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Picking the wrong color foundation -

Your foundation is supposed to blend in with your skin. Picking the wrong color will highlight the fact that you’re wearing makeup, and cheapen the overall look.

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No moisturizer before makeup -

Dry skin is just going to cause flaky makeup. Make sure that you have used moisturizer (even better if it can also be used as a primer) before beginning your makeup.

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Stretching your eye for the perfect wing -

Pulling on your eye can cause damage to the sensitive skin, in addition to creating a very uneven line. Instead, use tape to create the perfect wing.

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Applying blush too low -

Blush is meant to be placed on the apples of the cheeks and blended back on the cheekbones. However, many put it lower. This can age you, making your face look overdone and clownish.

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Testing foundation on your wrist -

Your wrist is not an accurate representation of your skin color. Instead, try testing your foundation on your neck or jawline. This will give you a better idea of the right coloring and tones you need to match and blend with.

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Overwashing your face -

Washing your face is important, as it helps to keep your skin healthy and blemish-free. However, make sure not to overwash it, as it strips your face of its natural oils and creates dry, flaky skin.

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Putting on makeup in bad lighting -

Putting on makeup in bad lighting can create a completely different (and often worse) look when you step out into natural light. When possible, put on makeup near windows to ensure that you can see your look clearly.

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Too much brow makeup -

While bold brows may be in right now, there is such a thing as taking it too far. Don’t fill in your whole brow, but instead use small strokes to fill in sparse spots. It will create a more natural look.

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Keeping your mascara too long -

None of us want to buy pricey mascara more than we have to, however, most mascara has a shelf life of about four months. Not only will it cease to function the longer you have it, it also becomes susceptible to bacteria.

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Wearing waterproof mascara every day -

Waterproof mascara is perfect if you’re headed to the pool or a wedding, however, it’s not for everyday use. The formula will dry out your lashes, and the extra scrubbing needed to take it off can cause more damage.

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Putting bronzer all over your face -

Many of us want to look tanner than we are, so we use more bronzer to add to that healthy glow. Unfortunately, using too much bronzer will just make you look orange. Only apply bronzer where the sun would naturally hit you, like on the tops of your cheeks or at your hairline.

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Bad blending -

Even if you have all the right tones, makeup still isn’t going to look good or natural if you haven’t blended it properly. Invest in some brushes and sponges, and watch tutorials to find out how best to blend each facet of your look.

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Sleeping in your makeup -

One of makeup’s greatest faux pas, leaving products on overnight can do a number on your skin. To make sure your face stays healthy and blemish-free, take off your makeup before bed.

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Not changing makeup with age -

It makes sense that since our skin changes over time, our makeup should as well. As you age, you should move from powders to creams, and you need to pay even more attention to your skin prep routine.

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Too much concealer -

Concealer is not meant to go over your whole face, but to cover up imperfections. Make sure that you don’t go too heavy on your targeted area, and try to pick lighter products that don’t cake.

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Forgetting the primer -

If you’re headed out for a long day (or night), it’s important to use a primer so that your makeup stays in place. Skipping this step can cause your look to bleed and fade over time, often in an uneven fashion.

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Doing your lips first -

Lips may be the focus of your look, but that doesn’t mean that they should be done first. Always do your lips last, so that you don’t get powder or other makeup stuck on them in the meantime.

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Dark lipstick during the day -

While dark lipstick can create a bold look for a night out, during the day it makes your lips look dried out and thin. Try sticking to lighter and medium tones to complement your daytime look.

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Using too much mascara on the bottom lashes - While you want your upper lashes to look dark and luscious, you only want to minimally highlight your bottom lashes. Only put one coat on the bottom, as thick mascara there will highlight any wrinkles you may have.

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Using makeup for a different skin type -

There are plenty of great products out there, but not all of them are right for your skin type. Make sure you’re picking products based on what they can do for you, and not just based on reviews.

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Skipping the neck -

Your makeup can only look so natural if your face looks one way and your neck looks another. Make sure you blend your makeup all the way down to create a comprehensive look.

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Not cleaning your brushes -

Just like with anything else that we use regularly, your brushes also need to be cleaned. Use a little bit of shampoo or tea tree oil in order to get the excess makeup off and have them working as good as new again.

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Not changing your foundation with the season -

You should be matching your foundation to your skin, so it makes sense that you should have a different foundation depending on the season. Get at least a foundation for winter and summer, and you can blend the two for a tone anywhere in-between.

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Skipping exfoliation -

Exfoliation should come before moisturizing, in order to slough off all the dead skin cells. It’s an important part of the skin prepping process. Just make sure not to overdo it.

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Letting your lipstick bleed -

Blurred lipstick lines aren’t doing any favors for anyone. In order to prevent this, line your lips with concealer or lip liner to create crisp definition.

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Only using foundation -

If you’re only using foundation, but not using any other tools to bring depth to your face, you’re going to end up looking washed out. Either skip the foundation all together, or combine it with blush, bronzer, or highlighter in order to create a more nuanced look.

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Not doing eyeliner for your eye shape - There are many gorgeous makeup tips out there for eye makeup, but you need to consider your eye shape. What works well with one shape may not work for another. You want to find the best variation for you, so do your research.

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Not setting your makeup -

If you’ve gone through all the work of creating your makeup look, you want to make sure it lasts. Apply a finishing powder to keep your look in place. If your skin is dry, however, you may want to consider a moisturizing face mist instead.

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Doing too much -

In any good makeup look, there should be one focal point. Have you really outdone yourself on the eyes? Then try a softer lip. Gone for a bold lipstick? Tone down the eyes. Doing too much can just make your look come across as clownish instead of sophisticated.

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Using expired makeup -

Mascara isn’t the only product with an expiration date. Not only will your makeup not function as well, it can also be a cesspool of bacteria and cause infections. Pay attention to when you need to replace your products.

See also: Are you using expired makeup? Here's when to toss it.

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