Is there a makeup product or look you wish you could pull off but just can’t? Share!
I love the look of bubblegum pinks/cotton candy pinks, but I don’t find they look that good on me without a lot of effort.
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I wish I could do winged eyeliner. My eyes are really down-turned, and my crease is quite prominent. I just can’t seem to get it to look right, and I’m thinking that my eye shape just isn’t suited for it. Actually, liner, in general, is something I wish I could pull off better.
I have the same eye shape and winged liner is a no-go.
Winged eyeliner is my problem as well 🙁 A SA from MAC tried it on me, it was neat, but looked sooo made up to me that I don’t think I will feel comfortable wearing such a look all the time.
I also wish I could pull of lipsticks like Sweet & Sour from MAC or brighter orange, cause I just loooove that type of shade, but it does not suit my fair neutral skin tone at all. Actually, come to think of it, bright lipsticks in general. Even if a shade is pretty and suits me, I’d feel like it’d scream “Look at me!”, which is never my intention 🙂
I have down-turned eyes too, hooded lids and a prominent crease (no, no and NO) but I MAKE it work, because I just refuse to back down! I know this sounds strange, but the only way I get it right is to start from the outer edge going in, starting as high as I’d like the flick to turn up. Please do try it!
I wish I had a go to nude lipstick ! I seemed to look better with colored lipstick.I just can’t pull the nude lip look off. 🙁
*Nude lips- I either look like a zombie or like I’m sick (and not in a good way)
*Bronzer/Contour – I either look like Snookie or like I have dirt on my face
*Cat eye – a disaster every time I’ve tried it. I have to remove all of my eye makeup and start over
*Falsies – I have nightmares of a falsie hanging half-loose from my oily lids or falling off altogether, while the other one stays on
Bright, colorful eyeshadow. I just can’t. It neutral browns all day for me.
I’m with you Christine. I’ve tried looking in the mirror with colors like St. Germaine lipstick but they just never grow on me. I’m very open with wearing bright colors too so its not because I’m scared of the color itself but I just think its clashy on me.
Extremely nude lips. I can wear pinkish nude colors but I have to be careful that they don’t drain me or look so close to my skin color that they almost erase my lips.
I don’t know if this one counts because I’ve never tried it but highlighting my nose/forehead area. They’re already oily- they don’t need to look more shiny!
“Nude” lipstick (i.e. lipstick that’s actually the same colour as my skin). Also, a lot of complex eyeshadow looks just vanish when I open my eyes because I have East Asian eyelids that hide everything, and not a lot of real estate there generally!
A -lot- of cooler tones. I love cool blue/grey eyeshadows, but they look awful on me.
For me it’s yellow-toned pinks, especially lipstick. I can’t pinpoint why it doesn’t work, but it just looks wrong.
There are just some shades that no matter what, will not look all that great on me. Specifically, cold blues like royal, cobalt or silver blues. For that matter, gray doesn’t do me justice either. Yet I can wear black or taupe?!? Go figure! Oh, and forget yellow-based lippys like that new MAC Matte Naturally something, too (older teeth belonging to a lifelong card-carrying coffee and tea drinker!)
Bubblegum pinks and light pinks are popular in my lipstick collection and flattering on my nw20 skin. However if I’m not wearing foundation, I usually wear a dark/hot pink or dark orange. People always say oh it’s a good time to wear a red lipstick because it is an easy look And you can throw it on. Ok, not for me! It brings out any old acne scar or redness I have and I look awful no matter what shade so I need a decent coverage foundation and concealer which leads to blush and the works. I also can’t wear browns or bronzes…looking back on my early makeup wearing days I see that now …I dont care if they bring the 90s back, I’m not doing it again lol. then there are the obvious things I can’t wear like orange bronzers. I also have a hard time keeping liners in my lower waterline whether it be watery eyes, allergies, or oily skin it doesn’t stay.
I just can’t seem to like how pastel lip colors (including light-toned nudes) look on me.
all of a milky white color base lipsticks,they’re alway make my face look odd in a bad way!
A really black smokey eye. For some reason I feel like dark bold eyes makes my face look weird! Too bad. Also bubblegum pinks like you said, it just doesn’t suit me at all.
