Makeup Mistakes: when less is more…and more is disastrous

I messed up my nail polish:

Without waiting for polish to dry, touch the mark on the surface with the finger dipped in solvent. If the varnish is too dry, paint over the nail with a top coat or colourless base.

My eyebrows are patchy:

Invest in an fine-tipped brow pencil the same colour as or lighter than your hair. Do not try to draw the eyebrow in full; instead fill in the holes by drawing in small lines. Get rid of the excess colour with a brush or, failing which, a completely dry toothbrush. Tip: avoid using eyeshadow for the eyebrows; it is too visible, especially if the patches are obvious.

I “drooled”:

Lipstick: clean lipstick off completely with eye makeup remover solutions, it works better than normal cream-based ones.
Nail polish: remove the traces with a toothpick covered with a veil of cotton soaked in solvent, it is much more precise and effective than a cotton bud.

I piled on too much loose powder:

To eliminate the geisha effect, spray a little mineral water mist 30 cm from the face and press the palm on the skin to remove the droplets. As a bonus, it will set the makeup.

I got a glob of makeup in the eye/I poked myself in the eye with a brush:

Look down immediately and fix your eyes on the ground. This way, the tears fall instead of rolling around the eyes and ruining the makeup. Gently wipe your eyes with a tissue if they are still wet after this.

I somewhat abused the blusher:

Decrease the intensity of the colour with a ball of cotton wool, rubbed on the cheekbone in circles to catch excess pigments. Smoothen out the colour by carefully tapping on translucent powder. Cream blush version: drop a hint of foundation on the cheek and work it in with the fingertips.

My concealer has cracked in my fine lines:

Remove excess concealer with a cotton swab soaked in remover. In the next application, slightly tighten the upper and lower eyelids to prevent the concealer from getting encrusted in the folds, and add a veil of loose powder on top to secure it, completely invisible.

I put on too much foundation:

To rectify this, lighten your “mask” with a transparent illuminator, or even a day cream applied with a foundation brush. Always work from the inside to the outside. It is good to know that the more the product is heated between the hands prior to application, the easier it is to apply.

I get red easily:

Soften the excess colour with a little transparent loose powder and pink blush to enhance the cheekbones.

My lipstick is too intense:

With a cotton swab loaded with moisturizing balm, dissolve the pigments and soften the colour. Finish with a layer of gloss. If the red stubbornly remains in the corners of the mouth, use a lip concealer to contour.

My mascara clumps:

It is unnecessary to remove everything and start the application from scratch. Instead, remove the excess mascara with a small comb, soaked in cleansing lotion that will dissolve the clumps.

Continue reading our report on “Hair and makeup mistakes”

When hair goes wrong

When treatments go completely wrong

Alix Etournaud