The good news: Rather than tossing any duds aside, you can master the art of mixing and matching them with other cosmetics just as makeup artists do. We often take a little bit of this and a little bit of that to create custom colors and textures that make our celeb clients look gorgeous. Here’s what you need to know to fix makeup mistakes.
Makeup Mistake: You bought the wrong foundation
Make it darker Apply the foundation as you normally would and then dust a little powder bronzer onto your cheeks, forehead, and chin using a large blush brush—the coppery tones will help add warmth and depth. Another option: Create a richer color by mixing a small amount of foundation with a drop of gel bronzer in your palm. Make it lighter Dilute the color by mixing it in your hand with a squirt of untinted facial moisturizer. Or just save a too-dark base for summer, when even sunscreen-protected skin gets darker.
Makeup Mistake: You bought the wrong blush
Make it less intense To soften a blinding shade, start by applying a more neutral-colored blush like tawny brown, which creates a natural-looking flush on most skin tones. Then add a pop of the bright color on top. Together, this duo delivers a subtle blend of wearable color. Make it brighter First sweep the blah blush over the apples of your cheeks; then tap the tops of your cheekbones with your most vibrant shade of pink blush. For pizzazz, add a dab of shimmer cream or powder from the same color family as the barely there blush. Besides adding subtle sparkle, the iridescent formula casts light, creating the illusion of higher cheekbones. (Are you applying your blush wrong? Check out these tips on getting it right.)
Makeup Mistake: You bought the wrong lipstick
Soften the color After filling in lips with the too-loud shade, top with a neutral beige lipstick. Continue layering on the beige until you reach your desired tone. Brighten the color Create a more intense, matte version of a lackluster lipstick by first lining and filling in your kisser with a lip liner that’s at least two shades deeper than the lipstick. Then apply the lipstick and a deeper shade of gloss for sheen.
Makeup Mistake: You bought the wrong eye shadow
Soften the color Start by sweeping lids with a taupe-tone shadow or a pale yellow powder. Then apply a light coat of the blaring color. If it’s still too intense, add another layer of the lighter shade. Or if the shadow is bright green, blue, or violet, you can use it as an eye-liner to softly define just your upper lids. Darken the color A simple one-step solution: Dampen your eye shadow brush beforehand, which will intensify the hue. If this doesn’t amp up the color enough, try this trick: Start by layering lids with a deep shadow (try chocolate brown or plum). Then sweep on the too-drab shade. Finish by adding a dab of a gold shimmer powder shadow. More from Prevention: 8 Makeup Mistakes That Age You
