The 6 Most Common Makeup Mistakes—and How to Fix Them

Why didn't anyone help you out YEARS ago?
No matter how good you are at applying makeup, mess-ups do happen.

Whether you accidentally swipe your mascara too quickly or dab on one too many coats of bronzer, these tiny flubs can have a big effect on your final look—and cost you major time when you’re getting ready. But don’t fret: You don’t actually have to redo your entire face. Here’s how to do damage control when you make a makeup boo-boo.

The mishap: Uneven eyeliner. We all have those off days—when our cat eye looks more squiggled than flicked.

The fix: Use a pointed cotton swab dipped in makeup remover, says Rick DiCecca, global makeup artist for Artistry. After squeezing any excess makeup remover onto a tissue, carefully swipe the cotton swab over the uneven area that you want to erase. “This technique will help you create a more perfect line so you don't need to remove all of your eye makeup," says DiCecca.

The mishap: Flecks of mascara on your cheeks. If your formula is old, drying out, or waterproof, that may make it flake—leaving black flecks along your cheekbones after you've already perfected your face makeup.

The fix: Brush the excess mascara away with a transparent loose powder like Artistry Exact Fit Perfecting Loose Powder ($32, amway.com), says DiCecca. Dip a small, fluffy eye shadow brush into a transparent loose powder, and sweep any excess mascara off of your face.

The mishap: Mascara marks on your eyelids. If you swipe too quickly or are working with a new wand, you can end up with mascara residue on your lids.

The fix: Hide the marks with concealer, says DiCecca. Just dip the edge of a small synthetic concealer brush into concealer, and dab along the edge of the dark marks you want to disappear.

The mishap: Lipstick that won't budge. You want to apply a different color, but the original one you put on just won't come off.

The fix: Make sure you have a lip balm handy. Start by applying it on top of the color you already have on, then wipe your lips with a tissue, says DiCecca. Keep repeating this until your lips are free of color. Then, apply one more coat of lip balm—this helps ensure your pucker stays soft and flake-free—and finish with your new shade.

The mishap: Bronzer overload. Got a little too excited with the brush? You don’t have to wipe everything off to avoid looking like an oompa-loompa.

The fix: To get rid of the extra layers of faux glow, "buff over the bronzer with a large, fluffy powder brush dipped in translucent loose powder,” says DiCecca. You can also press a non-latex makeup sponge dampened with water over the excess bronzer. The sponge will pick up minimal product so you don't have to reapply everything underneath it.

The mishap: Glitter, glitter, everywhere. You used a glitter eye shadow once a week ago, and now its remnants are all over your face.

The fix: Dab a small amount of face or eye cream over the glitter, then press a non-latex sponge dampened with water into the cream. “This will lift glitter off the skin," says DiCecca.