How do you deal with a makeup look that just won't come together?
If I have the time, I’ll take off what’s not working and re-do it. If I don’t have a lot of time, I might remove and just slap basics on – like if it’s foundation, then I’ll take it off and just do tinted moisturizer; or if it was an eye look, I’ll take off everything and just redo brows/mascara. If I have just about no time, I might take everything off and go bare-faced as I’m running out the door, LOL. If it’s not coming together but is “decent” enough and I’m not going to a special event, I might just wear it anyway, too.
— Christine
Since I tend to do the same sorts of looks (I don’t do experimental things with bright or “new to me” sorts of colours), this rarely happens. When I do try something very different for me, it’s usually when I’m at home or in the evening, before I take my makeup off for the day, so then it doesn’t matter and if I like the results, I can repeat the look when I’m actually going out or to work without worrying.
Usually this happens with my lipstick, because it’s where I have the most trouble color matching. I try to add colors that will modify it. And if it still doesn’t work, then I remove it and start over.
Liquid eyeliner. Liquid eyeliner anchors any eye look. If the shadow is applying so terribly that I have to remove my eyes and start over, it’s a real content for going in the trash. I can’t tolerate eyeshadow that’s so terrible that it forces a restart to my makeup application.
I try to avoid such errors as much as possible. I try to pre plan my look the night before. I do very basic looks generally so I don’t really mess up. Also I really try to be conscious of the brushes,I’m using. If the color has a lot of pigment and it is deeper in tone, I make sure to use smaller brushes so I have better control. If I truly mess up, esp eye makeup, I wash it off. If I’m short on time, I’ll just throw on mascara and go. If it’s lipstick, it’s easy and takes little time to wipe away and start over!
Blend, mend, blend some more! Since I usually only get an occasional issue with certain matte eyeshadows or a punchier blush than I was expecting, it’s fairly easy to remedy by just a little extra blending, maybe adding a softer transition to a Pat matte, or placing a sheerer coat of shimmer in between to shades that just won’t marry and meld together properly. At least most of the time, these little maneuvers save a look!
I don’t try new looks or products if I think I will be short on time so if it’s not coming together, I will remove the product that isn’t working and reapply something else. Hopefully I don’t have to go down to bare skin.
Lashes! My motto is: If you still look crazy after the lashes go on, you need to take your makeup off and start over! So often I try something new, editorial, or wild (to me) colors and the whole time I think “oh no this is not going well” only to pop some lashes on and feel like the whole thing came together. When in doubt on an eye look, add lashes! 🙂
Cool tip about the lashes fixing a look. If my liner is wonky or the shadows just didn’t come together right, I smoke out the corner with ND blackest black or a Pat McGrath black. It blends out my mistakes, which tend to happen because I’ve got hooded lids and it ain’t easy here for us hoodies! ?
If I am trying something new I will add in a tried and true to see if that will fix it. If all else fails, get out the q tips and spot fix.
I don’t have a problem with my face as I always use the same foundation, blush shade, mascara and eye brow pencil. My lipsticks are those that suit most of my looks anyway.
The problem will be if my eyeshadows are not doing what they are supposed to do or I have applied one shade too heavily so that it overwhelms the rest. What I generally do then is layer a much lighter shade over the top to tone everything down.
I think I avoid it.
I do totally go wild and do a different look on each eye when I’m chilling alone. I don’t have a lot of girlfriends local into makeup. But I take pictures and share with my long distance buds.
I also test mascaras. I used to to have to do a full fashion face wash when they didn’t work out.
If I have time, I’ll remove and start over. A super shimmery eyeshadow on the lids and lots of mascara can hide a multitude of eyeshadow sins. Wearing my glasses distracts, too. A bright blush can save a lot of looks. Whiter setting powder can lighten up a slightly too dark foundation. A bright or non-conventional lip color is another way to distract from a less-than-perfect eye look, or jazz up a look that turned out a bit boring.
Usually if something’s not coming together it has to do with eye shadow because that’s where most of my struggles are so I’ll probably take it off and try again. Failing that I’ll take it off, put down a neutral close to my skin tone and focus on a bold lipstick look instead. If I’m having foundation problems, that’s my second most annoying culprit, I’ll try using a little bit of powder foundation over it, otherwise I’ll just remove it all and fall back on a bb cream or tinted moisturizer.