Mistake #1. Forgetting to add powder

A face powder might be something you associate with your granny's make up box but trust us; it's actually a crucial part of your make up routine. Most of us think we need a foundation, a few dots of concealer and we're good to go, but then wonder why our make up melts off in mere minutes.
 
The trick to keeping any form of liquid make up from running down your face as the day goes on is to set it in with a powder. If you don't want to alter your carefully applied colours in any way go for a translucent powder as it contains no pigment and is suitable for all skin types and tones.
 
If you couldn't resist fiddling with your pimple (don't worry, that's most of us) consider skipping this step as powder will stick to the broken skin and only draw more attention to it. Also use powder with caution around your eyes as it tends to set into wrinkles and creases. Try Essence Stay All Day Translucent Fixing Powder.

Mistake #2. Not using the right tools

Your instinct is probably to use your fingers to blend your concealer in but you could take your look from amateur to professional just by using some simple tools. For masking purple bags under your eyes dot three to five dots of concealer along the area then use a small sponge (like the Pink Oblong Blending Sponges) to blend. This will result in a more solid coverage.
 
Using your finger to blend on spots is actually really ineffective and mostly just creates a circle of concealer around the spot, drawing more attention to it... No, thanks! Pimples are a small area and this calls for a smaller tool, think a thin brush like the Cala Concealer Brush. Focus on concealing the actual spot then, once that’s been dealt with, blend the outer edges to the rest of your face too.
 

Mistake #3. Using old products

We're all guilty of this: hanging on to a crumbly old mascara because it made your eyes pop when you bought it new four years ago and it's not that dry so you keep using it. Sound familiar? The fact of the matter is old make up just doesn't do the job as it should and you deserve better. It's tempting to keep concealers for much longer than you should as they come in such small packaging and very rarely do you use them up completely, but once opened you shouldn't be using it for longer than six to nine months. If you can't remember the date you bought it look for things like a gloopy or thick consistency, discolouration or a bad smell; these are all signs you need to bin it!
 
Treat yourself to a LA Girl Pro Concealer in Chestnut or Natural. You can also try L'Oréal's Infallible Concealer in Amber or Golden Beige.

Related Article: The Top 7 Foundation Mistakes you are Probably Making
 

Mistake #4. Applying concealer first

There's a myth that you should apply your concealer before your foundation, but actually you should always dot it on afterwards. Think of your foundation application as priming your canvas and your concealer as adding the finishing touches. If you apply your foundation on top of your concealer it will all blend together and your concealer won't do what it's supposed to.
 
We love the Revlon 2-in-1 Colorstay Compact Make Up and Concealer.
 
 

Mistake #5. Buying a lighter shade

Another myth that we want to bust is that your concealer should be a shade lighter than your skin tone. You want your blemishes, bumps and red bits to blend it not stand out and a lighter colour will only highlight them.

Women often match their shades according to the back of their hand, but this skin will be a totally different colour to your face, the place you will actually be applying it! Bear this is mind when selecting your shade and go for a tone as close to your face’s skin tone as possible.

 

LA Girl's Pro Conceal range has a wide range of shades to choose from.

Mistake #6. Not knowing about colour correcting

Remember learning about the colour wheel and how every colour has an opposite colour that will balance or cancel it out? Well, you can use that knowledge to cancel out unwanted tones on your face! Remember this: green cancels out red (as in blemishes and pimples) and yellow/orange cancels out blue (as in the bags under your eyes or visible veins).
 
For counteracting red areas (including ruddy cheeks!) dot and blend the complementary colour over the area. Next dot your normal concealer over the area and carefully blend with a brush or sponge, taking care not to rub off your initial layer. Do the same with your blue/purple areas under your eyes using a yellow (for pale skin) or orange (for dark skin) layer underneath your concealer. Finish off with a press of powder and let the power of colour correction work its magic.
 
Pro Tip: If yellow or orange tones aren't covering your under-eye bags well enough for your liking try a dash of an orange-y red lipstick or cream blush. It sounds crazy but used sparingly it can give great results with dark skin tones.
 
Top picks: Physician's Formula Concealer Twins in Yellow and Green, and the Essence All I Need Concealer Palette has all the shades you’ll ever need.
 
Related Article. The Secret Tricks to Using Concealers to Really Conceal