Makeup can be your best friend or your worst enemy. It is a delightful luxury for some and a definite must for others. However, despite the fact that some women wear makeup every day, there are certain mistakes that are commonly made.Here are some of them and how you can avoid them:

Foundation Mistakes
The most common mistake when it comes with foundation is wearing the wrong colour for your skin tone. It is very important that you find the perfect shade for your skin. When you shop for foundation, ensure that the shop with natural light, so that you can see how well the foundation blends into your skin. Another mistake that women make when applying foundation is wearing too much of it. Foundation is meant to hide imperfections and give you flawless looking skin. With that in mind, it would be a good idea to only cover the discoloured parts of your face with the foundation, to give you a more natural look. This is another reason why your foundation should be as close to your natural colour as possible.

Re-drawn eyebrows
At some point in time, having very thin eyebrows was the ‘rage’. However, what they failed to tell us is that eyebrows are very difficult to grow back and that it was to be a trend that was going to last a very short time. Now, some of us have been left with very thin or even non-existent eyebrows. But, thank God for eyebrow pencils, right? Wrong! Well, it depends on how you use it. Eyebrow pencil should be used very carefully to prevent you looking harsh and old. Black eyebrow pencil should be avoided. Instead, opt for a dark brown. This will give your eyebrows a more natural look. Also, when ‘’re-drawing’’ your eyebrows, avoid drawing in a single line. Instead, fill in the bald parts of your eyebrows or draw them on with dashes.

Too much black eyeliner
Black eyeliner, though popular, can make your eyes and face look harsh. It, thus, becomes important that you choose the right amount of black eyeliner to wear and how to wear it. A single straight line does not look natural, and so smudging it with a cotton bud or a smudger will help you achieve a softer look. You could also consider wearing dark brown eyeliner instead of black, to help avoid the harsh look black eyeliner can give you.

Dark lipliner
Many black women have been guilty of wearing lipliner that is very dark, sometimes even black (yours truly included). This is not a flattering look for anyone and there is no reason to do it. When choosing your lipliner colour, choose one that is as close to the natural colour of your lips as possible. Yes , you read that right – I said natural lip colour and not lipstick. This helps to give the most natural look.

Article by Sharon Kariwo