7 Reasons Why Your Makeup May Look Bad On You

Women wear makeup to feel more beautiful and powerful. It isn't necessary, in the grand scheme of things, but it's fun to do and gives a good confidence boost whenever you need it. What's not to love? However, I've had some people tell me that they don't like to wear makeup because it makes them look old or their face ends up...not quite right. Some leave the house with absolutely no clue that their application is cringe-worthy.

Again, if you think you look perfectly gorgeous then that's ok. Let 'em cringe! But you might be missing a few things and it never hurts to improve. ^_^ Here are a few reasons why your makeup might look bad on you!

1. Your skin is not in a good state. Going for expensive, well-reviewed brands and/or piling up the coverage will NOT make bad skin disappear. Foundation, concealers, and powders can only do so much to cover up pimples, flakes, lines, and blemishes. You must learn to accept that your skin needs to improve first before you can fully maximize your bases.

Invest in good skincare and stick to a routine that works for you. See a dermatologist, if needed. 

2. You're using the wrong shades for your skin tone and hair. Makeup requires people to suspend their disbelief but that is challenged when your foundation is two shades lighter than your neck. Likewise, If you don't have red hair, then red-tinted eyebrows are a no go. As a general rule it's always good to match your bases to your skin tone and your color cosmetics as close to your hair color as possible. 

There are also color guides available for blushes, lipsticks, and eyeshadows according to how flattering they are to specific tones. 

3. The makeup is not blended properly. Sometimes I want to bring brushes with me so I can blend people's faces in! Haha seriously though, make sure that 1) all products adhere close to your skin, instead of just sitting on top 2) there are no obvious lines to be seen on your eyebrows, eyeshadow work, blushes, and contour. The trick is to always add sheer layers instead of dropping it all in, then blending it out. Put on a little first then add more as needed.

4. You have obvious facial hair and ungroomed brows. Facial hair (and body hair in general) is all about preference. You shouldn't allow yourself to be bullied to follow a standard of beauty you don't believe in. That said, a standard does exist and you can choose to follow if you prefer to look pretty according to current sensibilities. 

Removing facial hair and grooming eyebrows create a clean palette for makeup to adhere better and show off colors as they are meant to look. Facial hair causes skin to look greyish as the hair casts shadows on it; it makes skin look rough and uneven. That's why I prefer to remove mine.

5. You've played up too many features in one go. The classic rule of makeup is to highlight only one or two features at a time. Trends always seek to challenge this, but to look elegant and timeless you might want to commit to a minimal look. If you're wearing loud lips, keep the rest of your face polished but bare. If you have colorful or dark eyeshadow on then wear neutral lipstick to stay classy. Use blush to look healthy but make sure it won't compete with the lips. 

Oh and don't forget eyebrows! Keep them soft if you're wearing strong lips, stronger if you're wearing dark eye shadow. (I should probably make a diagram for all this!)

This is bordering on too much, IMHO, but it didn't cross the line because I wore no blush and had relatively soft eyebrows on.

6. Everything has a matte finish. Women love matte because it looks fantastic in pictures plus the formula falls apart slower in hotter weather or oilier skin. However, in person, an all-matte look on the eyes, lips, and face can be disquieting. It gives off too much of a wax mannequin vibe! A dewy or satin finish should be great for everyday. Keep only strategic areas matte, and never everything. 

7. The staying power of the products you used are not suitable to your skin type and environment.  The trick lies in choosing the right formula for your skin and needs. You can even take lighting into consideration!

For example, if you're a busy student with a plate full of activities you might want a long-wearing yet light foundation with SPF50. If your air conditioner in the office dries out your skin and the light makes you look wan, you might want to go for a dewy, hydrating foundation and brighter colors.

For myself, I organise and attend events for work, so I need slightly heavier, more photogenic makeup for those days. On a normal day I just have a CC cream with high SPF, concealer, a sheer powder, eyebrows, and lip balm. It really depends! My point is that we mustn't buy products blindly. Always consider what your skin is like, what you need the products for, and where you're going.

So there you go. ^_^ Share your advice too!