Completely 100% agree on the smokey eye – I just look like I’ve done a few rounds in the boxing ring and it makes me look more deathly pale than I already am lol
A contoured cheek. Never looks natural or good on me. Mind you, the fact that I’ve always had a round face works for me now in “old age” – I’m routinely mistaken for someone in her early 40’s! And a cat eye flick to my eyeliner. I’ve tried and tried and it simply doesn’t work with my eye shape. I should probably hit Sephora one day and get one of the makeup artists there to do one and show me how but I honestly just think that sort of look doesn’t suit me.
im trying to gain confidence in wearing blushes because i love how it looks but its been so tricky for me but i refuse to give up. But right now i definitely cannot pull off false eyelashes. Give me lengthening mascara any day.
I find that dewy skin looks hideous on me…
While on others it looks absolutely beautiful!!!!!
Lately I’ve seen a couple people using blue lipstick and it just looks so cool and edgy and I wish I could pull it off but I think it would end up looking just odd on me.
Shimmery face products. With my shiny skin and large pores I just can’t wear ’em.
Cat eyeliner. I have hooded eyes and I can’t pull it off. I try to find tips and tricks to do it but nothing have worked for me.
Coral lipsticks :’-( They make me look sallow. Looking on the bright side it’s almost a relief since I find a lot of them gorgeous and my wallet is grumpy enough as it is.
Eyeshadow and mascara on the lower lashes. It’s not flattering at all on me, but sometimes I wish I could just wear a pretty smokey eye look!
Red lipstick! I just feel like a clown in it…
pinks and purples.
Coral or orange lipstick looks hideous on me, regardless of the shade. I can do orange nails and orange eye shadow, but can’t put that shade anywhere near my mouth.
Light nude lips, vampy lips and silver eyeshadow. All look pretty bad on me on the whole.
Winged eyeliner. My hooded eyes just can’t pull it off.
Same as Christine with blushes, specially lilac and light cool toned pinks, and have the same problem with cool toned eyeshadows like lilac, silver or cool toned taupes, they make my eyes look tired
I wish I were young and hip enough to pull off the black and navy blue lipsticks that are out now.
Dark, smokey eyes! I can’t seem to pull that off now with deep-set eyes,dark circles, and age does not help I am sure (39)! I have to use plums or grays at the darkest- no black or just black in the outer crease. It just makes my eyes look like they are sunk into my head. But, it gives me an excuse to play with color around my eye and allows for a bold lip which I used to shy away from when I was younger.
Omg!!!!!! I struggle with cotton candy and baby pink lipsticks too! I have waisted a quarter of my urban decay Native lipstick that I want to make work but the struggle is real . What pointers can you give to help? would be a lifesaver!!!!!!! ☺☺☺☺☺☺☺
I can’t do red lipstick. I always look like a clown!
Yes. Paler lip colors on my pigmented lips! It’s quite difficult to find a formula that actually lightens without looking cakey but I have a few, and I love them! 🙂
Oh boy…
Corals
Nude lipstick
Contouring
Shiny eye shadows
Cat eye
Red matte lipsticks
Bright eye shadows
OMG! What does that leave for you to wear??
Back in the day, I loved The Nakeds and Bobbi Brown’s eponymous line for the variety of effortless nudes. Nowadays, I’d look ready for the morgue if I didn’t wear some color on my lips and cheeks and so nudes are no longer on my radar..
Amen! Ladies of a certain age need that bloom on our cheeks and lips or we just look tired. I am wondering how CG is doing?
Blue-toned red lipticks, hopefully I can do Mac Ladydanger at night.
Shimmery powders all over the face, or highligthing down the nose, It is not flatering over my bone structure
Contouring, I look too skinny when I contour.
Fortunately, all the looks I’m drawn to are flattering on me, while looks I don’t care for aren’t. It’s possible that my personal biases influence my perception, but I don’t really care, LOL!
I was told several times when visiting Mac that “Angel lipstick would look so good on you” and then one time I ended up buying it because I heard that more than once. Unfortunately I did not test it properly in store before buying and somehow the pink colour transforms when it comes in contact with my lips and becomes almost same colour as my skin so it looks weird wearing it. I don’t really care all that much since I have other lipsticks but would be nice to be able to wear it when I bought it.
Contouring is a no go for me, but it’s probably due to lack of experience than anything else. Any pale lipstick with a milky base looks awful on me and while brith pinks, especially if they’re cool toned, look okay but they’re not my style. I haven’t figured out winged eyeliner yet and I’m not sure it would work with my eyeshape.
Cream eyeshadows. I can pull off ColourPop’s texture, but every other kind creases and melts on me, even with high end primers. Color Tattoos stay on, but they don’t blend well for me, so I can only use them on the lids or as a base.
