Those of us who are older can't help but blush at our teenage makeup mistakes. And blush was probably one of our worst makeup sins. We all get makeup wrong in our younger days, when we're just learning what suits us and how to apply it. So what should you watch out for if you're a teen yourself? Here are some common teenage makeup mistakes and how to avoid them …
1 Not Blending
One of the most common teenage makeup mistakes is failing to blend properly. Everything from foundation to eye shadow sits on your face in a thick stripe. It makes your makeup look far too obvious. Take the time to blend your eye shadow, blush and foundation - particularly along the jaw line.
Frequently asked questions
2 Foundation
Foundation is another part of your makeup that it's very easy to get wrong. Teens often apply their foundation far too thickly and don't blend it properly, leaving an obvious line along the jaw. You may also pick the wrong shade. Teens probably don't need foundation anyway, with their youthful fresh skin. But if you want to use it, apply only where it really needs it, and don't pile it on in an attempt to hide blemishes.
3 Too Much Concealer
Spots always turn up right before a big date or your yearbook photos, so you slap on lots of concealer and hope it works. Unfortunately so much concealer does the opposite of what you want and draws attention to what you're trying to hide. Use a concealer that matches your natural skin tone and apply lightly with a small brush.
4 Heavy Eyeliner
There's nothing wrong with experimenting with makeup when you're a teen. But teens tend to draw heavy black liner around the entire eye, which makes the eyes look really small. There are other shades than black! Save the heavy liner for special occasions when you want a dramatic look and generally, keep your liner lighter.
5 Clumpy Mascara
Mascara should enhance your lashes. A common teen mistake is to fail to separate the lashes properly, so that the mascara ends up in clumps. You don't want the spidery look! Make sure that there isn't too much on the brush (wipe with a tissue if necessary), and stroke the brush slowly upwards. You may not need mascara on your lower lashes. Allow to dry before applying a second coat.
6 Lip Liner
Another mistake is to apply a liner that is too obvious, so that the outline is too strong and looks rather clown-like! Your liner should match your lipstick, or better still your natural lip color. The best look for teens is to use a lip gloss, which is lighter and easily reapplied.
7 Striped Blusher
When you're a teen, your skin is so fresh that you may not need blusher at all. If you do, you may be unsure where to apply it, and so end up with a wide stripe across your cheeks. It's actually easy to find the right place. Simply suck in your cheeks, and apply the blusher along the lower part of your cheekbones (lightly - you can always add more!).
It's fun to experiment with makeup, but you want your makeup to be flattering. Make the most of your natural glow of youth, and enhance your beauty rather than mask it. Did you make any embarrassing makeup mistakes when you were a teen?
