Ever left your house looking more like an oopma loompa than a beautiful bronzed babe? Or gone a tad overboard with your tweezers? Or perhaps you were too heavy-handed with your foundation? Go on, admit it beauties, we’re all friends here!
Whatever your past beauty boo-boo, we’re here to ensure you prevent the problem in the future – or at the very least learn how to handle it if you’re ever caught out as the victim of these make-up mistakes again!

The problem: too much bronzer

The solution: So you’ve gone a tad overboard with your face and/or body bronzer? It happens. Sometimes we just get a bit brush-happy and keep on sweepin’. The way to solve this problem is to start again. Covering the bronzer with more powder is only going to make you looked caked-on. Trust me, just rinse your face and start again – you may think it’s a waste of foundation (or time), but we guarantee it will teach you a lesson and your fresh and dewy complexion will be compensation enough.

The prevention: The number one reason over-bronzing can occur is the wrong lighting. When you’re applying your make-up in lighting that’s too light or too dark you can fail to see any bronzer being applied at all, so naturally you get more vigorous. Not good! Begin by standing in natural light and starting with a just a sweep or two first – you can then build up the intensity if you need more colour. Remember, it’s way easier to add more than it is to take away.

The problem: over-tweezing

The solution: If you suddenly feel the need to ‘clean up’ your brows, only to realise a few moments later that you look more cartoon than cute - you’ve over-plucked. Take a deep breath, don’t freak out – grab some brow powder and ‘fill out’ your brows a little more. We love Ardell Brow Defining Powder for this as the powder works to make what’s left of the hair look ‘thickened’ and it doesn’t leave a severe edge as can be the case with other brow pencils. 

The prevention: If your brow shape isn’t clearly defined, it’s a good idea to get a professional to shape them for you first. That way if you feel overcome by the need to tweeze, you can simply follow the shape already created for you, plucking the stray hairs without worrying about ruining the shape too much.

The problem: the foundation ‘mask’

The solution: Ever stepped out into the sunlight only to realise that you’re wearing a bit of a foundation ‘mask’? Either the wrong colour foundation or bad blending skills are to blame. For a quick fix, simply wet the tips of your fingers and lightly rub the edge of the ‘mask’, then add a little more foundation to those fingers and work it into your jaw line. Take the colour down your neck to ensure there is no unsightly division left!

The prevention: Firstly, it’s imperative to choose a foundation that’s your perfect skin tone match. Most people need one for the summer months and a different one for the winter months. If you’re not sure which shade you should be wearing, just visit a beauty counter in your nearest department store and get them to fit you with the correct shade. Most beauty counters will offer this service for free and may even give you a foundation sample too! Also, always, always make sure you remember to take your foundation down to your neck and blend, blend, blend!

What is your biggest make-up mistake story ever?