Last week we bought you numbers 1 - 5 of our list of 10 common beauty mistakes, where we covered everything from overplucked eyebrows to badly applied lippy. This week, we're bringing you the next five in the list. Do you overdo the 80s blush, go a bit mad with glitter or put your skin under pressure with too many harsh products? Well, here's how to sort out those beauty mistakes once and for all...
6. Outdated application techniques
Still apply blusher by drawing a stripe of lipstick down your cheekbone and blending? Still wearing darker lipliner with lighter lipstick? Using a cheap sponge applicator to liberally apply blue eyeshadow? Smoothing on layers of foundation with a manky sponge? It's time to wave goodbye to the 80s and 90s and get modern with your application. Firstly, you need to keep your tools clean, or use your fingers (you wash them a lot so they're often cleaner than brushes). Foundation goes on better with fingers or a brush (try Ecotools Foundation Brush, £7.99) for daytime wear; a sponge can often lead to a heavier base, which is great if you need extra coverage but can end up looking pancakey if you don't. If you just love the feel of a sponge, avoid the wedge-shaped ones - the pink Beautyblender helps avoid harsh lines and edges with its rounded design. As for blush, the days of stripey, thick blusher are over. Think wash of colour, not heavy contouring - BareMinerals blush is lovely for soft colour, or if you prefer something that gives more of a deep-down tint, there's a reason Benefit's Benetint is a bestseller! On your eyes, invest in good brushes and you'll look a hundred times better - try MAC for high-end or e.l.f studio for surprisingly good bargain brushes.
7. Too much sparkle
A bit of glitter never hurt anyone, but going all out with the sparkly stuff can leave you looking like a child who went mad with their Tinkerbell makeup set, so keep it to one area only. The biggest problem with glitter is its ability to get absolutely everywhere - if you put it on your eyes in the morning you can rest assured it'll be all over your face by lunchtime, no matter how much primer and sealant you use. So the safest place to try it is on your nails, where it's less likely to spread. Right now the coolest glitter polishes have big blobs of glitter in, not just the tiny ones. Try Deborah Lippman, or the OPI Muppets Collection for great colours. Just remember that once it's dry, glitter nail polish is like cement and is a nightmare to remove, but there is a little trick with some tinfoil that'll help!
8. Reverse panda eyes
Everyone knows a bit of undereye concealer is a must, but what happens when you take it too far? The reverse panda eye - where the skin under the eyes is too light to look natural - is as bad as just leaving those dark circles on show! The problem is, a lot of the time the excess of makeup doesn't show until exposed to strong lighting (say, the flash from a paparazzi camera) which is why so many people fall foul of this makeup error. The trick is to apply very sparingly, in as much natural light as possible, and use products that is similar to your natural skintone, reflecting the light without going over the top. YSL's Touch Eclat (£25) is the obvious choice, and it now comes in more shades so darker skins aren't forced to use the light one. At almost £10 cheaper, Clinique Airbrush Concealer (£16) is also lovely and a bit more matte. On the bargain end of the scale, nothing beats Collection 2000's Illuminating Touch Concealer, at only £4.99. Just apply a little of this, concentrating on the inner corner of the eye, and build up slowly. Go easy on the powder, as often that's what shows up when you don't want it to - right, Nicole Kidman?
9. Being too harsh on your skin
There's nothing like that squeaky-clean, freshly washed and exfoliated feeling, but it's worth remembering that the skin needs protection, and often the best protection is in the oils that the skin secretes naturally. Stripping off everything on a daily basis might be doing more harm than good, so if you find your skin is dry, flaky, red or sensitive in anyway, if might be worth toning down your cleansing regime. Product that contain large amounts of alcohol (Clinique clarifying lotion, I'm looking at you - if you can remove nail polish, you shouldn't be going on my face) are very harsh and can exacerbate existing problems. Over-exfoliating (on face and body) is another no-no. Once or twice a week is more than enough, and it should always be followed by moisturiser to keep skin hydrated and soft. Try an exfoliator with an oil or cream base for the body so you add some moisture (The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Cream Body Scrub is great). Stick to the gentlest products you can and when possible, leave your skin alone. There is definitely such thing as 'too much of a good thing'!
10. Too much makeup
If you can't see your face beneath the layers of foundation, concealer and blush, and your eyes are disappearing under black shadow, liner and false eyelashes, it's time to tone it down. Not only does trowelling on the makeup look awful, it also plays havoc with the skin underneath. Makeup should be used to enhance your features, not completely cover them up (or change them beyond recognition). Take a 'prettiest version of myself' approach to makeup and use is sparingly, especially in the daytime, to work with what you've got. Christina Aguilera (above) has almost got it right by enhancing the eyes but keeping the lips simple, but the 80s blush and severe eyebrows take it over the edge. Less is more!