We all make mistakes, we’re only human. But sometimes it really sucks when you’re scrolling through your old pictures and your makeup just looks catastrophic.

Here are some common makeup mistakes that you might be making:

1. Wearing the wrong shade of foundation

Applying a foundation that is five shades too light for your skin tone can completely ruin your makeup look. When picking a shade of foundation, always try it out on your jawline and pick the one that matches your skin the best. Foundation is supposed to look like real skin conceal any uneven skin tones – not to hide your true self. Wearing too much foundation will give you a cake face look and make you look older. And remember to always blend it in to your neck.

2. Storing your makeup in your bathroom

To some people it would make complete sense to store makeup in their bathroom – it’s where most people get ready. However, storing makeup in the bathroom will not only dry out your products and it can also make your makeup more bacteria prone. Bathrooms in Pakistan can be very humid and hot. Humidity is bacteria’s best friend so it’s best to store your makeup and brushes in a cool, dry area to prevent spreading bacteria onto your face.

3. Not cleaning your brushes

The most common mistake people make is applying makeup with dirty brushes or old sponges. If you don’t wash your applicators your makeup won’t look fresh and you may break out. It’s best to wash your makeup applicators with a mild shampoo or a brush cleaner at least once a week. It’s important to replace sponges and blenders often.

4. OD-ing on waterproof mascara

Waterproof mascara is great. When you’re going to watch a sad movie or if you’re going to be sweating – it’s great to apply waterproof mascara. However, applying it on a daily basis is not good for your eyelashes. It can end up drying your eyelashes, make them thin, brittle, and even cause them to break. It’s best to use regular mascara on a day-to-day basis and waterproof for those special times.

5. Doing your makeup in bad lighting

Lighting matters, a lot. It’s truly terrible when you do your makeup in the morning thinking you look like Beyoncé, then look at yourself in natural lighting two hours later only to realize you look like a churail. It’s best to do your makeup in the most natural lighting possible, like by a mirror near your window.

6. Overdoing the lip liner

Lip liner can be a hit or miss. The trick to blending your liner perfectly is choosing one that’s just one shade darker or brighter than your natural lip color. Try not to over line your lips too much.

7. Keeping products for too long

All makeup has an expiration date. Every product is different based on what it is used for, where it’s applied, and how sustainable it is. Get rid of your old products every so often and update your precious collection.

8. Forgetting to prime

It’s a crime, really. Whether or not you wear a full face of makeup everyday or if you keep it simple with BB cream, primer is a godsend when trying to get rid of shine or create a smooth base for foundation. Many people skip this step because they don’t think they need it. However, using primer beneath your makeup will make everything last longer.

8. Overfilling your brows

Bold eyebrows are definitely in but only if they suit your face. If you have thin eyebrows it’s not great to create a fuller brow with a super dark pencil – it can look really harsh. Natural colors are always the best.

9. Ditching the sunscreen

Skipping sunscreen in your makeup routine is a big mistake. Applying a sunscreen that has at least 20 SPF before you leave for your day is crucial. It should be reapplied every couple of hours – especially in the scorching Pakistani sun. A strong SPF is recommended to protect your skin from sun damage.

10. Going crazy with the blush/bronzer

We’ve all done it before. You smile and start applying blush to your cheeks, but when you look in the mirror you aren’t satisfied and start applying more. Before you know it – you look very clownish. Blush is only supposed to give you a healthy glow and add color to your complexion. Make sure you go easy on it and focus on the apples of your cheeks.

11. Using concealer that isn’t the right tone

Concealer works wonders. But that is only if you find the right shade for your skin tone. There are under eye concealers and face concealers. When picking a color for the under eyes – go for one that is two shades lighter than your skin tone to brighten this area.  However, for face concealer, choose a color that is your exact skin color.

12. Putting on too much powder

Applying heavy face powder all over your face will give an unnatural look to your skin and make you look much older. Powder settles in fine lines and wrinkles making your pores look more prominent. Only apply powder where you need it – down your T-zone and very lightly to set your concealer.  Translucent powders are great if you want to avoid looking cakey.

13. Applying too much eyeliner

Eyeliner is used to define your eyes and give a fuller lash illusion. There are numerous colors, textures, and ways to apply eyeliner. However, over lining eyes too thick is a huge mistake. It creates a very unnatural looking black ring around the eyes, and makes your eyes look smaller. Go with the eyeliner style that goes well with your eye shape.

14. Sleeping with makeup

It can be super tempting to just head to your bed and pass out after a night out. However, you MUST cleanse your face every night no matter how hard it may seem. Keep makeup removing wipes in your nightstand for those nights where you have no energy. You don’t want to wake up in the morning with a face full of zits.

Have you made any of these makeup mistakes? Let us know.

Cover image via: dawn.com