Common Makeup Missteps

Ok first, I’m not about telling women what to do when it comes to their appearance.  There are so many issues when it comes to discussing makeup and fashion, and it’s far too easy to become patronizing when giving women advice on how we dress.  Instead, I’m going to attempt to talk about distractions and how to avoid common missteps when it comes to using makeup in a conservative/professional setting.   However, if at the end of this post you still want to do what you want to do–go ‘head!

Everyone that knows me, knows I’m obsessed with makeup, but I definitely tone down my look for work.  It’s just a trade-off that we have to get used to until we reach a level where it won’t matter if we wear makeup or not.  Realistically speaking, that level isn’t going to be reached any time soon.  Thus, for me, it’s important to look how I want to look, but also stay on the professional side.  My motto is that I won’t wear makeup to work if it’s too shiny, too bright, too dark, or too light.  That simple rule has kept me from looking ridic at work.

Too Shiny. I try to not use any foundation, bb cream, eyeshadow, bronzer, etc. that has an excessive amount of sparkle or shimmer.  There are some great foundations that give off a really dewy-effect and it looks gorgeous, but it’s not for work.  The effect of a glow-y foundation is to make you look young and supple, which isn’t always the aim when we’re working, right?   For me, this look is usually better suited for evening rather than day.

Too Bright.  Again, I love bright eyeshadows and bright lipstick.  I’m of the belief that wearing bright colors can look appropriate at work, if it’s not overly obvious and if doesn’t over-emphasize your features.  In my case, I have a big mouth and when I wear a bold lip color, it really highlights the size.  If I wear a bright red or a bold purple, that’s all people will see (and sometimes that’s the effect I’m going for! But, not at work!).  Similarly, if I showed up to work with bright teal eye-shadow (even though teal eyeshadow is my fave), it would overpower my appearance.  So, when it comes to selecting color, I ask myself do I want to draw attention to my features?  Usually the answer is no.  Because I’m at work, duh.

Too Dark and Too Light.  This really just means know your shade and don’t over do it.  Don’t use foundations or creams that don’t match your skin tone and use it sparingly.  I once knew a guy that wore foundation, and it wouldn’t have looked bad if he didn’t 1) use a shade way too light for his skin tone and 2) cake it on–it was really this combo that made it look out of place.  A little goes a long way in the land of makeup.  And you have to assess your color throughout the year.  For example, if I’m coming back from vacation, I know I’ll have to use a darker foundation to fit my new tone otherwise it won’t look natural.

Overall, I try to make sure that whatever I’m using doesn’t take away from my message.  I aim to use makeup that is the right shade, right effect, and right color for my skin-tone so that I not only feel confident about how I look, but I’m also confident that my appearance won’t be a distraction.

If you use makeup, what are your favorite work-appropriate makeup products? Because I’m always on the hunt!