Why You May Be Overdoing Your Makeup (and How to Fix It)

With more and more eyebrow-blindness testimonials flooding social media, and the entire internet declaring war on “birthday makeup,” beauty lovers around the globe are restructuring their relationship with their makeup routines. People are now reclaiming the natural beat. While it’s certainly exciting to play with drama and bold expression, you may not even realize when you’ve overdone it until it’s too late and the photos have hit the gram.

21Ninety spoke to Dallas-based professional makeup artist Tamar Israel , who specializes in sophisticated bridal glam, to learn more about where we may be going wrong with our beats and some easy yet effective tips to bring ease and minimal beauty into our daily looks.

How To Do “Less is More” Makeup

21Ninety: When it comes to “less is more,” what are some products we tend to overdo?

Tamar Israel: I believe we tend to use way too much concealer in our routine. When we use the right tone of color corrector, we can use less concealer and work in thin layers for a skin-like finish.

21N: What’s your take on the eyebrow blindness trend? Is there something we’re blind to now?

TI: We’ve all been guilty of eyebrow blindness. Remember how thin brows in the 90s were the rave? Makeup trends evolve just like fashion, so it’s crucial to stay abreast to keep your makeup look updated and maintain timelessness. Today, we are blind to false lashes. While I live for a bold look, we have to be careful not to choose a lash that overpowers our eyes making them look droopy and smaller.

21N: What’s the secret to achieving a natural beat?

TI: The secret to achieving a natural beat is to work in thin layers. When applying your foundation (or concealer) use a small amount, blend, and reassess. Add more thin layers if needed for additional coverage.

21N: What are the most important tools to use for a skin-like finish? Blenders, brushes, fingers?

TI: Your Beauty Blenders and natural fiber brushes. Natural fiber brushes tend to pick up less product than synthetic brushes allowing you to have more control over your coverage and pigmentation. Whereas Beauty Blenders (when used damp) help melt product into your skin for a smooth, buttery finish.

21N: What’s the one product you won’t compromise on your daily makeup look?

TI: Aside from skincare, the one product I will not compromise on my daily makeup look is mascara. I love to add mascara on the top and bottom lashes for a voluminous look that makes me look fresh and awakened.

21N: Do you have a rule of thumb for deciphering how much of a product we should be using?

TI: It varies from person to person. Using the “right” amount of product is a matter of preference and necessity. For example, some women suffer from extreme dark circles and in that case, I would use more product to cover them. But if someone has acne scarring and hates the weight of makeup, I would give them medium coverage which would cause the scarring the peak through the makeup a bit. I recommend applying thin layers by dotting the product on the skin, blend, then check to see if more coverage is needed.

21N: How do we choose between oil-based or water-based foundations?

TI: Knowing your skin type and preference for finish will help you choose your perfect foundation. If you have dry skin and prefer a dewy, luminous finish with natural coverage, your best option is to select a tinted moisturizer or water-based foundation. However, if you have oily, acne prone skin and you want a long-wear finish that covers your scars opting for a full-coverage matte finish would best suit you. Remember, dewy finishes have the shortest wear, whereas satin to matte finishes give you the longest wear without the need to touch up. Most foundations are silicone or water-based, or both. Silicone helps to blur out texture, mattify the skin, give more coverage, and offer more longevity. Water-based foundations are great for those who want a sheer, “barely there” makeup look.

21N: Which Black female celebrity do you think has consistently mastered the less is more makeup look?

TI: Jasmine Tookes always has flawless glam that is refined, polished, and relatable to all women.

This article has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

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