Orange lipsticks. I have to go with oranges that really lean red, and there are some really light yellow-oranges that look good and make my teeth look whiter. Everything in between just accentuates the yellow of my teeth. I have clear enamel instead of white (from antibiotics as a child), so it’s not something I can fix without expensive veneers.
I can’t pull off matte or cream true nude lips, but I don’t particularly care. I go slightly peach, pink or sparkly, and I’m good.
Red lips. Wish I could pull it off, but I can’t
There’s a lot of things lol Black or plum smokey eyes…with my dark circle I always end up looking like someone punched me in the face. Also anything involving heavy black liner makes my eyes look so teeny tiny and I have pretty big eyes so idek. False lashes – can never get them on correctly ugh
Any look that involves going without blush scares me. I feel like it just reads as corpselike to not have at least a little something on my cheeks, especially with how pale I am to begin with.
I would like to be able to wear full coverage lipstick but they all look chalky on me. I would like a darker complex and would like to have a clear complexion so I could avoid face makeup and still look good. My skin problems are spider veins and slightly uneven color. The veins show even after laser treatments.
I just can’t look good on creamy, light lipsticks.
For example MAC Myth looks horrible on me!!!
i would like to pull off lipsticks with cool undertones like mac saint germain, also i love to see swatches and looks with them but the very very nude lip shades (mac hue, honeylove) make me look so washed out 🙁 i wish i could pull off these… and blue lipstick though
Carrie Bradshaw on SATC sometimes had a metallic pewter on her lid that looked great with her eyes and complexion. But i have green eyes and a warm complexion, and the color does not look good on me. I’ve tried to do the look with gold, but it just doesn’t translate.
There are a few lol
* flicked eye liner – tried and failed on so many occasions.
* smokey eyes – I know it’s the most basic of basics but I just cannot seem to get the colour balance right. I always end up making my eyes look really tiny and sunken or just plain bruised.
* nude lips – I look like a corpse, or a zombie according to my hubby
I’m only really just getting into makeup properly after years battling bad skin so that’s my excuse and I am sticking to it!
One thing that I can’t pull it off is any Yellow eyeshadow. It make me look like I have an infection eyes look.
Not really – I guess I wish I could wear purples, but they don’t really suit me
As for nude lipstick – I think it makes a lot people look ghostly or ill as they can drain the colour from your face.
I agree – our faces need some color : )
I’m with you two. I don’t think that “missing lips” is a good look on anybody. Black eyes, no blush, and milky lips, I just don’t get it unless they are trying to look like Morticia Adams.
Anything with too much pink/maroon- I’m half Eastern Eurpoean, half Sicilian, so I’m fair but I tan quite easily & have very yellow undertones. Certain pinks make me look either drugged or infectious.
Also I’ve *never* worn any brow gel/pencil. I shape them & that’s it- anything on them makes them look too severe/noticeable.
Most looks I like I KNOW I can’t pull off are those that are simply not for women over 45. I think once a women gets to be of a certain age, she must take her makeup more seriously. That is not to say trend following is out, only that it should be a more mature version of a certain look. Take the bright MAC lipsticks at the first of this post. No woman over 40 should even think of wearing that purple and blue.
Hi Judy! Hey now, I’m 52 and I love me a purple lip 😀 I would most definitely wear that purple. The blue would be out of my comfort zone. I do get your point, but sometimes it is surprising what you can wear and not look age unappropriate and you never know until you try. Peace
I’m with you, Wendy. I’m 51 and I love bright colored lipstick–Matte Royal is really tempting me. I also wear shimmery and even glittery eyeshadow, so I definitely think it’s more a matter of what suits your style and your comfort zone as opposed to your age.
Most bright eyeshadows. Black anything. Pink lipsticks–unless they’ve got a lot of brown in them. As a ginger, I feel like a lot of common colors clash with my freckles and red hair! I’m jealous of people who can pull them off.
I have the same “envy” as you, Christine! Bubblegum pinks are just so cute, sassy and feminine, and I just wish I could pull them off, but they just don’t go with my skintone.
Mac Pervette…and i have two. 🙁
I wish I could wear cool toned lipsticks. I have a yellowish skin tone, so I feel this is the cause. This makes me so disappointed, but I just can’t look like I’m wearing neon lips.
– Cut crease. My eyelids are too hooded.
– Matte lipstick. My lips are so dry that wearing matte lipstick is painful at times. I apply balm constantly.
Corals.
Defining the socket line with eyeshadow — or maybe I haven’t figured it out. It either disappears or looks like it is floating obviously above my eye.
