If there’s one thing TikTok and Instagram can do, it’s make us feel inadequate. I’m not just talking about super-filtered, set-up bikini shots, I’m talking about the beauty community.
Who knew there were so many things we were all doing wrong? Even the most seasoned beauty pro could log onto those apps and within ten minutes be left reconsidering everything they’ve ever known.
The thing is, the words ‘hacks’ and ‘tips’ crop up more than Pete Davidson in the celebrity dating game, but that doesn’t mean they’re always legit. Half the time, they’re beauty hacks that our mothers and grandmothers were using which a younger generation have only just discovered, and the other half they’re just ridiculous and do sweet FA.
I’ll admit when it comes to beauty mistakes, there are quite a few I’ve made in my time. I’ve thankfully been steered back onto the right path from makeup artists and skincare experts that I’ve been lucky enough to work with in this industry. I’m not talking about outlandish trends or hacks, just straightforward, simple lessons that I’ve learned and implemented into my beauty routine which have made all the difference.
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And because hot girls don’t gatekeep, I’ve listed the top five beauty mistakes that I’ve noticed friends, colleagues and myself make countless times – and the quick fixes you can make.
Beauty mistake 1: using too much concealer
As a loyalist of the no-makeup makeup look, I’ve always prioritised a light base over a heavy one. Unfortunately, the mistake I was making was misconstruing this as meaning I could use as much of a ‘light coverage’ base product as I wanted – not so.
To try and cover up my dark circles and any rogue blemishes, I’d go in with layers of my lightweight concealer, which would then settle in my lines, go crusty and just not sit well at all.
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Instead, you want to invest in a good medium-full coverage concealer with which you’ll need to use a lot less. One of the best for coverage is undoubtedly Kevyn Aucoin’s Sensual Skin Enhancer, £34.80, LookFantastic. You only need the TINIEST dot of this, which will blend out to provide a flawless and undetectable base.
Beauty mistake 2: An oil is not a hydrator
A common misconception (and one I’ve made) is that using a face oil will hydrate the skin. While face oils will help to lock in moisture that’s already in the skin, they won’t add any additional moisture. This is why you want to apply them at the end of your skincare routine to look in all the hydration you’ve already added in (i.e. with essences, toners and serums).
This also plays into when people mistake their skin type as dehydrated when it’s dry, and vice versa. Both will usually benefit from added hyaluronic acid (more on that below), however oil alone won’t help dehydrated skin as it needs that additional water, whereas dry skin doesn’t produce enough oil to keep the skin barrier moisturised and will definitely feel and look better with the addition of an oil.
Beauty mistake 3: Applying a hyaluronic acid onto dry skin
Hyaluronic acid has worked its way into the majority of our skincare routines (and hearts) thanks to its promise of hydrated, plump skin. But here’s the thing: hyaluronic acid is a humectant, which means it draws in moisture from surrounding areas and furthermore can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water. Sounds great right? Well, not always.
If you’re in a low-humidity environment or already have a very dry face, the hyaluronic acid can actually draw moisture from the deeper levels of your skin, leaving you even drier than before.
To avoid this, always make sure you’re applying hyaluronic onto damp skin and sealing it in with a moisturiser: I always spritz my face with a hydrating face mist (I love Byoma’s Balancing Face Mist, £11.99, Cult Beauty and e.l.f’s Hydrating Coconut Mist, £6, Sephora) before applying my hyaluronic and follow immediately with my favourite moisturiser.
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Beauty mistake 4: You’re probably pressing too hard with your makeup brushes
Back in the golden days of the beauty blogger, I used to watch YouTube makeup tutorials religiously. I taught myself everything from intricate cut creases to how to contour for your face shape, and honestly I still recommend going back and watching these videos because they give the in-depth explanations you don’t get with short-form Reels and TikToks.
One of the best lessons I’ve ever learned – and one that has been reinforced as I’ve met makeup artists in my work – is that half the reason my eye makeup look wasn’t blending nicely was because I had my makeup brush in a death grip.
Obviously, laying down a good primer and using pigmented eyeshadows is your starting point, but if you’re applying too much pressure when blending your eyeshadows, you’ll be left with a patchy eye at best; a black eye at worst.
To avoid this, hold the brush as near to the bottom as is comfortable to ensure you’re only applying a light amount of pressure, which in turn will allow the shadows to blend easily.
Beauty mistake 5: You’re applying your eyeliner wrong / not taking into consideration your eye shape when applying your eyeliner
I’ve been applying eyeliner since I first laid eyes on felt tip liner pens (at around ten years, to be exact) and I’ve now got my wings down to a fine art. But it wasn’t always this way. It took me years and thousands of cottons buds to learn how to swipe on a perfect line in 10 seconds, and this was because I was trying to do my eyeliner like everyone else.
Our eye shapes are all so unique and unless you’re learning to apply it from someone with a similar eye shape to yours, you are setting yourself up for failure. Case in point; for years I tried to replicate Alexa Chung’s feline eyeliner, which didn’t compliment mine at all, because unlike her almond eye shape, I have deeper set, hooded eyes.
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Someone that changed the game for me was Katie Jane Hughes, who has created some of the best videos explaining how to do eyeliner for every eye shape, including hooded eyes, which can be trickier to navigate. Take a few hours to sit and experiment with different eyeliner products, flicks and application techniques, and I promise you once you’ve found your personal eyeliner shape, it’ll change your eye makeup game for good.
Also, because I am shocked at the amount of people who don’t do this: apply your eyeliner sitting down in front of a standing circle mirror! Trying to do it with a mirror far away or with one hand is like trying to do a tightrope walk blindfolded – unnecessary and only for the (slightly mad) professionals.
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