What do you do if your makeup doesn't turn out how you wanted?
I’m fortunate that I usually have time to redo it in full if I want to, so that’s the most likely route… Just the other day, I redid my foundation FOUR times because nothing–I repeat, NOTHING–was working on my nose area (flaking, patchy, just dreadful). If it’s a minor thing, like maybe the color combo didn’t pan out as well as I envisioned, then I’ll live with it and keep going.
I think my tolerance for “doesn’t turn out” would be lower if I wasn’t home all the time, though. I’m also kind of used to wacky combos and things that don’t match at all given I test things all the time, LOL!
— Christine
It depends how far in I am.. usually, I just suck it up tbh. That said, these are some of my fixes.
Eyeshadow: -, e/s looks horrendous, I will go in with a satin skin tone shadow with a larger brush (Sonia G Detail Pro) and buff the crap out of whatever mess I have made until it looks soft and tolerable. Also, if I hate my eye look because the colour immediately around my eyes is disappointing, I grab Huda Mauve 9 pan palette and blend one of the darker shades in. It’s the best e/s colours for eye colour and skintone period. It has saved many a look for me. On the same vein, adding MELT liner in Burnish will save a ho-hum look.
Cheeks: -If I’ve gone cray with my h/l, I use a big soft brush with setting powder to tone it done. I use the same technique for blush. I tend to buy sheerer blushes, so that is rarely an issue.
Base: If I mess up my base, and I’m not in a hurry, I will take it off and start again.
-I frequently have the issue of base products not adhering to nose and chin. I find adding a primer to those areas helps. Also, use damp sponge to apply very fine film of loose powder PRIOR to base product. It works like a charm.
-I’ve had situations where I have applied too much skin care and my base has pilled all over my face. I cannot stand the feel of it. It drives me mad. That is definitely a start over. No fix.
– I’ve gone nuts with Vit A and had my forehead look like a cracking egg. I will go for a CC base applied with a damp sponge (no brushing!) versus a foundation and accept the fact my base is probably not going to be my best.
I usually don’t have time in the morning to redo something if I don’t like how it turned out, so I just deal with it or put on a bright lipstick to distract and make myself feel better.
It depends which part isn’t working out. If it’s concealer (a daily necessity under my eyes), I’ve generally no option but to remove (with Clarins eye makeup remover) and start again. Foundation can be similar (though I’ll sometimes remove, exfoliate, moisturize and let that sink in before starting again) but for eyeshadow, I can generally use a pressed skin toned powder (MAC Mineralize or just about anything, really) to blend away what looks harsh or bad. Blush – if I overdo it, a buffing type brush and some powder will also blend away the Pikachu cheeks.
That’s why I like to keep clean face and eye buffing brushes around. With a little bit of powder I can blend over my mistakes and either tone them down or cover them.
I don’t have the time or patience to redo anything. I try and fix what I can and if I can’t I just remind myself that it is really only me that cares if my makeup isn’t perfect. As a perfectionist that is *really* hard to do, but honestly I don’t have my picture taken a bunch (and very rarely close ups) and my makeup always looks fine from far away so it truly is just me that is bothered by my makeup not cooperating with me on a particular day.
First I mumble something like, “&#%!!!” Then, if it’s really bad, I clean the part of my face with the problem and start over. If it’s not that bad, I’ll live with it. One time I tried to do a fancy purple eye look for an evening out, but it came out looking clownish and I didn’t have much time to try again, so I quickly scrubbed it off and did a quick, basic neutral look instead. I used a bright lipstick to make up for it.
In normal situations I apply make-up before work or an event, so I don’t have time to redo, just maybe to do quick fixes. I rarely experiment, and usually I introduce new products and techniques in my routine on days when I have the luxury to redo or look bad.
If I notice that something is going awry in my makeup look; I stop, evaluate what can be done to save the look, and adjust accordingly. This has almost always worked for me. For instance; my blush or bronzer has accidentally gone on heavier than anticipated, I will tamp it down a bit and reign it in by gently pouncing my beauty sponge with foundation still in it to diffuse it and bring it down a notch. An eye look is usually pretty easy to salvage, though. As long as I catch whatever went wrong before it gets out of hand, it’ll be fine.
It depends on how much time I have. Usually, I just remove and redo it, especially if the issue is a foundation. Sometimes foundation can be fixed with some setting spray on a beauty sponge, or going over some areas with a concealer. Other fixes when I’m short on time: UD Moondust eyeshadow or another super-shimmery shadow can alter a poor lid color choice, add some lightness to a too dark or muddy eye, or spice up a “blah” look. Wearing bright lipstick and my glasses also distracts from a bad eye look. Powder can tone down too much/too dark/too bright blush.
