If something pulls too red or orange and your undertone is olive or neutral, put it straight in the trash. One of the worst makeup mistakes I’ve ever made is using products meant for people with warmer skin tones, and trust me, I looked bad for a long time.
Learn how to apply your bronzer properly so that your face doesn’t look muddy. One of the things that ruins a full face of makeup fast is muddy bronzer. Use a small brush and small motions to apply and blend it out, apply in moderation at the start, and build the product up as you work with it. It’s easier to add than to remove.
Your false eyelashes need to suit the shape of your eye. If they don’t, they’ll be difficult to apply and they’re going to be uncomfortable to wear. You also don’t always need to wear lashes; there are great lash serums that have no prostaglandins (you can even use castor oil), and sometimes a good mascara is all that’s necessary for a natural look.
If you can’t find a foundation that suits you and you’re willing to spend some money, go for Black-owned brands. Pat McGrath and Danessa Myricks both make amazing base products, and I swear both brands are some of the best for finding a quality, long-lasting foundation or skin tint. I was put on to Pat McGrath foundation and I reach for it more often than not.
Using moisturizer, primer, toner pads, serums, or whatever before doing your base isn’t what’s ruining your makeup. In fact, when applied correctly and when allowed to dry before layering another product, skin prep will help make your makeup last longer. I love the Danessa Blurring Balms and the Pat McGrath foundation; both are beautiful and apply so nicely.
If you struggle with your lip gloss migrating, use a clear lip liner. I use a cheap Rimmel clear lip liner, and my gloss doesn’t stray; it stays where I put it and it locks my lip products in. I also use the same clear liner before I apply my regular lip liner, even when I’m overlining, because it’s a great way to prep and it’s lightweight and totally clear.
If you’re a fan of the bright undereye, make sure that both the concealer and the powder you’re using match your undertone. Again, if you have a neutral undertone and the concealer you’re using is better suited for someone who has a warm undertone, the look isn’t going to be cohesive. Same with using a medium/dark powder on top of a super light foundation, it’s not going to look the way you want it to.
Color correcting is great, but if you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing or you don’t get color theory, just use a white color corrector. Even if your skin is dark, white can lighten dark spots and neutralize colors. On the same topic, if your foundation or concealer doesn’t match and you do understand color theory, don’t be afraid to use color mix-ins (LA Girl’s are affordable and work well; I’ve used them with Armani foundation to much success) to help your foundation better suit your coloring.
Baking isn’t old news, and with a lot of makeup looks, you need to use powder to make them last. If you’re complaining about how your foundation starts to look like an oil slick before noon and you don’t use any sort of powder, loose or pressed, no wonder. Powder isn’t evil; using the wrong shade is usually the issue, and luckily enough, many brands have expanded their range and have numerous offerings now.
Blending, and being willing to put in the extra time that some products require is sometimes the key. If your eyeshadow looks blocky or your bronzer looks like a bike lane, take a brush to it and get to blending. Now, can you overblend? Absolutely, but the reality is that once you’ve learned how to blend and gotten acquainted with the products you’re using, it gets easy to tell when your blending brushes have had enough.
