12 Mistakes You Unknowingly Make During Your Beauty Routine

Most of us have a beauty regime we tend to follow daily, even if it’s very simple. And some of us have more complicated routines that also involve makeup and styling, leaving so many things to consider that it can sometimes be overwhelming. But that’s why we’re here to show you a few tips on how to avoid mistakes that might make things a bit worse.

1. You don’t remove your makeup in the right direction.

Let’s be honest, you likely use a cotton swab to wipe off your makeup each day. Facial skin, especially the area around the eyes, is extremely sensitive, and you’re doing more harm than good when rubbing your face with force. Try patting instead, as your skin will be grateful for it.

2. You wear a concealer that is far too light.

When we want to cover those dark circles under our eyes, we usually choose a lighter shade, thinking that it’ll do wonders. But it can do quite the opposite and tends to make these bags look even ashier, resulting in us looking even more tired. The correct way to hide dark circles is by covering them with a slightly lighter primer than the tone of our foundation. Then apply a concealer that’s the same tone as your skin.

3. You use wipes to remove your makeup every day.

Is there anything more convenient? You wipe makeup off and forget about it. But you can’t use wipes all the time: they don’t cleanse the skin well enough. More than that, they’re made of a rough material that causes irritation and dries and stretches the skin. You should only use them when you don’t have access to water and a good cleanser. But for everyday care, you should use special foaming cleansers and gels.

4. You use an eyelash curler after applying mascara.

There’s a great temptation to curl your eyelashes after you’ve applied your mascara. But doing so is wrong and even dangerous. Mascara makes the eyelashes more brittle and vulnerable — they can break or stick to the curler and get ripped out.

5. You think that serums can be used on their own.

Serums should be applied before using a moisturizing cream. And it’s better to do it in the evening, especially if the serum contains retinol. This will allow the skin to fully absorb the necessary nutrients. A face mask will make it even more effective. In the summer, retinol-rich products can only be used together with sunscreen because they make the skin too sensitive to sunlight which can provoke sunburns.

6. You don’t choose earrings based on your face shape.

Each face shape has its own attributes, and you can highlight its beauty with specific earrings. For oval-shaped faces, drop earrings are a good choice. Pieces with long, straight lines and tassel earrings will help lengthen round-shaped faces.

Earrings with large stones are perfect for the heart-shaped face, while pearls and round stones soften square-shaped faces, like Hailey Bieber’s. As for the diamond-shaped face, delicate earrings with soft curves are ideal, especially those with details at the bottom.

7. You use dry sponges after putting foundation on.

Most sponges, especially popular beauty blenders, need to be wet. When they are dry, they “eat” too much of the beauty product and don’t spread it evenly.

8. You don’t consider your hand shape when choosing rings.

Choosing what rings will look best on you depends on the shape of your hands and fingers. If you have long fingers, any ring will suit you. On the other hand, if your fingers are short, it’s best to choose rings with a long, vertical design and avoid wide rings or those with a very striking design. Marquise-cut stones can help create the illusion of length.

Small hands do not look good with large, flashy rings, so it’s best to choose heart-shaped, oval, round, or square stones that are not too large. Large hands can get away with flashy, large, bulky rings that make them look smaller.

9. You keep a mask on overnight or remove it only after it dries completely.

Every type of facial mask should be used according to the directions. Don’t leave the mask on your face overnight unless the manufacturer says so — this can lead to serious skin problems. Fabric face masks should be removed before they dry. If you don’t do this, the mask will start to suck the moisture from the skin, which makes the skin drier.

The same goes for clay face masks — they should be applied in a thick layer for the moisture to evaporate slower. Remove them while they’re still sticky.

10. You apply your eyeliner too thick.

Applying eyeliner is one of the trickiest things when it comes to putting on makeup. You need to be meticulous and have a steady hand. One of the most common mistakes is applying a thick layer of eyeliner, causing your lids to appear smaller and hooded. It’s also not advisable to apply the liner on the lower lash line nor to pull the lid tight. Because of this, it’s always best to draw a thin line close to the lid.

11. You don’t wash off micellar water.

Micellar water is a lot like lotion, the only difference being that it doesn’t contain alcohol. It contains other active ingredients (micelles), and all the dirt it collects will remain on the face unless you wash it with water. Long-term contact of micellar water with the skin will make the water work like soap. This will lead to irritation.

12. You cut your toenails all wrong.

Even if you don’t have enough time for a pedicure, you still need to cut your toenails. To do this well, don’t round your toenails, just cut them in a straight line. Since round toenails have more of a chance of growing into your skin instead of growing forward as they should, this simple change can potentially save you a lot of trouble.

We all make beauty mistakes, and sometimes the results make us look older. But sometimes it takes years, if not decades, for people to realize their mistakes, and Brooke Shields is one of these people.