Style

The 16 Most Common Beauty Mistakes Women Make
by Emily Estep

No matter how much you love beauty products, nobody's perfect. One day you're falling for one of the most common beauty mistakes — forgetting to take all your makeup off at night — and the next day, you're purchasing a new arsenal of skincare products to make up for the damage you've caused your face.

We are all guilty of making beauty mistakes from time to time, from skimping on the SPF and eye cream to not washing our makeup brushes often enough — or, ya know, ever. And let's not even get started on hair damage; the amount of damage I've done to my hair over the years cannot be expressed with words.

Thankfully, most of these beauty problems have easy fixes. You no longer need to bear all the weight of these tribulations, with help from a variety of beauty products and other gadgets that quickly correct even the most treasonous of beauty errors.

These common mistakes are just that — common — so don't feel too remorseful if you find yourself falling into one or more of these categories. All you can do is learn from your mistakes, adapt as necessary, and please don't forget to wash your face.

1Leaving Traces Of Makeup On After Washing Your Face

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Water, $11, Amazon

Sometimes, doing a full makeup removal routine is the last thing you want to do before bed, but doing so every single night can make a huge difference in skin clarity. Just washing your face isn't always enough — this micellar water from Bioderma cleanses deeply and thoroughly without being rough on your skin, ensuring that every tiny bit of makeup is dissolved and kaput. Plus, this product was designed with sensitive skin in mind.

2Forgetting To Wear SPF On Some Of Your More Forgotten Parts

Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream SPF 40, $38, Amazon

While most people are vigilant about protecting their skin, chest, and shoulders from the sun, there's one part of your body that's almost always exposed and tends to get ignored: the hands. This hand cream has SPF 40 and conveniently comes in a pump. Set it next to your hand soap in the bathroom, and you will remember to moisturize and protect your hands every time you use the sink.

3Exfoliating Your Skin Too Harshly

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Salicylic Acid Exfoliant, $10, Amazon

When you have acne or dry skin, the desire to just scrub it all off is strong, but physical exfoliation can actually cause more harm than good. A chemical exfoliant, such as this BHA salicylic acid liquid, can give you all the radiant, clear effects of an exfoliant without stripping your skin of natural oils and creating micro tears. If you are already using prescribed acne products, be sure to consult with a dermatologist before you introduce a new active ingredient into your routine, and be sure not to exfoliate every day.

4Drinking Too Little Water Throughout The Day

Hydr-8 Time Marked Water Bottle, $17, Amazon

If you're dehydrated, it doesn't matter how much moisturizer you slather on your skin; it will be dehydrated too. That's why it's essential for not only your health but also your skin's appearance to drink enough water each day, and this water bottle is the way to get there. It holds half your daily recommended amount of water and has marked timestamps, so you can make sure you're getting enough.

5Using Hair Tools Without A Protectant

ArtNaturals Thermal Hair Protector Spray, $12, Amazon

Hair straighteners and curling irons are the way to achieve the look you want — and an easy way to destroy your hair slowly, if you don't protect it. This thermal shield conditioner protects your hair from heat while also reversing heat damage and generally keeping your hair soft and moisturized. Plus, it's a natural detangler for even the wildest hair.

6Handling The Delicate Skin Around Your Eyes The Same As The Rest Of Your Face

LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream Moisturizer, $17, Amazon

Not all of the skin on your face is the same, with the delicate skin around your eyes standing out as the special snowflake of your visage. It requires deeper, more intense hydration to keep this area soft, supple, and flake-free, which is where this eye cream moisturizer comes in handy. Without parabens, but with hibiscus and rosehip extract, it nourishes your skin without irritating it.

7Treating Acne Too Aggressively And Making It Worse

Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch, $5, Amazon

Sometimes when you have a stubborn pimple, all you want to do is attack it with every acne medication in your arsenal. However, overdoing it like this often leads to making the acne worse, as well as drying out and damaging the skin around it. Instead, opt for a hydrocolloid bandage from Cosrx, which absorbs pus, heals skin, and prevents you from picking at (or hurling more medications at) your acne.

