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What We Wish We Knew Then That We Know Now

12 October, 2017 - 09:38pm by - Head Pixie | 14 Comments

By BR Kellie

I'd like to think that young folk who are interested in makeup in this day and age have it easier than those of us who discovered the stuff in the dark old days pre-internet. These days there are articles galore explaining what is what and why you need it. Beauty gurus dot the interwebs with tutorials, ranging from simple day time or school-appropriate looks, through to makeup suitable for balls and evening events. Back in the day we literally had to figure things out by doing things wrong, and most of the time we didn't know it was wrong until we looked back on photos and thought 'yeah, that frosted blue eyeshadow did nothing for my complexion/skin tone/everything'.

So what do we wish we knew then that we know now? What pearls of wisdom would we pass on to those who may not want to or think to access the internet for tutorials and information. You know, the basics of makeup? We had a crew-storm and gathered together a little list of the Top Ten things we wish we knew then that we know now.

Foundation - it isn't a mask. Don't apply it like one. Blend it up into hair line and under your chin, then bring it down the neck. Avoid leaving a demarcation line. (And a big thank you to Tati for introducting the term 'demarcation' to me. It sounds so flaaaaash.)

More is not always more. Slapping foundation on with a trowel will result in an unnatural look, and could well emphasise the areas you're trying to hide. Keep it light and lightly build up the areas that require a little more coverage.

If you're trying to conceal a pimple apply concealer over your foundation, not under, because if you do it the other way you'll end up wiping the concealer away and your pimple will still be there in all its goopy glory.

Black eyeliner in the waterline works for some, but if it makes your eyes look smaller, don't do it. Or do it, because it's your face and you can do what you want, but if you're wanting your eyes to look larger. Don't.


Ignore skinny eyebrow trends. Especially if it means plucking your brows to the extreme. Big brows will always come back and it's a heck of a lot easier to work with natural ones that spending many minutes penciling in fake hair.

Eyeshadow is not a lid-only experience. It can go beyond the lid. In the crease, up to the brow bone, with lighter shades highlighting the area under your brows. 

Blusher shouldn't be applied like two slanted sticks on your cheeks. Blend. Blend. Blend. 

Self-tanning takes time to 'take'. Generally 12 hours. Don't keep slapping on more because you're not getting an instant result. You'll end up channeling Donald Trump. 

Also, don't bronze all over your face. Because again, you'll look like you've come down with a case of the DTs.

To be honest, I don't even know if primer existed when the majority of the crew started playing with makeup, but we know now what we didn't know then, and if we could jump in a DeLorean and go back in time we'd tell ourselves to prime EVERYTHING. Our skin for foundatin, our eyes for eyeshadow. We'd also impress upon ourselves the need to prime our skin and lips if we were attempting to fake tan or apply a matte lippy, because the  base is everything. A good base helps create good makeup. 

So there you have it. Our top ten list of 'what we wish we knew then that we know now'. 

Were you ever guilty of making our makeup mistakes? What would you tell your past self? And any guesses as to which crew member mucked up with what? Chat away!

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23rd October, 2017

Such a good list, I agree with all of them! I would also add using the wrong foundation shade or not blending it on your neckline properly

21st October, 2017

Past self probably wrong shade and amount of foundation, too thin brows plus i didnt colour them so with my fair hair looked like i had none sometimes

20th October, 2017

I was guilty of always putting foundation over my eyebrows (and quite often my lips too). And also not bronzing! So my face was like one flat pancake haha. Also I was a big fan of bright white eye shadow and thick black liner. Wow, I was a stunner haha.

18th October, 2017

Wearing bronzer all over! I have a photo of myself looking like a brown mirror ball.

17th October, 2017

Definitely guilty of using too much foundation - and one that didn't match my skin tone! Added too much blush to it too. Ended up ghostly pale, with clown cheeks. Not a cute look

17th October, 2017

the only way you can channel your inner don don trumpsicle is if you smash up a bunch of twisties and coat your face in them :P. tips for telling myself though - stop plucking your damn eyebrows! you'll regret it! and the biggest - WEAR SUNSCREEN YOU FOOL!!!!!

17th October, 2017

Ha ha ha slapping foundation on with a trowel, I couldn't help but crack up reading that part lol. Yeah I don't apply it that much to look cakey. I'm more a BB/CC Cream gal which blends in like moisturiser and then adjusts to my skin tone, that way I know I can't get the shade wrong he he he.

16th October, 2017

My worst was the tide mark of foundation - urg! at 15 yrs old I had no clue, until I looked in a work mirror during daylight one day - gulp!!! I didn't wear foundation for years after that.

15th October, 2017

I love this! I feel like this should be printed out and given to makeup beginners, oh how it would have saved me from 6 of these mistakes. I wish I knew the importance of skin care and exfoliating, applying foundation on top of dry skin is giving me flashback nightmares!

13th October, 2017

In high school we used to fake ran our legs and it looked horrible lol also far too much foundation and eyeliner. Also overplucked brows. Lol geeze lots of mistakes by me.

13th October, 2017

I would tell myself to experiment more. I only really got into makeup in the last few years, I feel like I have missed out on rocking some good/not so good makeup looks. Atleast i can make up for it now.

13th October, 2017

I didn't know about concealer going over foundation until about 6 months ago, I kept thinking I was just buying the wrong concealer! I still don't prime my eyes as much as I should or really my lips at all.

13th October, 2017

Not blotting! Looking back on some photos, oily shiny mess.

Also the demarcation line got me too. Oh yes, if only I could go back and teach myself a few things.

13th October, 2017

Lots of mistakes !!! self tanning the worst and I was orange all over for a while,over blushed too much foundation , eyeliner too thick !!! I seem to be guilty of all the faux pas !!

Julieal
13th October, 2017

Oh yes demarcation -me too

MareeB
16th October, 2017

Well, I just learned that this minute!!!