CVLUX Magazine | #LUXlife — LUX Get Pretty: 6 Makeup Mistakes You May Be Making

Dominique James spends a lot of time getting creative with a blank canvas... whether it's for an artistic painting that she's working on or a face that needs to come alive. As a make-up artist, she points out 6 mistakes you may be making.

1. Highlight and Contour Mistakes - The trend of highlight and contour has taken America by storm. It can be something incredibly attractive or unattractive depending on how you apply. Make sure when you are applying your contour that your contour shade is only 2 to 3 shades darker than your normal skin color. Anything too dark might not blend as well and will look too obvious. Blend is your friend. Be sure to blend any harsh lines out. When highlighting, it’s important to have a shade with little to no shimmer. Your face is not the appropriate place to bring back the disco.

2. Cake Face - Thick layers are only good if we live in the snow. We don’t want to drown our faces in too much product. If you need a good coverage make sure you are building your product. Thin layers of build-able product can work wonders. And a light dusting of powder to finish is better than pressing in lots of powder. Thick powder never looks good. When too much powder is applied all over the face, the face looses it’s authenticity. No one likes a cake face, and no one likes to look fake.

3. Harsh Eyebrows - It seems with all the access we have to great makeup tutorials we would understand this by now, but I still see those ladies who draw on harsh brows. I hate to break it to you, but no one looks good with penciled on eyebrows. If you are using a pencil, make sure you are applying your brows in little flicks to mimic hairs instead of a straight, harsh line. I recommend using powder or cream and an eyebrow brush to apply. This will offer a more natural look. Make sure the color isn’t too dark. If anything, grab a shade slightly lighter.

4. Dry Lips - Cracks and dry skin are never attractive. Before you apply your lip color, be sure to moisturize your pout. This will help the color go on smooth and look much better. The first rule of pretty lips is to make sure they have a smooth surface! And your kissers will be more kissable, no doubt!

5. Cheeks that lack color - So many girls are afraid of blush these days! I don’t know if it’s because blush has a bad rap for being an old lady thing, because it seems that nobody wears it anymore! I believe in natural beauty, but often times the way to attain this look is to make sure we have some warmth on our face. A nice rose hue never hurt anyone. Make sure you’re applying it correctly on the apples of the cheeks. Anything lower draws the face downward.

6. Not using the right tools - If you want your makeup to look flawless you must learn how to apply it flawlessly. In order to do this, it is important to have the correct tools. Invest in proper brushes and a beauty blender to apply your face product such as foundation, blush, and contour. Brushes that are soft and pliable help give the face an air brushed look. Never press too hard when applying foundation, or else you could cause visible brush strokes!

And finally, tips and tricks are great when you’re needing a little lesson in makeup, but let’s not forget we still want to look like ourselves. Our individually is what makes us so beautiful. It’s cheesy, but very true when I say that grateful, sweet and happy girls really always are the prettiest.