5 Makeup Mistakes You Make in Your Thirties

Now that you are in your thirties, are you making these five makeup mistakes? Listen, let’s be real, most of our moms came out of the 70’s hippie era and so makeup and beauty were just simply not a thing–therefore, we shaped our brows into Nike signs and made eyeliner always look like an abstract art piece. Yeah, you know what I am talking about, that was all of us in junior high and high school without a doubt. I know it’s hard to adjust your makeup routine and what you have always done, but you need to, and these makeup tips will help you be on your way to avoiding any makeup mistakes and beauty blunders possible.

So here is the deal, as your beauty best friend (let’s just call us that), I feel that it is my duty to help my sisters out. So, pay attention, my friends, because we are about to dive into the five makeup mistakes you might be making now that you are in your 30’s (or somewhere around there). And as usual, this is not a time to self-bash if you are currently making these mistakes. Just take note and implement without any negative self-talk. We are all on a learning curve here, and honestly makeup is fun but makeup mistakes are not. Sooo…yeah.

(Check out these makeup suggestions for women in their 30’s here!)

Basic Makeup Mistakes to Avoid

1. Thick Foundation: I often see women make the makeup mistake of wearing heavy foundation to cover up either brown pigmentation, acne, redness, or acne scarring. The problem is this: at around age 23, your skin cycle slows down, and you are already struggling with a dull skin. By adding massive amounts of foundation, you not only look like you’re trying to hide a problem but you’ re making your skin look dull and aged.
One key thing I suggest — not only as a makeup artist but as a skin care fanatic too — is to take care of the problem that you are trying to hide with proper skin care. Then choose a foundation that is lightweight such as a tinted moisturizer or a non-heavy coverage foundation and use a concealer that is the same color and apply to your problem areas. This way you are getting a soft, natural look that won’t look like you have not exfoliated in years. Also, a beauty blender is going to be your new best friend.
2. Wrong Color Foundation: Foundation is such a huge part of makeup; it can either make or break your look. When I see someone with the wrong color of foundation…especially if I can see a line, I just want to save them because it’s an obvious makeup mistake! We have all seen someone rocking foundation three shades darker to achieve that tan look. Unfortunately, it just looks like she grabbed a foundation three shades darker. On the flip-side, I have seen ladies with foundation three shades lighter, and it looks like Twilight is making another sequel.

It’s terribly hard to find the right foundation color if you don’t know what you are doing. So, to avoid this makeup mistake, go to a makeup artist and have your foundation color matched correctly to you. Every person has a different skin color. The goal here is to have beautiful skin and have people GUESSING if you are wearing foundation or not. If you want the bronzed look, get a BRONZER and apply to the areas the sun would hit — cheeks, forehead, and nose.
3. Getting Stuck in a Rut: One of the biggest makeup mistakes I see with 30 something, is their style of makeup. Sometimes when I am doing a makeup consultation with someone, I can tell they are unsure with the change in style to their makeup: more structured brows, a different lip color, more or less eyeliner. You know the saying, “you get more set in your ways the older you get”? Same goes with makeup, and I call it “stuck in a time zone”. Now that you are in your 30’s, it’s ok to create a new signature makeup style that suits who you are currently and try new makeup trends like strobing. Maybe the blue shadow made you look fantastic in high school…but now it doesn’t. Or, maybe you only wear mascara, but now you want to step up your game to include a red lip.

It is important to change not only your colors but also the style of how you put on your makeup because your skin and facial structure shift as you age. I would suggest getting a full makeup consult every few years. Keep an open mind to doing your makeup perhaps a bit softer or in a way that celebrates your best features. Try learning different techniques like how to apply your eyeshadow in a way that works FOR YOU, your lifestyle, and your 30-year-old self.

4. Using Fingers Instead of Brushes. Unblended eyes, foundation, and blush are makeup mistakes that can be easily fixed with the right tools. Yes, I know we are busy women with jobs and kids hanging on our every limb (or not, but I currently have a 6-month-old on my legs while typing one-handed). But, if you are going to go through the effort of applying your makeup, do it the right way! I know brushes can be a bit of an investment, but they do last a very long time and can make the difference between abstract art and fine art on the face! Brushes make everything look more blended without harsh lines — especially when it comes to contouring.

My favorite brushes and makeup tools are a foundation brush, beauty blender, blush brush, flat medium-sized eye shadow brush, shadow blender brush, and a liner brush. I cannot do makeup without them! Check my list of must-have brushes here.
5. Over Highlighting and Contouring and blushing: Can I please help you with this? These highlighting, contouring, and blushing makeup mistakes are getting a little out of control. Not to say in any way that you can’t contour, highlight, and add blush in your 30’s, you should, but do it the right way. The key to all of this is to blend, blend, blend, blend, blend, blend, blend, blend, blend. A beauty blender will be your favorite tool for this, so go ahead and get one, and don’t get a knock off  because they don’t work as well, trust me on this.

I think the Kardashians have a place in the makeup biz for sure, but the over-contouring and over-highlighting has left the rest of the world with unusual stripes down their face. The Kardashians pay big bucks for good contour and highlighting, so don’t feel bad. However, if you see a line of blush, highlighter, or contour product on your face, it is not blended well. You should see ZERO harsh lines on your face after doing this, so, again, the beauty blender will help significantly.

Alright, friends, let me know how I can help and also, follow me on snapchat (@citizensbeauty) because we have a freaking good time daily and because laughter is good for the soul. Am I right?

Your Beauty Best Friend,

Kendra

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