Top Beauty Mistakes & how to Avoid them

The beauty world is vast and there are so many do's and dont's, so todays post is going to focus on the top beauty mistakes we women make and how you can easily avoid them!

 1. Over-Contouring

Contouring is huge in the beauty world right now - and its great for adding structure and shape to the face, but unfortunately, lots of us do it wrong!

The idea of contouring is to give a more defined face shape, but it should be undetectable. People should believe that your face looks like this naturally. Therefore it is always better to use a powder contour or a bronzer and apply it with a small but fluffy cheek brush for that soft, natural appearance. We recommend our Bella&Bear Margay Cat brush and the ELF Bronzer Quad. If your contour is still looking a little too 'strong', pick up a larger powder brush and blend it outward until it looks natural and gorgeous.

2. Matte lipstick on cracked, dry lips.

Matte lipstick is so hot right now, but it is essential to make sure your lips are primed and prepped before you apply otherwise it will just look dreadful and the lipstick will just cling to the dry patches - making them even more apparent.

The trick is to really nourish your lips before you apply any lipstick to them. Lips need to be moisturised to be able to carry off a matte lipstick properly. Start by taking a clean, unused toothbrush and scrub it across the lips gently in circular motions to remove dead skin cells and get the blood flowing around the lips - you could also brush over a lipscrub - such as LUSH 'Popcorn' scrub - with the toothbrush for maximum effect. Then apply a good moisturising lip balm and allow it time to sink in before applying your chosen lippy.

We also recommend using our Bella&Bear Rusty Spotted Cat Lip brush to apply your lipsticks as it allows control and precision and means no bleeding or feathering! 

3. Incorrect Concealer Application.

Concealer can be the hidden hero in your makeup routine; It can help to hide dark circles, blemishes, dark patches and so much more, but you must apply it correctly to really get its full benefits.

We always recommend choosing a concealer which is just 1 shade lighter than the foundation you're wearing, as it will bring light to the face and it can even make you look younger! Any lighter and its magic just wont work. To successfully apply the concealer under the eyes, start by dotting it just below the lashline and then use a flat concealer brush (we recommend our Bella&Bear Ocelot large concealer brush), or your ring finger and work the concealer down and outward until it is fully blended with your foundation. You can use the same technique on any other blemishes you need to tackle.

4. Slip Sliding Makeup.

One of the biggest mistakes when applying makeup is that most of do not prep our skin properly - which means that our makeup wont stay in place and it wont apply as flawlessly as it could.

The easiest (and quickest) way to prep the skin for makeup application is to use a primer - we love Revlons PhotoReady Perfecting Primer. Not only does a primer absorb into the skin leaving it moisturised and glowing but it also smooths out the surface for the most even and flawless finish.

A more extensive way to give your makeup a fantastic base, is with a strong, regular skincare routine. Each morning and evening, cleanse, tone and moisturise your skin - removing all traces of dirt and any makeup! Your skin will thank you in no time and your makeup will be at its best ever! 

5. Breakout Skin & Dirty Brushes

Although its not one of the most fun tasks, cleaning your makeup brushes is a must! There are so many products available now which make this routine so much simpler - we recommended the Beauty Blender Solid Brush Cleanser; no mess, no fuss.

And, don't go thinking that just because you don't get breakouts that your brushes don't need a weekly clean. Dirty brushes can also affect your makeup application, if you use different products (or eyeshadows) with the same brush then they will get all muddled and mixed together between the bristles and the result on your skin wont be pretty.

If you really must, you can avoid a weekly brush cleanse (and make it bi-weekly) by investing in a daily brush cleanser. Simply spritz your brushes with it after each use and swirl them around on a clean tissue. We just love the H&M Makeup Brush Cleaner.

6. Chipped Manicures

A good manicure can really pull a look together, but to make it professional and as long-lasting as possible you must, must, must use a base coat. The Seche Vite Base is a beauty cult favourite as it is strong and keeps your nails like-new for days. A base coat allows your colour polish of choice to have something to adhere to and it will also stop it from staining the natural nails.

7.  Broken Lashes

We all want those sky-high curly lashes - and that's nothing a lash curler cant handle. But there is one thing holding a lot of women back - not curling those lashes correctly.
Lash curlers are fantastic tool but they must be used properly or they can seriously damage your lashes. We love our Bella&Bear Eye and Mighty Curlers but we always tell women to use them before applying mascara - if you use a curler after you've applied your mascara you risk breaking off your lashes and making them short and stubby! No one wants that!

 

8. Incorrect Foundation shades

It seems like such a simple task - match your foundation colour to your skin tone. But, with all the options women have today, it really isn't.

Its a common misconception that when you are foundation shopping, you should test them out on the back of your hand. WRONG! When you really think about it, doesn't it seem strange to test something you will be wearing on your face, on your hand? It seems that this misconception stems from the 'vein theory'. 

Professional makeup artists use this technique to match clients up with their ideal foundation. They will look for your undertone by the color of your veins. If you have blue-purple looking veins you are most suited to cool toned foundations. if you have blue-green veins you would be most suited to neutral foundations and if you have green-olive veins you would be most suited to warm toned foundations.

Foundation is meant to have a 'your skin but better' effect, so finding the right shade is key. Try the vein theory on your next shopping trip and try applying a small amount of the foundation to the centre of your face or jawline for the ultimate match up.

 

We hope you have found these tips useful and that you will see some new improvements to your beauty routine! Don't forget you can find all of the Bella&Bear tools mentioned here in our online store! You can also share your top beauty tips with us on our Facebook or Twitter feeds!