The 5 Most Common Makeup Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)

Orange face, white neck. Brown neck, pink face. We all know

someone with no perception of how her make-up really looks

on her own face. She's sweet, really sweet. But she's a

joke in your circle of friends. Oh, no. It isn't you, is it?

Well, even if you don't wear "clown makeup," chances are

you're making some mistakes with your makeup. Take stock

to be sure that you don't fall into any of the makeup traps

below.

Mismatched Foundation

Your foundation should not be a different color from the

rest of your body. Really, it shouldn't. This is an easy

problem to fix. March yourself down to the make-up counter

at your favorite department store and let the salesperson

do her job. It's her job, after all. Don't be intimidated,

you don't need to buy the whole product line.

Blue Eye shadow

Blue eye shadow works for some people. Little girls in

dance recitals. Guests at 1970s-themed parties. Ethereal

looking supermodels. If you aren't one of the

aforementioned people then don't wear it. Enough said.

Dark Circles Under Eyes/Obvious Under Eye Concealer

This is a chicken or egg problem. You're right, the

circles aren't great. But neither are orange crescents

under your eyes. Play around with a few shades of

concealer to see what really works best for you.

Different products work differently on different people.

Just because one brand works for your friend, doesn't

mean it'll be flattering on you. Make sure you're

getting enough sleep and talk to your doctor. Sometimes

those circles are a sign of allergies or a vitamin

deficiency.

Obvious Lip liner

This is a look. It's just not a flattering one. Lip

liner is intended to add dimension to thin or small

lips, to lengthen the wear of your lip color and to

prevent your lipstick from "bleeding" onto your face.

It is not intended to create a visible outline.

Inferior products in your dressing area

Most of us are not starlets with dressing rooms and

make-up artists at our disposal. But that doesn't mean

we don't deserve to look like starlets with dressing

rooms and make-up artists. Invest in good lighting

around your vanity. Stock it with quality make-up

brushes and limit your make-up collection to products

you'll actually use. That way, your budget can be used

to buy better cosmetics.

You're worth it

Add a couple of extra minutes, a wee bit more effort

and a little money into your daily makeup routine. It's

not vain to spend a few dollars on or a few minutes at

your vanity. Put on your prettiest smile, bat your

beautiful lashes and show the world that you like who

you are.

Put your best face forward... you don't have to hide

behind crow's feet and lip lines...

Allison Saunders, self-taught professional make-up artist, founder of Hollywood Makeup Secrets, and creator of Step-By-Step Makeup & Beauty Video System, teaches women how to transform the way they look and feel, quickly and easily, and ultimately feel good about themselves, every single day.