8Washing Your Makeup Brushes Infrequently

French Nerds Makeup Brush Cleaner and Brush Egg, $14, Amazon

Everyone knows that they should clean their makeup brushes, but with sub-par products, it can take a long time and sometimes doesn't seem worth the hassle. This brush cleaner and accompanying brush egg make it super easy to clean makeup brushes, so that you can flawlessly apply makeup that blends the way it is supposed to, without grinding dirt and old makeup residue into your skin during the process.

9Applying Eyeshadow Without A Primer

Thank Me Later Eye Shadow Primer, $15, Amazon

If your eye shadow is constantly smudging, creasing, and blending in ways you don't want it to, then the answer is simple: You need to be using an eyeshadow primer underneath. This cruelty-free and paraben-free eyeshadow primer prevents eyeshadow from fading or creasing all day long, in a lightweight and waterproof formula. Your eyeshadow isn't going anywhere.

10Painting Your Nails Too Often Without Letting Them Breathe

Julep Oxygen Nail Treatment, $18, Amazon

When you constantly keep your nails painted, they can become brittle, dry, and yellow, due to lack of oxygen or forgetting to apply a base coat. This nail treatment product is designed specifically to give your nails some much-needed oxygen and rest, while still looking super cute. It's available in both sheer pink and sheer ivory, whichever better suits your style and look.

11Sweating At The Gym And Not Washing Your Face Afterwards

Celavi Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes, $7 (2 Pack), Amazon

After a hard workout or a long hike, your face can be covered with not only sweat but also dirt, dust, and various debris. These Korean cleansing wipes, which are made of 100 percent cotton and come in a variety of scents from pomegranate to honey, are an easy way to quickly wash up, making sure that your pores don't get clogged – and it's great for travel or as a quick makeup remover.

12Wearing Lipstick Frequently Without Exfoliating

Hanalei Beauty Maui Sugar Lip Scrub, $15, Amazon

Putting lipstick on when your lips are already cracked and flaky is a big no-no; not only will the lipstick wear off much faster, but also the product will essentially highlight all of the lip damage. If your lips have seen better days, apply this sugar lip scrub beforehand, for a smooth lipstick application. It's packed with rich, indulgent ingredients native to Hawaii, such as kukui nut oil.

13Finishing Your Makeup Look Without A Setting Spray

Skindinavia The Makeup Finishing Spray, $21, Amazon

If your makeup always seems to be creasing, running, or just plain wearing off after just a few hours of wear, then you need a good finishing spray, ASAP. This makeup finishing spray is oil and paraben-free and feels totally light on your skin. Once you're done applying makeup, simply mist this gentle spray all over your beautiful face, and you'll be good to go for the rest of the day.

14Abandoning The Dead Skin On Your Feet

Mr. Pumice Pumi Bar Purple, $6, Amazon

Sometimes our feet can be the last aspect of beauty we think of, but when it comes to flip-flop season, you'll be glad if you took care of those puppies the rest of the year. This adorable pumice bar is the perfect way to remove dead skin, with one flat side and one ridged side, so that your tootsies can stay soft year round. Plus, it can be used dry as well as in the shower.

15Creating Harsh Lines Or Streaky Foundation Without Blending

Aesthetica Cosmetics Beauty Sponge Blender, $9, Amazon

The quality of your makeup can be irrelevant, if you're using the right tools to apply it. With this sponge blender, drug store makeup can rival high-end products, and high-end products can be seamlessly utilized, making an enormous difference in your routine — especially if you've previously just been applying makeup with your fingers. This product is also completely free of latex, and it's even vegan.

16Applying Makeup Without Good Lighting

Fancii 7X Magnifying LED Lighted Makeup Mirror, $24, Amazon

If you're applying your makeup in a dark room, in a blurry mirror, or literally while using your Macbook's Photo Booth app (guilty), then it's time to step up your game. This magnifying mirror shows you the up close without have to get up close, and it mimics lovely, natural daylight — it's equipped with 16 LED lights — so you can get a better idea of how your makeup will look throughout the day and not just in your bedroom.

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