What are the most common makeup mistakes? Here they are and how to correct them.

Wearing too much or too little make up. Makeup should be time and place appropriate. What looks perfect for a big evening event doesn’t work at the grocery store or gym. When you consistently overdo your makeup, you look like you are trying to hair. Try toning it down for a more natural look. That would work for everyday. For perfect minimal makeup try a good moisturizer, under-eye concealer, blush, curl your lashes and add a bit of lipstick or gloss.

Never updating your color, products or methods. Are you still using the same eye shadow, lip and blush shades since when you first started wearing makeup? Well honey, you are long overdue for a trip to the makeup counter. Just like you pay attention to fashion such as whether bootcut or straight-leg jeans are in, you need to watch the makeup trends. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to toss the red lipstick, maybe you can tone it down by adding some brown to it.

Using the wrong foundation. If you are wearing a foundation that doesn’t match your skin tone, the results are going to look awful. If you chose a shade that matches, you will get a flawless looking face, which should be the goal. Try on three and pick the one you think is the closest match. Then also try one shade darker and one shade lighter. Check out the makeup counter wearing none, and swipe the three shades from your cheek to your neck. Your perfect match is the one that blends so well it literally disappears.

Over-tweezing or not tweezing your eyebrows. The brows are a central and important feature of your face, they frame your face and when well groomed they enhance your eyes and your whole look. If yours are out of control, it’s worth the time and money to let a professional do them for you. In my opionion, waxing is the way to go because it last so long. Yes, there’s a bit of pain, but it’s quickly forgotten. Follow your brow’s natural arch, and clean up the areas over, under and in between. Visit a pro about every 6-8 weeks to keep them looking good.

Wearing a rainbow of eye shadows all at once. Just because the compact came with four or more colors doesn’t mean you have to wear them all at once. Use no more than three shades, a medium shade on the lids, a lighter one to highlight the brow bone and the darkest as a liner for the top and bottom lids. For simple everyday, skip the liner and just use a single light shade all over up to the brows.

Neglecting your skin. If you aren’t taking proper care of your skin, all the makeup in the world isn’t going to compensate. Your skin should be properly hydrated so that your concealer doesn’t look caked , your blush splotchy and so your foundation will go on smoothly. Dry skin needs a rich moisturizer or face oil before makeup application. Oily skin will look best if you wash first with a cleanser that absorbs the oil then use a lightweight, oil -free lotion to hydrate the skin so the makeup will go on smooth.

Choosing the wrong makeup for your skin type. Good skin care will help your makeup look better. Use the right makeup formulas to enhance your skin. If you have dry skin, avoid powder foundations and blushes. Creamy formulas blend better, and if you have any fine lines or wrinkles, cream will help smooth. You already know I’m a big fan of mineral make up. Even though I have some fine lines and wrinkles the mineral makeup works great for me so I encourage everyone to at least try it. Fantasia sells Jane Iredale Skin Care Mineral Makeup which is wonderful.

You may have had oily skin since you were a teenager, but if you are now over 40, there’s a good chance your skin is starting to shift to the dryer side.

Going to bed with makeup on. If you take time to put it on, take the time to take it off. Leaving makeup on overnight clogs the pores and gets your pillow case dirty to boot. If you are not removing your makeup, you are not caring for your skin by cleansing and applying an appropriate night moisturizer. First get rid of the eye makeup and follow with a facial cleanser. Then moisturize.

Paying too much attention to one feature on your face. You may have a favorite feature but don’t overdo it. You don’t want to over compensate so much that instead of seeing your bright pretty eyes, all people notice is your makeup. The trick is to play up your eyes more subtly then add a little makeup to the rest of your face. Just because you don’t want to draw attention to your mouth doesn’t mean you wear nothing on your lips. Use something natural such as a pink lipstick or gloss so that you at least look well groomed.

Trying to draw larger than life lips. Yes we know some makeup artist advise lining yoiur lips outside your natural line in order to make your pout look more pronounced. Most women, however, don’t have the technique to pull it off without looking silly. It’s better to apply your lipstick or gloss first, then take a lip pencil in the exact shade of the lipstick or gloss and draw a thin, light line at the outermost edge of your mouth. You don’t want to look like you’ve had silicone injections, but just to make your lips the most they can be.

Attempting to create contours where none exist. Using darker shades of blush to try to brush on an optical illusion of more prominent cheekbones or a less prominent nose is a trick best left to the professionals. No matter how skilled you are with the makeup brush, it’s nearly impossible to use dark colors that aren’t glaringly obvious when viewed in person, particularly in daylight. Focus instead on pretty, soft makeup that plays up your best features.

Confusing concealer with cover up. It sounds like they serve the same purpose but there’s a big difference. Concealer goes under your eyes to hide circles and brighten the skin. Cover up camouflages blemishes or other flaws. Your foundation can double as your cover up. Dab foundation on with a brush and set with translucent pressed powder- and no more blemish.