If it’s the base, I won’t remove it because then I would have to do my skin care over again, specifically sunscreen, and since that has to set for 15 minutes to create the barrier, it would take too long. Usually I pat on some moisturizer or spray with a hydrating mist to soften it and then blend with a damp sponge. I fix blush with powder and a fluffy brush. I mess up my eyeliner fairly often and use micellar water on a cotton swab to even it out. Eye shadow depends on the problem. If the tone is one that makes me look ill, I will remove it and do something else. Otherwise I will tone it down or add a stronger shade until it is passable and maybe I will put on a pair of glasses with a bolder frame to distract.
If the base looks bad, I’ll remove and try again. Anything after that I don’t fret about it, will leave it and carry on with my day.
I pretty much either live with it or remove the whole thing and skip doing whatever I have messed up. If it is my e/s and I just can’t go out looking that way, I will remove the shadow, add foundation and mascara and call it a day. I rarely redo it.
Great tips! I too buff the crap out of my eyeshadow with a skin tone shade. It also helps take an eye look down a notch or blend it out if I went up to high. Although lately I have been seeing a lot of looks where they are taking the shadow up high or to the brows and I’m just not so sure about how that would translate on me in person in everyday life, especially with brighter colors ??♀️
As (I guess it’s now revealed) a barbarian, I wipe away excess blush with a tissue. On my eyes, I’ll use a damp Q-tip. Then, if it’s my face I’ll buff w/ powder if I need to take the color down more. For eyes I’ll just add a bit of cc cream to even out color, and then reapply liner if needed to smooth or deepen. I may reapply mascara if too much got wiped off in fix-it job. I don’t usually need to reapply shadow, though I may deepen the crease or add a highlighting color at the end to finish the look, or correct for anything that got too subdued while erasing a smudge.
I just wear it.
Some days you’re the bug
Some days you’re the windshield
Janine
I love this quote 🙂
Thanks Lauren me too??
I hate when that happens ?. If I have time to fix the part I don’t like I will. If not I stick with it and convince myself no one notices but me it doesn’t look good.
If anything is going wrong with my makeup it is usually the way I have applied my eyeshadows – not blended them enough or I have added too much of one colour and it is dominating the rest of the eye look. If I am at home all day (and who hasn’t been lately?) I say, oh well, lesson learnt.
If I am going out, I will try and resurrect it by adding a soft gold shimmer over the top to tone it all down and do a lot of blending.
Usually things are fixable with a buffing brush and powder, or a sponge and foundation to blend it out. If there is pilling then I can sometimes brush it off with a brush and put powder on it to cover it but otherwise then it is a do over if I have time if not then suck it up and go as it is fixed up as much as possible or just do my eyes and leave my face as is. I’ve learned life isn’t over if you go out without make up on. Did I just say that?!
I can usually pull out a fix. A few examples:
Foundation not applying to my nose right-I usually put a dab of moisturizer (I use Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture) on my nose over the current coat to smooth things out and then add a dab more foundation over the moisturizer. I’ve also done the same thing with primer, but moisturizer usually works better.
A zit poking through my base-first I try to cover it with foundation or concealer and then powder the retpouch, next I bring foundation or concealer with me for any further retouches, and if neither works I distract with bright lipstick. Unexpectedly, I once had Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips 2 Patsy Red really draw attention away from a zit near my mouth!
I once went for a dark eye and it went too raccoon-y, so I just changed from the shirt I’d originally been wearing into a Green Day T-shirt. The look instantly went from raccoon mistake to punk chic!
My trick is for fixing base is to apply more SPF, the moisture in it will melt away any mistakes in my base (too much product, clinging to patches, creasing etc). If I’ve had to do it near an oilier zone on my face I just pat some Becca Hydra mist loose powder…this works 99% of the time. As for overdoing blush, a dense buffing brush will usually buff it down….failing that a light layer of foundation or tinted spf also works so beautifully. As for eyes, I tend to steer clear of liners and dark shadows so that my “fix” up work tends to always be as easy as reaching for a flesh toned powder.
Depending on how much time I got, I might just take it all off and be bare faced. Or if it’s not too bad I might try put up with it but feel regret throughout the day. When it’s not too late already I’m happy to redo it
I am trying to save this eye look as inspo !! lol couldn’t see a products used for the look link