Prominent lower lash eyeliner, around the entire eye eyeliner, and big lashes. All make my eyes look really buggy, like the rest of my face is overtaken by buggy eyes.
– nude lips = zombie grrl awfulness
– matte nails – I suspect these look better on people who actually have melanin. 😉
-creamy brights (a.k.a. bubble-gum anything, most summer pedi polishes – boo!)
– #2: platinum hair (OK, not really makeup, but…)
– aaaand my #1 peeve: green lipstick. I ADORE the look. Especially dimensional emeralds and gold-laced olives. But that results in something unfortunate between Poison Ivy and Trampirella… Er, Vampirella.
What’s most amusing is most people I know would never think I’d be up for non-traditional colors. But most of them wouldn’t think I’d have a Labbit for an icon either. 😀
I have always wanted to wear beautiful red lipstick – but it truly looks awful on me *sigh*
I agree with you. The bubblegum pinks do not work with my golden undertones. I end of having to use a lipliner (i.e. MAC Magenta) with colors like MAC Candy Yum Yum. On the flip side, beige-nudes make me look drained and washed out. Orange-corals are also a struggle. If I’m going to try to wear coral, it has to be more pink than orange.
Nude lips. I feel they wash me out.
I used to wear eyeliner every day on my upper lashline until I saw a youtube video showing that it’s not flattering for hooded eyes (which I have, though actually for many years I wasn’t even aware of it!). Now I line my upper waterline.
Lining my eyes all around. It can look amazing on so many people but I really don’t like it on me.
I don’t know whether I can pull if off or not but contouring is not for me. I just think it’s too obvious. I’d rather apply bronzer on and under my cheekbones. Seems to work fine. I’ve got quite bony face anyway.
I’ve also got quite an oily t-zone so I don’t really use highlighter (only once in a while on top of my cheekbones). Though I use luminous foundation. I figure that’s enough illumination for my oily skin (sometimes even too much).
I also can’t wear matte foundations anymore. They’re really aging.
Red lipsticks just look wrong on me, too.
Nude lips, I just look dead. Might be good for a zombie party 🙂
Eyeliner flicks, cateyes and such don’t work anymore as my eyes have become so hooded due to gravity.
I feel I cannot wear either really warm or really cool looks so I find myself wearing a lot of neutrals and I get stuck in this sometimes. I force myself to punch things up occassionaly, but layering my ‘forbidden’ colours over other more flattering tones and this helps, but I still do not feel like ‘me’.
I also struggled for ages with winged eyeliner. I have semi-hooded eyes and finally figured out my own way of wearing it. I cannot wear big thick wings or super long wings. They have to be small and finer and they have to cross the crease of my eyelid on the left side to balance with the right side. Not ideal, but not too shabby at all.
I look ridiculous in false eyelashes and I’m rather inept at putting them on. I even tried halfsies but wound up looking lopsided with my short stubby lashes on the inside in comparison to the lengthier lashes on the outside. I would need to trim and carefully graduate the length of the halfsies out to match my rather lame lashes and I’m just either too lazy or not that into it.
I’m not perfect and I do not have an ideal visage for makeup, but I’m cool with that and still thoroughly enjoy the process and challenge of finding ways to make products and looks work.
Light colors, some nude lipsticks, and cool colors in general look awful on me.
Matte lipstick. Makes me look positively dead. Maybe it’s my age (56) but matte lipstick looks frightful on me.
Right now its still bright eyeshadows. At best I will do neutrals and a pop of color.
But I used to not be able to pull off coral/bright lipsticks and cat eye but I learned it was my application that was the problem.
Yellow 🙁 Greens and Oranges are also hard but if they have the right undertone I can make them work.
I can’t think of that many, actually! Maybe cut creases just because I can’t seem to get a flattering (in my own opinion) look whenever I try to do a cut crease on my hooded lids. I know it’s possible as I’ve seen other hooded-lid people do it, but I never like the look when I try it myself.
I think nude lipsticks or baby-doll type pink lipsticks are at the top of that list. I always see them on other people or in tutorials and they look awesome but anything like that just makes me look dead or like I have no lips at all.
Mascara on lower lashes is another big one. I feel like it always highlights the fact I don’t really have a lot of lashes or how short they are.
I feel like I look hideous with nude or pale pink lips! They look so good on the other blondes on YouTube and I bought Mac’s Creme Cup because I wanted to push my comfort zone, but even that rarely looks good on me. I’m a brown nude girl for sure, vampy lips forever!
the nude lip. i have to have something with color.