Make Up Disasters You’ll Want To Avoid

Once upon a time, these make up looks might have been fashionable and up to date, but in the 21st century they’re a big no no. Here’s a rundown of some of the worst make up crimes a person can commit, so you know to avoid them!

- Darker lipliner than lipstick.

Or perhaps just no lipstick at all, as is occasionally seen (unfortunately). This ‘fashion’ has never been in style, because not only is it unflattering, it just looks terrible. Lipliner is meant to create a neat edge to lipstick, and should be the same shade as the lipstick used. It isn’t meant to be used to create a darker shape around the lips, so don’t do it!

- Coloured eyeshadow up to the eyebrows.

The main eyeshadow colour should only go up to the top of the eyelids, ending just where the bulge for the eye finishes. However, we’ve all seen women who wear bright colours – sometimes blue and green – right up to their eyebrow arches. It isn’t a good look, particularly as it makes a person look permanently startled.

- Perfectly round blusher.

We’re talking blusher applied in a perfect circle, with no blending in to the rest of the face. This make up disaster is reminiscent of clowns thanks to its perfect bright red circles that don’t compliment the face, just make a person look comical. Apply blusher sparingly and using a sweeping motion of the apple of the cheek to avoid committing this make up sin.

Where To Find Discontinued Cosmetics

Every girl has a product in their make up bag that they simply couldn’t live without. Maybe it’s the mascara that curls your eyelashes better than any lash curlers have ever managed, or the shade of lipstick that is the perfect match for your complexion; whatever it is, we all have our favourite, essential products. But what would you do if that product was suddenly discontinued?

The misfortune of discontinued cosmetics is something that hits thousands of women and girls each year, and it’s no exagerration to say it can be somewhat distressing. Make up and cosmetic brands have a high turnover of products, and unless something is consistently wildly successful, they could discontinue the product at any time. It’s a nightmare, especially if your favourite product is expensive and stocking up isn’t an option.

If your favourite product is discontinued and no longer available, don’t panic just yet – you do have options. First and foremost, call the manufacturer or distributor; they may have excess stock available for you to purchase. This won’t last forever of course, but it should give you the chance to stock up.

Your second stop for discontinued cosmetics should be an online auction site, such as eBay. Smaller sellers often have a lot of stock left to sell, and there are also specialists in discontinued cosmetics who have their own methods of obtaining the product.

Thirdly, contact any stores (online or physical) that you know sold the product when it was available. If they have unsold stock, they may sell it to you for cost price.

Beware The Make Up Review

It is only natural to seek the opinions of others before spending money on a product you have never tried before, and an entire wealth of websites and magazines have been set up to allow users to consult others and garner opinions. In few industries does this apply as strongly as it does in the beauty industry, with literally thousands of magazine inches and hundreds of blogs covering the very subject of make up reviews.

While it may only be natural, and usually beneficial, to seek user and professional reviews before buying a make up product, there is a word of warning. Where make up differs from other reviewed products (such as appliances, books or movies) is in the subjective nature of each product.

Sound complicated? It isn’t, really, it’s just something you need to be aware of. For example, a piece of make up may not work for a reviewer or blogger, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. As make up is applied to skin, and everyone’s skin is different, that means that every single person who uses a particular product is going to get different results with it. Most conscientious bloggers and reviewers will state this discrepancy in their reviews.

Does this mean that reviews are a totally meaningless waste of time? Of course not. If, for example, numerous reviews done by many different people all say that a product is useless, you can probably trust in the wisdom of crowds and dismiss it as poor. You can also looks at comments about consistency, price, packaging – basically, anything to do with the product prior to and after it is used on skin.

Three Beauty Uses for Vaseline

Vaseline (also known by its chemical properties name, petroleum jelly) is an essential item in any make up bag or purse, thanks to its wealth of uses. Here are three ways you can use Vaseline to enhance your complexion and appearance, without spending a fortune:

1. Eyelash Softener

Apply a light amount of Vaseline to your eyelashes every night before you go to bed, using a clean mascara wand if preferred. Leave on overnight (don’t apply so much that it comes off on to your pillow; just a light dusting will suffice). Over time, using Vaseline in this way will soften your eyelashes, as well as making them appear longer by separating the lashes apart. Mascara will sit on your lashes much better, giving an enhanced appearance.

2. Dry Skin Moisturiser

If you have serious problems with dry skin, you should probably use a medicated lotion (consult your doctor). However, if your suffer from the occasional weather-induced bout of dry skin, a thin layer of Vaseline is the quickest and most affordable remedy. Apply a plaster or band-aid over the top of the Vaseline for maximum healing.

