The Ten Biggest Makeup Mistakes

The Ten Biggest Makeup Mistakes

One of the most celebrated makeup artist explains where women err

Thanks to his work for leading fashion magazines, makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin has been described by Mirabella magazine as a key influence in shaping “the look of women in the Nineties.” In his best-selling book, The Art of Makeup, which he co-wrote with Tina Gaudoin, Aucoin reveals his techniques for making up such well-known beauties as Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and Liza Minelli. Here’s what Aucoin says in his book are the 10 most commun mistakes women make when applying their makeup:

Timidity: Allowing fear of what other people will think affect the way one thinks about oneself, and therefore the way one presents oneself to others,” is a big mistake, says Aucoin. For too many women, he adds, “The big thing is to look good, but not too good. We need to break through this attitude and not be afraid.”

Not blending: “The art of makeup is blending,” Aucoin says. When colors aren’t merged properly, with one another, makeup can end up looking “like a paint-by-numbers painting.”

Misuses of Bright colors: “Bright colors can look great, but they draw attention to the features they’re applied to and run the risk of looking like they are just sitting on top of the face.” When that happens, Aucoin warns, other facial features may appear to be weak.

“A lot of women put bright shadow on for the sake of putting on makeup,” Aucoin says. “Neutral tones take longer to work with. Bright-colored lipsticks tend to float on the face.”

Live without a makeup mistake. Photo by Elena

Not adapting makeup to one’s age and style: “The same makeup cannot be worn at 60 as 16.” A woman can be beautiful at any age, Aucoin says, but a face does change over time. “The choices of colors, haircut, and the choice of makeup should change, too. The same clothes aren’t often worn 20 years later, and the same should be true of makeup.”

Incorrect Foundation choice: “Most people have predominantly yellow undertones in the skin, not pink as many people think. It’s safest, when choosing a foundation to err on the yellow or golden side, not the blue-pink side.” Aucoin says that the most effective approach is “to match the color of the neck, not that of the cheek, because the neck and jawline are ultimately the areas that foundation has to blend into.” If you don’t do this, you can get a “tide line” showing where the foundation ends ad the skin’s natural hue shows through.

“Women who have freckles might want to skip foundation,” recommends Aucoin, “since freckle-faced women might have a hard time finding the right foundation. Women with freckles tend to have good skin and small pores, so they can get away with it.”

Not waxing facial hair or tweezing the brow: “The idea that hair will grow back thicker is a myth. Tweezing or waxing regularly will eventually dissuade the hairs from growing so quickly.” If you don’t like waxing, Aucoin recommends trying facing hair bleach as a gentle and effective alternative.

Not curling your eyelashes: “Many people think this isn’t necessary.” But putting on mascara without also curling the lashes “actually closes up the eye, rather than opening it up, as intended,” Aucoin says.

Applying a powder eyeshadow or powder blush without makeup or just foundation: “The natural oils of the skin and the oil in the foundation will “grab” the color in blush or eyeshadow, thereby darkening it in places and creating a blotchy look.” Always apply face powder before putting on makeup such as eyeshadow and blush, Aucoin advises.

Choosing the wrong tones: “For people of color, using makeup with blue tones creates a very ashy look to the skin,” Aucoin says. “I recommend using golden-orange colors, which tend to brighten and warm up the face.”

Cigarette smoking: “Aside from the long-term damage to the body,” Aucoin says, “cigarette smoke also can constrict blood vessels, deprive the skin of oxygen, and dry the top layers the way the sun can.”

Note that celebrated makeup artist and author Kevyn Aucoin had his own cosmetics line, Inoui, which was marketed by Shiseido only in Japan. In an interview in Mirabella Magazine, he named some of the other makeup products he favored in his work:

• Jolen bleach to lighten eyebrows.
• Christian Dior’s Mascara Parfait in Black Onyx.
• Chalen’s Translucient Light Loose Powder.
• Kiehl Ultra Facial Moisturizer