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Avoid These 6 Makeup Mistakes At All Costs

make up mistakesThe whole point of wearing makeup is to enhance your appearance, or the appearance of your clients, and to help you or your clients feel as attractive as possible.

“Enhance” is key: makeup should appear natural, never overdone. Unless a dramatic evening or fantasy look is the desired goal. Poorly applied makeup accentuates flaws rather than send them discreetly to the background. As a makeup artist, you need to avoid these 6 makeup mistakes at all costs.

Rather than trying to undo mistakes, avoid making them in the first place. Train yourself to “get it right the first time,” and you’ll soon find yourself becoming more skilled and confident as a makeup artist.

Unblended eye shadow

Poorly or ineptly blended eye shadow results in eyelids that appear as if they’ve been unnaturally striped with color. The goal is to blend each color, so that each color flows naturally into the next, using separate brushes for each shadow hue.

Dirty or unclean makeup brushes and applicators

Dirty brushes or applicators not only interfere with makeup color purity, they also introduce a risk of infection to your client’s clean face.

Bacteria lingers in unclean brushes and can cause:

  • Skin irritations
  • Allergic reactions
  • Infections
  • Acne and the like

Clean brushes regularly, between clients, or employ disposable brushes and applicators. Clean your own personal brushes at least once a week.

Foundation/skin tone mismatches

Mismatched foundation and skin tone color are a dead giveaway that an amateur is at work. Pay close attention to creating a foundation that looks nearly invisible, as it should. From forehead to neck, foundation color and skin needs match and create a healthy, natural-looking canvas. Pay particular attention to the area of the jawline. A distinct demarcation of foundation and skin tone calls for a different foundation hue more in keeping with the client’s natural skin color.

Improperly applied blush

One of the worst mistakes to make is creating doll-like, roseate patches on cheeks. Have the client smile and stroke the blush from the highest cheek swelling (the “apple” part of the cheek) back toward the temples. Blend in a soft circular motion until the blush begins to fade seamlessly into the skin.

Badly done eyebrows

For eyebrows that have been over-plucked, fill in any thin patches with an eyebrow brush, using a color a little lighter than the client’s actual eyebrow color. Blonde brows require a shade darker. Each eyebrow should be symmetrical, and the hair brushed toward a 45-degree angle. Use a sparing amount of eyebrow gel to tame hair into position.

Inappropriate use of glitter

Another glaring makeup mistake is the overuse of glitter. Daytime makeup certainly doesn’t call for glitter, and evening makeup should, instead, aim for a shimmery look, rather than a theatrical one.

For more information on this or any other makeup mistakes or concerns, check out the Avenue Five Institute. Learn more about a career in cosmetology or aesthetics.

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