3. Lip Balm and Softener

Rather than spending a fortune on expensive lip balms or lip salves, use Vaseline. The consistency is ideal for a protective layer if going out in the cold, or for healing if the damage has already been done. To this end, Vaseline produce a rose-tinted product which both heals and gives your lips a healthy pink glow, not unlike a lipstick would. There are also SPF Vaseline versions, ideal for holidays and sunny days.

How To Avoid Make Up Disasters

Most of us have probably seen our fair share of make up disasters, and it’s never pretty. The usual suspects tend to be involved in creating such an unpleasant look: tide marks of foundation, over-applied blusher that makes the wear look uncomfortably hot no matter what the weather outside is doing, lipstick that misses the edge of the lips and, of course, the dreaded ‘panda eyes’ of mascara and eyeliner.

When it comes to wearing and using make up, there is an eternal truism of the beauty and fashion industry: less is more. The more make up you layer on, the more likely you are to look like a clown. Make up is about enhancing your natural assets, not repainting an entirely new face over your existing features. If you try and do the latter, there’s no way it can look decent.

The trick to getting make up right is a good mirror and good lighting in the room you apply it in. Many women make the mistake of applying make up in dimly lit rooms, where they can’t get a full look at their handiwork. You need to be able to see all the angles of your face (there are specialist mirrors that show different angles at the same time, if you feel like splashing out) clearly, so you can judge exactly what is going where and how it looks.

Many of us fall in to bad habits with make up and products, so keep things fresh by emptying out your make up bag and studying the products within carefully. If something hasn’t been used in six months, throw it away. By keeping things up-to-date and making the occasional new purchase, you can avoid wearing the same ‘look’ for years on end.

Three Essential Make Up Tips: Eyeliner

Whether you’re looking to create an enhanced, theatrical Cleopatra-style look, or just something more simple for daytime wear, eyeliner is one of the beauty staples. Here’s a quick guide to getting the most out of this essential product.

Tip One: Liquid or Pencil

Most make up brands manufacturer eyeliner in two different genres; liquid or pencil. It’s worth having one of each, in a trusty black colour, in your make up kit. The type of look you are going for influences which of the two types of eyeliner you should select; for something dramatic, use liquid, while for a more conservative look, pencil is your friend. Alternatively, you can use both: use pencil on the inner edge of the eye for more definition, and liquid on the outside of the eyelid to give a sweeping curve.

Tip Two: Practice, Practice, Practice

Eyeliner is extremely tricky to apply. It requires a steady hand, a good mirror in a well-lit room so you can see exactly what you’re doing, and lots and lots of practice. Over time, you’ll be able to draw beautiful lines over and under your eyelids in seconds, but put the ground work in first. Practice until you can create an unbroken and even line in both pencil and liquid.;

Tip Three: Let Eyeliner Dry

This is such a basic principle but it’s also a common mistake. Whether or not the eyeliner you are using is pencil or liquid, it’s important to let it dry before applying mascara. This takes around two minutes; a very short space of time that will help you avoid the dreaded smudging and ‘panda eyes’ effect.

Three Essential Make Up Tips: Mascara

Mascara allows you to darken and extend your eyelashes to true movie starlet glamour, and forms the central piece of many women’s make up bags. Get the most from this essential bit of make up kit with these three essential mascara tips.

Tip One: Apply Mascara In A ‘Zig Zag’ Movement

Rather than simply sweeping your mascara brush from the roots of your eyelashes to the tip in one downward (or upward) motion, agitate the brush back and forth in a ‘zig zag’ motion. This motion helps reduce the likelihood of mascara clumps, as only the necessary amount of product is applied thanks to the short time the brush spends on the lashes. It may take a couple of goes to get this right, so practice before doing it for real.

Tip Two: Always Use A Clean Mascara Brush To Finish

If you want to avoid panda eyes – and let’s face it, who doesn’t? – then it’s important you remove all excess mascara from your lashes once the application is complete. One method of ensuring the amount used is appropriate is mentioned above, but it’s best to check after the application also. The best way to do this is to use a clean mascara brush, perhaps one previously used in a mascara that has been washed clean, to sweep over the eyelashes and collect any unnecessary product.

Tip Three: Emphasize The Corners of Your Eyes

For truly glamourous lashes without looking like you’re caked in mascara, just apply the product to the corners of your eyes. This opens your eyes out without making your lashes look thick with mascara.