5. Not checking your make-up in natural light.
That “subtle and demure” make-up you see in
your bathroom mirror can make you look geisha-like in the bright light of day.
The secret of make-up is to enhance your looks
in a subtle, natural way, unless you go all out for a dramatic evening look.
You don’t want make-up to be too obvious, such as a line of demarcation along
your jaw where your foundation ends, or to leave the house with a harsh streak
of too-dark or too-bright blush.
Not
checking your make-up in natural light.
The reason for these blunders is usually
that we apply make-up in dim or indirect light. “Natural light reflects color
in its true form, so it’s a good idea to step outside, but not in direct sunlight,”
advises Van Tonder.
“Checking make-up in natural light helps to
avoid mistakes that may look fine in a bathroom light,” says O’Connell. “Try to
have a mirror near your bedroom window so you can check your make-up.”
Fading or running eye make-up is a related
blunder.
When you’re our on the town, partying all
night, your make-up can start to run while you’re none the wiser!
If you’re planning a big night, do it
right. Don’t put moisturizer near your eyes and set pencil liner with a little
dab of translucent powder to ensure it stays in place.
6. Not cleaning your eyebrows properly
Build-up of make-up and dead skin can cause
blocked hair follicles.
Using make-up, such as brow powder, pencils
or waxes, plus accumulation of perspiration, foundation, eye shadow and
moisturizing creams in the brow hair can cause follicles to block up and result
in bald parches or cleaned properly, says top local make-up artist Gillian
Lentin.
Build-up
of make-up and dead skin can cause blocked hair follicles.
To maintain think, shiny brow hair, she
advises using a soft toothbrush daily. This is to dislodge any make-up and
product debris from the brows and to stimulate growth. Also, very importantly,
she cautions: “Remember to apply sunscreen above and on brows, as skin here can
be sensitised from plucking and tinting.”
The second eyebrow-beauty blunder? Either
you overpluck or underpluck them. See a professional for shaping brows at least
once a month and then keep it up yourself to save money, advises Lentin.
Eyebrow mousse or gel is particularly
useful, says Julie-Anne Hegarty, form Tweezerman. “like hair gel, gel for your
eyebrows shape them the way you want them. This gives the impression that your
eyebrows are fuller and thicker.”
7. Overdosing on hair-styling products
Using more than two products can make your
hair and scalp oily.
Your mother always warned you against too
much of a good thing, didn’t she? This certainly applies to hair-styling
products.
While a little bit of product can be the
cherry on top of your perfect coif, you can ruin a great look by going
overboard. And it is very tempting to indulge in the array of shine sprays,
mousse and gels available these days.
Using
more than two products can make your hair and scalp oily.
Using too much product can make your hair
greasy and grungy and also weigh it down, says Shelene Shaer from Tanaz Hair,
Body and Nails in Joburg. “Match the items you use to the texture of your hair.
Fine hair needs root lift so use a mousse at the roots and a dash of serum on
the ends. Medium hair needs a gel or cream. Curly, wild hair can be weighted
down with a mix of cream and serum.
“The drier hair is, the more moisture it
needs so use a cream. If your hair is frizzy, you may be tempted to bombard it
with product: use only a serum to tame it.”
Avoid applying a second product to hair
once it’s dry, as this is often overkill and attracts dirt, warns Shaer.
Also, don’t use too big a dollop of
product. “The amount depends on the thickness of the hair,” says Shaer. “A
R5-coin-size of mousse for fine hair and a shot glass-size for longer hair
should be enough.”
The best way to apply styling products is
to towel-dry hair. Then rub the product between your hands, spread your fingers
wide and apply to the hair but not the scalp. If you’re styling curly hair,
you’ll need to guide the curl with the product and leave the hair fairly wet.
8. Skipping sunscreen in key areas
You’re inviting telltale signs of sun
damage in the form of dark spots and dry patches. Even worse, you’ll increase
your risk of skin cancer.
The good news? Finally the message is
getting through: women are increasingly wearing sunscreen every day, all-year-round
says Cape Town dermatologist Dr Izolda Heydenrych.
However, we still don’t do it perfectly.
The problem spots that we continue missing are around the hairlines, the
temples, sides and back of the neck, on the ears, and in the inner-eye corner,
tight next to the nose.
You’re
inviting telltale signs of sun damage in the form of dark spots and dry
patches.
“I’m finding an alarming number of people
with skin cancer in the inner corner of the eye – it’s a neglected spot and
very vulnerable, especially on the right side of the face, which is exposed to
sun damage while driving,” says Dr Heydenrych.
The simple fix? Make sure you’re not
skimping on sunscreen and pay attention to those vulnerable spots. If your hair
is thin, you also need to protect your scalp at the parting.
The corner amount of sunscreen for your
face is half a teaspoon. Rub the lotion between your hands, and apply from the
top of your face down, taking care to blend it into the hairline and the top of
the ears.
While you’re at it, remember your neck and
chest and top of the hands – that means another teaspoon full.
