you a warm, sun-kissed glow, but they’re not great for contouring or carving out the cheekbones. Remember, it’s very important after applying to blend upwards to get rid of the hard line.”
3. Forgetting to blend your eyeliner
“For feline flicks, I recommend using a pencil or gel for natural definition as opposed to a harsh liquid liner, unless you’re more comfortable with a liquid. Blend the eyeliner on your lid gradually into a cat eye shape, bringing the liner all the way to the inner corner. It’s also important to blend your bottom liner and not leave any harsh lines.”
4. Dragging your lip liner (and compromising on shades)
“When it comes to your lip liner, don’t drag your pencil. You want to line your lips by making small strokes. Your liner and lipstick should also have a difference of about two shades, maximum. Having one way lighter or darker than the other will create too much of a contrast between the two.”
5. Setting your make-up with a compact foundation powder
“With so many products on the market, it can get confusing about which powder to use and where. Do not set your powder with a compact foundation powder! You should set everything with a setting powder or, if you don’t want to add more coverage, use a translucent powder. I love to use a dry Beautyblender to apply the powder directly under my eyes and on top, as well as anywhere I have visible pores. After about a minute or so, run a fluffy brush over the powder to smooth it out.”
From: Harper’s BAZAAR UK