Common Beauty Mistakes

By Helen Wang

We have all done it - beauty mistakes. That time when you tried something new and it didn't work out.

You know what I'm talking about: the incident. Like the time when you rushed out of the house wearing pantyhose under your open-toe shoes.

It's great to experiment when it comes to beauty, fashion, and style but some things are better tried at home, where you can do a safe test run, or taken care of by an expert to avoid common beauty mistakes.

Here are a few common beauty mistakes and style mistakes women often make, sometimes without realizing the error of their ways.

Style and beauty are about personal choices.

That said, there are a number of unwritten guidelines that dictate what is considered acceptable and what is not.

Beauty mistakes #1 - Over-plucking:

Yes, contoured, shapely eyebrows are fabulous and can add a lot of sophistication to your look. Scraggly or invisible eyebrows, on the other hand, are just that's scraggly or invisible.

For the $12 or less it can cost to have your brows professionally waxed, its worth the money to have someone else shape your brows. If you insist on doing it yourself, be careful not to remove too much hair.

Selective plucking may be your best option. Pluck just after you've showered so hair pops out more easily. Brush your brows into place, and then using a good set of tweezers, gently remove hair from under the arch of your eyebrow and outside the natural brow line. Do a little at a time, stepping back periodically to inspect your work from a distance.

Beauty mistakes #2 - Unnatural tan:

Too much time in the sun can be bad for you skin and for your health though a deep, sun-drenched tan looks great. Tanning beds have only marginal benefits in terms of reducing your exposure to harmful UV rays, so many women turn to tanning lotions to achieve that sun-bronzed look.

Not all tanning and bronzing lotions are created equal. So be aware! Some will give your skin a sickly orange tinge while others are difficult to apply and end up streaky.

Do a small test patch in a normally covered area to find out how the lotion will look on your skin. This takes a little extra time, but the effort is worth it. You want a natural-looking tan, not an application of finger paint.

In addition to choosing the wrong kind of tanning product, many women (and men) forget to apply it all over. The backs of the legs are difficult to reach, but it is essential to have even coverage over all visible parts of your body.

This includes your hands. You should wear gloves while applying bronzer to the rest of your body to avoid over-colorization, but when you're finished, don't forget your hands or you'll end up with a reverse farmers tan!

Beauty mistakes #3 - Unsightly feet:

Nasty-looking feet can absolutely ruin a great pair of sandals. Don't put a lot of effort into shaping and painting your toenails without taking a good look and feel of your heels, too.

We can see our toes, so they often hog the attention we give our feet, but others can see our heels and bear witness to the neglect we may inflict.

Avoid such common beauty mistakes; beauty faux-pas by beginning a daily regimen of care long before you intend to show off your lovely toes. By using a foot file or rough scrub brush every day in the shower, you will soon see softer heels.

Dry your feet well to prevent any bacterial growth between your toes (yuck!), and apply a moisturizing AHA or BHA foot lotion.

Your feet will thank you if you apply more lotion again before going to sleep. If your heels or other rough spots like the often-calloused area by your little toe are too out of control, you should get a professional pedicure to smooth away the imperfections.

Beauty mistakes #4 - Garish makeup:

Not all colors were meant to be worn by all people. All those lovely lipstick shades might look great in the store, but not so good on you. Choose neutral colors for daytime use and slightly bolder colors for evening.

Remember that colors change under different light, so what looks good in the cosmetics section of the department store, might not look the same under your office lights. Consult a cosmetician (its usually free) to find out what your best colors are and build from there.

Avoid the 4 common beauty mistakes mentioned and give your body, mind and spirit shine with magnetic personality.