By Kristel Yap, contributor / Header image via themistymom.com
Though they don’t necessarily have formal training, beauty bloggers who’ve been in the industry for years often have their makeup knowledge down to a science. They’re people who don’t just swipe on the first lipstick they pick up from their pile: they carefully consider skin tone, teeth whitening effect, hair color, and even the overall effect of their outfit before settling on a lip for their FOTDs.
Being part of the beauty industry, constantly rubbing elbows with beauty professionals, and being the first to know about trends and products affords them a front row seat to the do’s and don’ts of makeup. And as bloggers who are passionate about sharing this knowledge, there are a number of bad beauty habits that they wish people would stop doing! We asked three local bloggers to spill about the mistakes they often see, and their tips for avoiding these beauty blunders.
![Martha, Dawn and Shari]()
Martha, Dawn and Shari
Martha Sta. Barbara of thebeautyjunkee.blogspot.com has been blogging for seven years now. Never afraid to speak her mind, we found it crucial to add Martha to our blogger panel.
Dawn Llanera started beauty blogging in 2010 with her sister, Tracy, under peachypinksisters.blogspot.com. A trained artist, she applies her technical know-how to her approach to makeup.
While themistymom.com is fairly young at four years old, Shari Macainag has been blogging on and off about different topics for 16 years now! Shari has a fantastic eye for style – one look at her high street, magazine-esque blog will tell you as much.
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Don’t go (too) crazy on color
The makeup learning curve can be a funny thing. You start off afraid of changing anything on your face, so you choose thin foundations, clear glosses and sheer tints. As you get more comfortable, you also get more adventurous and go for more color, thicker coverage, and fuller lashes. It’s fine but if you take every product you own and apply it with every technique you know, you may one day look at the mirror and see a stunt double at Ru Paul’s Drag Race.
Dawn observes, “I often see women applying bold lipsticks paired with bright, shimmery blushes and thick eyeliners; this combination usually results to a makeup disaster. Maybe a few can pull this off (goddess levels!) but most are not able to.” It’s all about achieving balance, and carefully editing your look so that your features don’t clash with each other. She suggests, “For example, if you have heavy eye makeup, keep your cheeks and lips neutral.”
Of course, is color is lyf and drag makeup is your jam, then this advice shouldn't apply to you. But if you're after that sleek and professional beauty look, then color must be used sparingly.
Sticking to sheer and tinted products for “natural makeup”
“Do the ones who say this know that natural makeup requires more makeup than ‘unnatural’ makeup?” Martha groans. “Once you put on a touch of mascara, a dab of lip balm, or a clear brow gel, the natural barrier is already crossed.” Men and women alike aspire for this heavily made-up ideal without really wanting to admit that it takes product to look that way. As a result, using products that don’t really have any coverage or color won’t really do much for improving your look. It’s fine if that’s the look you prefer, but call it “bare-faced”, not “natural”.
![Lisa knows different features require different techniques, so she uses different models to showcase her looks]()
Lisa knows different features require different techniques, so she uses different models to showcase her looks
Don’t expect to look like your favorite guru
The biggest trap Filipinos fall into when trying to do makeup is expecting that a demo on a Caucasian model will suit our Asian faces. The Western world has definitely been the most prominent source of makeup knowledge but copying their techniques down to the last brush stroke isn’t always going to work. “I used to get frustrated with copying eye makeup, not realizing the UK vlogger I was inspired by had Caucasian eyelids and I had hooded eyelids,” admits Shari. Her advice? “Find a guru with similar features as yours - heart shaped face with monolids, for example - so her techniques would be better suited to you.”
![50% eyebrows, 50% makeup! Image via @anastasiabeverlyhills on Instagram]()
50% eyebrows, 50% makeup! Image via @anastasiabeverlyhills on Instagram
Don’t overdo your brows
Whether it’s your favorite Korean star or Cara Delevingne you’re trying to copy, big brows have literally exploded. However, it only takes one tone or one millimeter of stroke to take you from “Lily Collins fierce” to a “nahulugan ng higad sa mukha” fail.
“It's okay if you want to thicken your brows or if you want to darken it a shade or two darker,” Dawn concedes,“but know when to stop!” If you want to explore this trend, make sure you know your face shape and your brows are properly shaped. “Also, try using a brow pencil that is sheer (not too pigmented) or use more than one shade to create a better looking set of brows,” she suggests.
![Our girl Nikki knows how to make contouring funny]()
Our girl Nikki knows how to make contouring funny
Don’t over-contour
How many Instagram contour charts have we seen and attempted to copy? It’s an amazing feat to see the transformation from clown face to glamorous and polished. However, using as many products means more room for error. “I see many who contour their nose bridges too harshly; the start and end lines are very obvious,” says Dawn. “Learn to blend and choose the contour products that compliment your skin best.”
Don’t suck in your cheeks when contouring
This is one of those tips that have to die: biting your inner cheeks ‘til you look like a gold fish can actually be the reasons why your contour looks uneven, says Martha. “The hollow on the cheeks that you make when you suck it in takes more product compared to the flatter, more even parts,” she explains. Instead, find where you should apply your contour by standing directly under harsh fluorescent lighting and tracing where the shadows land.
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Don’t skip moisturizer even if your skin type is oily
Many people consider themselves as oily-skinned because of the amount of shine they get from a long day of work and study. Oily skin guru Dawn debunks this popular myth. “Your skin produces oil, so it's pretty normal to get some shine after a long day if you don't blot or retouch. It can still mean that you’re a combination, normal, or dry skin,” she says.
It mustn’t feel all that nice to layer when you already feel heavy and sticky. However, Dawn cautions that “skipping the moisturizer after cleansing and toning may make your skin oilier faster than how it normally does.”
Don’t share makeup or tools
As faces are carried some great distance from the ground, there is this notion that it is much cleaner than the rest of our bodies. While that may be true to some degree, it certainly doesn’t imply that our faces are always clean. Martha explains, “Bacteria knows no friends or blood.” So while you may love your friends, sisters and moms, use clean applicators or decant some of the product. Pay no mind if a little bit will be wasted, and be proactive in keeping your face (and your makeup) germ-free.
![Image via themistymom.com]()
Image via themistymom.com
Don’t limit yourself
And by this we mean: get out of your comfort zone. Whether it’s trying a wild makeup trend, a flashy lip color, or K-beauty products with weird ingredients, we shouldn’t be too timid or limiting about our makeup choices.
Shari enthuses, “I actually like it when Filipinas experiment with makeup! If they want to do the latest trends, why not! Gradient lips, contouring, strobing, baking – gow, push! Even if those around that aren't into makeup keep saying but you look better with less makeup, don't let it discourage you from discovering what works for you and what doesn't. What I like about makeup is it is self-empowering and if you feel confident with how you look with that fiery red lipstick on, don't let the Debbie Downers get to you.”
Don’t makeup-shame
Shaming others who choose to wear a full face of makeup is just plain wrong. “There's nothing wrong with [obviously wearing makeup] as long as you feel good about it and you are not hurting anyone,” she says. “Don't allow anyone to rain on your parade just because they think your makeup looks unnatural. Unless dramatic false eyelashes are causing a decline in the stock market, stop shaming!”
The point of this list is to educate, not to berate. It is one thing for a person to walk around with a heavily-contoured face because they don’t know how to do it properly, and another for them to do so actually wanting to look that way. In the latter case, who are we to try to convince them otherwise? “No one really cares if you wear less or no makeup, and neither should you about women who wear a lot," Martha concludes.
