Looking back, I would have changed many aspects of my beauty routine growing up, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Here are a few tips on what to avoid when you’re beautifying.
1. Over-tweezing
When I was in 7th grade, I absolutely massacred my eyebrows. I should have just left them alone because they weren’t even considered thick. Eyebrows look their best when they are neatly plunked, not over done. They don’t need to be super arched or thin.
2. Using bronzer all over your face
Back when Jersey Shore was popular, my friends and I all thought being tan was the most important thing in the world. Since our moms wouldn’t let us go tanning at 15 years old, (ugh) we had to pack on the bronzer. Of course this meant using the darkest, most orange shade we could find. I also failed to realize that I should have blended my bronzer down my neck. I had a beautiful, orange line going across my jaw.
3. Straightened Hair
I probably asked my mom for Keratin everyday when I was in 8th grade. The straighter the hair, the better. I didn’t seem to understand that not everybody’s hair had to be pin straight. I wore my hair the same way every single day with a little “Snooki Bump” in the front. Now, I love blowing out my hair with soft waves and tons of volume.
4. Black eyeliner in the waterline
For anybody who still does this on a daily basis, STOP. Looking at pictures where I had black eyeliner in my waterline, my eyes look so squinty and smaller. Most of the time it was melting underneath, leaving me with raccoon eyes. I remember keeping a little black eyeliner in my bag 24/7 to re-apply- should have left that at home!
5. Non-matching foundation
All foundation shades are not created equal. Wearing a darker foundation will not fool anyone into thinking that you’re tan; you’ll just look splotchy. I wish I realized that in 7th grade, I didn’t need foundation; instead a BB cream probably would have sufficed.
6. Wearing makeup 24/7- even at the pool!
When I discovered make-up, I thought I had to wear it everywhere. Young girls are under so much pressure to look good when they really should just worry about having fun and embracing their natural beauty! Less is definitely more when it comes to first trying out make-up. Save the smokey eyes and contouring for later on!