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If there’s one make-up artist whose advice we’d trust blindly, it’s Caroline Barnes (@carolinebarnesmakeup). The pro is known for painting the faces of some of the biggest names in Britain, including Erin Doherty, Mia Mckenna-Bruce and Charlotte Ritchie.
Below, we asked her to reveal the most common makeup mistakes women make – and how to avoid them to achieve a flawless-looking face…
1. Not analysing the colour of your foundation in daylight
If you’re splurging on a foundation, getting the wrong shade match can be an expensive mistake. But it’s a mistake more than a few women make because they’re not testing the product in natural light.
‘Most people buy a foundation in a store with overhead lighting, which can distort the undertone and make it appear warmer, cooler, lighter or darker than it actually is,’ Barnes explains. ‘This can sometimes lead to the wrong colour choice.’
Your best bet is to apply the product in daylight. But if that’s not an option, ask for a mirror to check the shade match outside. Alternatively, a lot of brands also offer little testers or samples online.
2. Not matching your neck and chest to your face
While we’re on the topic of foundation, your face can be a lighter colour than your neck and chest because of the use of SPF. When you’re choosing your foundation shade, Barnes says you need to make it the same as your body, no matter the coverage.
She recommends applying foundation in a vest top or a bra so you can see if your face matches your neck and chest.
3. Not knowing your skin type
Per Barnes, choosing the right foundation starts with understanding your skin type. For those with oily or combination skin, she recommends a water-based foundation such as the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Natural Matte (£39, John Lewis); those with dry skin would benefit from a formula with hyaluronic acid, like the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Gel Tint (£34, Cult Beauty).
4. Applying too much highlighter
Everyone wants glowing skin, but if you apply highlighter all over your face, your complexion will end up looking very oily rather than glowy. For flattering results, follow Barnses’s advice and only apply highlighter to the outer edges of your complexion and the high points of your face (bridge of your nose, top of your cheekbones, underneath your eyebrows and cupid’s bows) to enhance your bone structure.
5. Using eyeliner to frame your eyes
Many people mistakenly think that eyeliner is the quickest way to flatter the eyes, but Barnes points out that heavily lining the eyes can actually make them look smaller. Instead, she recommends using mascara as the best and quickest way to frame the eyes.
6. Making your eyebrows too dark
Eyebrows act like a frame for the eyes, so it’s important to make sure they’re shaped just right as they can transform your whole face. Rather than colouring in your brows with a pomade, Barnes recommends using a pen like the NYX Lift & Snatch! Brow Tint Pen (£11.99, Boots) to paint fine, hair-like strokes that look more real and more flattering.
7. Only using one concealer
If you’ve only got one concealer in your makeup bag, you’re missing a trick. Per Barnes, everyone benefits from using two different concealers: one to cover up imperfections and one to dot around your eyes.
You need two concealers, says Caroline Barnes
‘The skin around your eyes is delicate and fine, so you need something to reflect the light, like the Maybelline Instant Eraser Eye Concealer (£9.99, Boots). It has a sponge applicator, is really light and lasts a long time,’ recommends Barnes.
‘If you’re trying to conceal veins, scars and pigmentation, you need something full coverage that matches your foundation like the Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer (£36, Cult Beauty).’
8. Not using a tubing mascara
If your bog-standard mascara tends to smudge throughout the day, a tubing mascara could be the solution. ‘A tubing mascara contains polymers that wrap around each individual lash,’ explains Barnes. ‘It is not dissolved by the natural oils in your skin; only by warm water so you don’t need makeup remover. I use it on my clients on the red carpet because I can’t afford for the mascara to transfer.’
Her favourite? The Rum Wrap Party Tubing Mascara (£22, We Are Rum). ‘It’s the best one on the market.’
9. Applying your blusher wrong
You probably don’t really think about it when we’re doing your makeup, but where you place your blusher can make a big difference. For a healthy and youthful look, Barnes suggests swiping blusher on the fullness of your cheeks and in the direction of your temple. For a more sophisticated, sculptural effect, take the colour underneath your cheekbones and sweep up and over temples, rather than in that straight line.
10. Sharply overlining your lips
Not all of us have been blessed with naturally full lips, but luckily there are a few tricks that can make them look bigger. Overlining your cupid’s bow is a well-known technique, but Barnes advises against creating sharp lines. ‘A sharp lip can come across as a mean lip,’ she explains. Instead, use the side of your lip pencil to softly add a little bit of volume and shape from the corners of your lips.
‘A sharp lip can come across as a mean lip’
11. Less is not always more
‘Modern makeup is all about simplicity, but that doesn’t mean the no-makeup makeup trend is about wearing less products,’ says Barnes. ‘It’s about choosing tonal eyeshadows, neutral blushes and your-lips-but-better lipstick shades, and pairing it with fluttery lashes and structured eyebrows to create a very modern and polished look.’
