We probably don’t need to be told that blue eye shadow is most likely not our friend, or that dark lip liners with pale lipsticks went out of style the same time as all-denim outfits. Still though, in the morning rush there are so many potential beauty pitfalls that we can easily fall into, and not even realise we’re doing it, so here are five common makeup mishaps to avoid... _____________________________________________ Wearing the wrong shade of foundation Experts estimate that 75-85% of women wear the wrong bra size, but it doesn’t take an expert to speculate that a similar number of women wear the wrong shade of make-up. A common problem in Ireland is the mistaken belief by many that foundation is there to give you ‘a bit of a colour’. It’s not. That’s not to say you have no choice but to embrace the pale. If you can’t bear to be bán, then self-tan, tinted moisturiser and bronzers are all your friends, but your make-up should start off with a foundation that matches your skin and blends in seamlessly. Test shades on your jawline and under your eyes before buying, and not on the hand or wrist. Making your lips look bigger with colour It’s a beauty myth that drawing outside your lip lines with your liner makes your lips look bigger. In fact it just makes you look like you’re practicing for a star turn at a kid’s birthday party. There are tons of lip-plumping products on the market nowadays that can give your lips some oomph without drawing any clown comparisons. You lip liner is for actual lips only, and remember to colour in too; the blend is your friend. Use a liner that matches your lipstick and apply a plumping gloss after for maximum effect. Over-plucking Your eyebrows frame your face, and it’s really important to have them well tended to as part of an overall groomed look. That said, it’s a thin line between under-working and over-working, and a thin line above your eyes is exactly what you don’t want. Over-plucking looks strange, pencils will never give you the same effect, and worst of all – over-plucking can lead to a diminution in the size of the hair follicle over time, so that new growing hairs are smaller and finer as well. No need to go all Scouse brow on it or anything, but make sure to think before you tweeze. Doing it in the dark If you’re up and at them early in the morning, you’re already well aware that the light outside is very different to that above your bathroom mirror. Maybe it looks like not enough bronzer/eyeliner/lipstick under the artificial light inside, but you’re playing a whole other ball game when you emerge in to the warm glow of the sun (with any luck). To avoid female impersonator chic, your best bet is to step into the light, and apply your make up at a mirror situated beside a window. Lashing on the perfume We get it. It’s your favourite scent, it makes you feel utterly fabulous – and everyone you meet asks what it is. Perfume is simply wonderful. Too much perfume though, simply woeful. Yes the scent seems to fade away very quickly, but topping up on an hourly basis is NOT the way to go. The reason you can’t smell the perfume you put on an hour ago is that your brain has gotten used to the smell and filtered it out in the way you would background noise. Others can still smell it just fine, so avoid assaulting the noses around you and step away from the spray.