Avoid a white powder disaster

She may be a style icon and a trendsetter, but when Angelina Jolie stepped out for a New York premiere earlier this week, she had people talking more about her makeup than her kneelength cocktail dress. 

Reason: her over- powdered face.

Now, while white powder is a great makeup tool to give one's skin a flawless finish and to keep oil at bay, one should not go overboard with it. Here are a few things to keep in mind to avoid a white-powder disaster:

Remember, a light dusting of white powder is all one needs when applying makeup.

Do not overpowder your face through the day or it will start to look cakey later on.

Apply powder only to areas that tend to shine, like the T-zone and chin. If you have an oily T-zone, it's better to use blotting paper rather than more white powder.

Do not use a giant brush, but a domed eye shadow one instead, to apply the powder

Stuck on selfies? Follow these rules

While selfies are great fun, they don't always come out as you would prefer.

Selfies have become a phenomena on the social networks around the world. From the biggest celebrities of the world to just about everyone, selfies are the best ways of expression these days. And if you are hooked on them too, then keep in mind these facts to get that perfect selfie.

Miss the mirror

Taking a selfie in front of a mirror is nothing but cheating the whole idea. Besides, they splash the flash all over the picture and smear it with unwanted reflections. Avoid clicking that and hold the camera facing yourself and not your mirror image.

Light that fire

Most selfies get messed up due to inefficient light. Dark and unappealing pictures is not something you want. So stand facing the source of light instead of turning your back towards it. This helps in bringing out clear images.

Photobombing

If you are not aware of this term, go online and see those disastrous selfies many have ended up with. A quick look at what is going on behind you is a good idea just before you make the click.

Angle it right

Not all angles are good unless they are the right angle. Position your camera a little on the higher side and turn your face sideways. Or even better, find an angle that suits best for your face, and once you find that, just hit the click button.

Top ten beauty myths

A new study says that nine out of 10 women admit to making grooming mistakes such as washing hair daily to bring more volume to it or plucking eyebrows too close to the mirror to get a perfect shape. 

The study has been conducted by professional hair care website Hairtrade.com, reports femalefirst.co.uk. 

"We all make hair and beauty mistakes but the good news is they can easily be put right and by doing so, may even save you time and money," said a spokeswoman from Hairtrade.com. 

Here are the 10 most common hair and beauty mistakes: 

Washing hair too much:

 One believe that by washing hair every day you're keeping it squeaky clean and in top condition. You're wrong. Washing locks so frequently means you strip them of their natural oils and are actually doing more harm than good. 

Applying too much conditioner: 

People apply conditioner all over hair like the way they do it with shampoo. The hair at roots is new and healthier so concentrate on the tips of hair. 

 

Not using a heat protector: 

There really is no excuse for not protecting hair while using hairdryers and straighteners most days. Blasting hair with heat without shielding it in some way will leave it dry, frizzy and in poor condition. 

Tying your ponytail in the same place: 

If you always wear your hair up in a tight ponytail, then try not to tie it in exactly the same place every day. It can cause too much tension on the hair and over time can weaken it. 

Forgetting to wash make-up brushes: 

It's one of those jobs you know you should do but just can't be bothered about. If you fail to give your brushes a good clean then not only will you have mixed colours, you are also allowing bacteria to build up. Aim to give your brushes a clean once a week. 

 

Neglecting neck: 

As part of your daily skin care routine, do you cleanse and moisturise your neck? Thought not. Don't stop at your chin, make sure you carry on and take care of the thin, delicate skin on your neck. This area can be prone to sensitivity so it is really important to look after it. 

Over-treating and over-covering spots:

It's too easy to apply every spot cream you have to your face as soon as you have a breakout, but don't. They work on your skin for hours so make sure you always follow the pack instructions to the letter. Likewise, don't cake them in make-up. Your skin needs time to breath. 

Applying foundation before moisturiser is dry: 

Moisturiser needs time to dry so give it a minute before you start applying your foundation. The creaminess of moisturiser can cause makeup to thin out, so if you apply too quickly you'll get a streaky look. 

 

Plucking eyebrows too close to the mirror:

If you pluck too close to the mirror you find yourself looking at every hair rather than looking at the overall shape of your eyebrows. This can leave you with thin, uneven brows. Instead use a large mirror and take a couple of steps back so you can see your whole face, not just your eyebrows. 

Yellow nails: 

If you love nail art and never leave the house without a new design or colour on your talons, then you could be prone to yellow nails. Constant decoration can change the natural colour of the nails. The answer? Always apply a base coat and this will help prevent the stains.

Beauty mistakes you should avoid

Most women are prone to a few basic grooming mistakes. They either end up washing their hair every single day, or applying too much conditioner to make their hair softer and frizz-free. 

Some don't wash their hair and make-up brushes, and end up over-plucking their eyebrows. These mistakes might seem simple, but they are in fact serious enough to damage your skin and hair. Here are some points you need to keep in mind...

1. Keep all your brushes clean: 

It's one of those jobs you know you should do, but just can't be bothered about. If you fail to give your brushes a good clean-up, you are allowing bacteria to build up. Clean your brushes once a week.

2. You don't need to shampoo your hair daily: 

One belief is that by washing hair every day, you are keeping it squeaky clean and in top condition. You are wrong. Washing your locks so frequently means you strip them of their natural oils; this way, you are actually doing more harm than good.

 

3. Too much conditioner can be harmful: 

People apply conditioner all over their hair and scalp like shampoo. The hair at the roots is new and healthier, so concentrate on the tips.

4. Take care of your neck just like your face:

As part of your daily skin-care routine, do you cleanse and moisturise your neck? Don't stop at your chin. Make sure you carry on and take care of the thin, delicate skin on your neck. This area can be prone to sensitivity so it is really important to look after it.

5. Do your makeup patiently: 

When you apply a moisturiser on your skin before makeup, it needs time to dry, so give it a minute before you start applying your foundation. You cannot hurry along with some things, because patience can give you results like nothing else can. If you hurry, the creaminess of the moisturiser can cause the makeup to thin out. So, if you apply it too quickly, you'll get a streaky look.

 

6. Go easy with your correctors:

It's easy to apply spot creams as soon as you have a breakout, but don't. These creams work on your skin for hours, so make sure you always follow the instructions on the packet. Likewise, don't apply them thickly, your skin needs time to breathe.

7. Use a protector before styling hair:

There really is no excuse for not protecting your hair while using hairdryers and straighteners. Blasting your hair with heat without shielding it in some way will leave it dry, frizzy, hard and in poor condition.

 

8. Plucking eyebrows too close to the mirror: 

If you pluck eyebrows too close to the mirror, you find yourself looking at every hair rather than looking at the overall shape of your eyebrows. This can leave you with thin, uneven brows. Instead, use a large mirror and take a couple of steps back so that you can see your whole face, not just your eyebrows.