For a long time, I had a habit of wearing too much bronzer, thinking it gave me a ‘healthy’ glow. In truth, it made me look overly tan, and there was a distinct shade difference between my face and neck. It wasn’t until years later that I learned how to properly apply bronzer. Since then, I’ve discovered a few more solutions to common mistakes women make in their day-to-day makeup routines, which I’m sharing here. For more on my current makeup routine, click here. And let me know if you have any tips or tricks to add to the list!

1. Matching makeup color on the cheek. Like many women, I use to think that sampling makeup on my hand was the best way to get a perfect match. But I discovered that the best approach is to actually test makeup colors on the neck for the closest match to your natural skin tone. And don’t forget to select new makeup shades as seasons (and skin tone) change.

2. Blending too harshly around the eyes. I am all about any tips to help prevent wrinkles, especially around the eyes! When applying and blending concealer and eye makeup, use the third finger, patting gently, to avoid pulling the delicate eye skin. And make sure to wash hands well before and after. For more on caring for skin around the eyes, don’t miss this GMG Now post.

3. Applying bronzer all over the face. Wearing too much bronzer all over the face can come off looking ‘fake’. I’ve learned to create a more natural glow by only applying bronzer to the top of my forehead, cheekbones and jawline. And then I gently blend blend blend!

4. Forgetting to moisturize before applying makeup. Big no no! Dry, flaky skin doesn’t allow makeup to blend in, leaving it sitting on top unnaturally. Keep skin exfoliated and add a rich moisturizer to ensure you have the perfect base for makeup to blend in. I actually add a small amount of moisturizer to my makeup to help it go on more smoothly. Spritz on rose water to add a dewy glow! For more on rose-inspired beauty tips, check-out this GMG Now post here. And explore this blog post to find my favorite products for glowing skin.

5. Wearing too much blush. The purpose of blush is to create a subtle, healthy glow to your complexion. Try applying a light amount of blush to the apples of the cheeks and then blend back toward the hairline so there are no lines. For more tips on applying blush, visit this GMG Now post.