

11 Beauty Blunders Every Woman Makes

Easy upgrades for gorgeous skin, hair, and makeup

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The way you brush your hair, file your nails, and shave your legs is like second nature by now. But what if we told you that the routine you’ve been following since you were old enough to bother is actually…wrong? Don’t worry—plenty of women make the same mistakes. And the good news is, fixing them doesn’t add any extra time to your routine. Make these simple tweaks to your morning and evening prep to look gorgeous without adding any extra items to your beauty to-do list.

MORE: The 8 Biggest Makeup Mistakes That Age You

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Rubbing perfume between your wrists

Why it’s bad: Spritz, rub, go—right? Not quite, says Wendi S. Berger, president of Pour le Monde Parfums. The top, middle, and bottom notes of a perfume are supposed wear gently over hours. But when you rub your wrists together, heat and friction causes the top notes—the one you’re most likely to smell first—to evaporate faster. “You are eliminating the joy of the top notes—which is probably why you purchased it in the first place—and rushing the spirit of the fragrance.” (This is especially true for natural fragrances. Click here for our favorites!)

The fix: Spray perfume on unclothed pulse points like your inner wrists, inner elbows, or behind your ears (but be ginger, please—don’t spray all these places unless you want to be that girl). Before you get dressed, let the fragrance dry naturally. For damp wrists, channel your inner Kate Middleton and wave like royalty for a drying method that won’t disturb the smell.

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Filing your nails back and forth

Why it’s bad: Sawing back and forth while filing can cause a snag on the surface of the nail, which can weaken your nail and cause breakage, says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI executive VP and artistic director. (Be sure to avoid these 7 other manicure mistakes that age your nails.)

The fix: Take your file between your thumb and pointer finger and file your nails in one direction.

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Peeling off your polish

Why it’s bad: In a meeting, on the train, on your own couch—we’ve all gone to town on a dilapidated mani. But that white stuff that comes off with your nail polish is actually the top layer of your nail. Remove the protective top layer, and your nail will be thinner, weaker, and more prone to breakage.

The fix: Resist the urge to pick and remove polish the old fashioned way: with a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover. Keep a few La Fresh Eco-Beauty Nail Polish Acetone-Free Remover Pads ($10 for 20; amazon.com) in your purse, your car, at your desk. They’re lifesavers when you’re called into an impromptu meeting or dinner and your manicure is looking less than polished.

MORE: 7 Things Your Nails Say About Your Health

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Brushing hair from the top

Why it’s bad: Running a brush through your hair is like a mini scalp massage. But if you’ve got tangles, they will be ripped out instead of worked out, says Lisa Lobosco, creative director of ECRU New York. “Starting at the top also stretches the hair to the point of snapping, resulting in split ends and breakage.” (Check out these 11 bad habits that are causing your hair to thin.)

The fix: If you have knots, start from the bottom. Work out as many tangles as you can before running a brush through your hair top to bottom. (Pick out the best brush for your hair here.)

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Using conditioner all over

Why it’s bad: Conditioner is meant for damaged hair (read: your ends). Using it all over will just weigh down your 'do. “Hair at the roots cannot absorb conditioner because it’s healthy, leaving the product just sitting on the scalp,” says Lobosco.

The fix: Apply conditioner to the bottom half of your hair only.

MORE: 12 Highly Effective Treatments For Thinning Hair

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Dry shaving

Why it’s bad: Dry shaving can cause flaking, lead to razor burn, and, without the lubrication of the shaving gel, makes it easier for the blade to catch on your skin and send you reaching for the bandages. (Here are the best methods to remove hair from...everywhere.)

The fix: Shave at the end of your shower, suggests Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Apply a hydrating shave gel (or even hair conditioner if you’re in a pinch), which will allow for a nice slick surface and a cleaner shave.

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Drying your hair with a towel

Why it’s bad: Your hair’s cuticle—that’s the outer layer—is shingled like a roof. The flatter it lays, the shinier it looks. Rubbing the towel back and forth roughs up the cuticle, which can cause damage that fades color and promotes dryness.

The fix: Lobosco suggests wrapping your hair in the towel to absorb the water, running the towel from roots to ends in the direction of the cuticle, or simply squeezing the water out of the hair with a towel or old T-shirt.

MORE: Simple Ways To Keep Your Hair From Breaking So Much 

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Picking at a pimple

Why it’s bad: We know it’s hard to resist, and you know you’ve been told this a hundred times, but here’s the bottom line: Picking at a pimple can compound the infection causing it to spread under the skin and, yup, scar. If you don’t want a monster on your face, hands off!

The fix: Zeichner recommends applying an OTC cream with 1% hydrocortisone and 2.5% benzoyl peroxide to the inflamed offender. If you absolutely can’t wait for it to go away on its own, visit a dermatologist for a cortisone shot. (For more solutions, check out these new, effective treatments for getting rid of adult acne for good.)

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Wearing makeup to bed

Why it’s bad: By the end of a long day, your skin has collected plenty of dirt and oil along with that makeup. Leaving it on all night clogs the pores, which could lead to breakouts—not to mention creates hard-to-clean stains on your pillowcase!

The fix: Traditional soaps are strong enough to remove makeup, but make the delicate skin on your face tight and dry, which could cause flaking, breakouts, and redness. Instead, swipe away makeup first with disposable wipes like Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes ($5.99; yestocarrots.com) and wash your face using a gentle made-for-your-face cleanser. Apply a night cream (we’ve got one for every budget) and hit the sack with happy skin.

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Not wearing sunscreen—all the time

Why it’s bad: The sun’s harmful UV rays give you sun spots, break down your DNA to cause wrinkles and fine lines, and put you at risk for skin cancer. Plus, a recent study revealed that regular sunscreen use can keep the signs of aging at bay just as well as your expensive wrinkle cream—in fact, skin aging was 24% less in sunscreen users. UV light can even penetrate through glass windows and clouds, says Zeichner, so it’s important to apply even if you’re office-bound.

The fix: Apply SPF 30 every day to exposed skin, including your face, ears, hands, chest, and lips. Not sure which kind to buy? Find the best sunscreen for your skin type here.

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Using eyeliner on your bottom lids

Why it’s bad: Lining your eyes all the way around is very dramatic and can make the eye look smaller, says Petra Strand, creator of Pixi Beauty. (To make tired eyes look more awake, here's what you need to know.)

The fix: Trade your black liner for a powder in a softer shade like dark grey, brown, or midnight blue, says Strand. Dip a flat liner brush into your shadow liner and blend the shadow most of the way across the top and bottom. Then, add small amount of champagne-colored shadow in the very inner corner to open the eye up.

MORE: The 5 Best Beauty-Boosting Vitamins

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