10 Beauty Mistakes to Avoid

Short or long, polished or bare, whatever your style your nail length and shape should be consistent. Having some really long and some really short nails looks unfinished and dishevelled. Well-shaped, matching nails are tasteful – so if one goes, they all go.

Smelling fresh and clean is always lovely but no one needs to smell your scent long after you’ve left the room. Keep perfume to a minimum: Remember that you get used to your own fragrance while others might actually find it overwhelming, headache-inducing or even nauseating. Apply modestly to pulse points only and resist the urge to douse your clothing.

We all get dry lips but the moment they start peeling you really need to take action. Exfoliate those puppies a few times a day until the dry, flakey skin has been sloughed off. The best way? Physical exfoliation is most effective: use your toothbrush after you’ve brushed your teeth to gently scrub off dead skin cells, or wrap your finger in a damp wash cloth and work back and forth over your lips. Slather with a hydrating balm and skip the lipstick until your pout is smooth and pretty again. And when you're ready again, try these super-moisturizing lipsticks that we recommend.

All of the lotions and potions you apply to your face to keep it looking taut, youthful and glowing should also be used on your neck and décolletage. There’s no point having beautiful skin on your face if your neck is going to look like a leather boot. Always apply face creams, serums and sunscreen to your neck and décolletage.

Regular gentle exfoliation is really good for your skin – it removes those dead cells that make your complexion look dry and ruddy, and makes for smoother and more radiant skin. Too much scrubbing, too often or too aggressively can cause sensitivity, redness, breakouts, infection, dryness or an overproduction of oils. All of these issues leave skin vulnerable and therefore a problematic base for makeup. Scrub once a week with a gentle exfoliant and, avoiding the eye area, work in soft circular motions.

Self-tanner is not an easy thing to master – there’s often a spot or streak you didn’t blend out properly. Some key things to remember when applying self-tanner: exfoliate your body well beforehand; make sure your skin is totally dry; apply a light lotion on any rough areas of the body (elbows, knees, knuckles); and work self-tanner from your feet up. Oh, and wash your hands well afterwards or your hands will be a dead giveaway.

RELATED: the worst fake tans to ever walk the red carpet.

We know, we know, there’s something kind of satisfying about peeling off your nail polish, but not only does this make your nails look terrible, it peels off layers of nail exposing them and making them brittle and weak.

Big brows are back. Avoid over-tweezing your brows and don’t mess with their shape. Stop tweezing the hairs above the brows and whatever you do, don’t take too much from the inside corners – a couple of hairs is all it takes to completely change the shape of your brows, which then changes the way your entire face looks.

For more of the best tips, check out the secret to thicker, beautiful brows.

We all do silly things when we’re young, like rubbing oil on our skin and lying in the sun seeking a dark golden tan (only to end up burnt and uncomfortable). If you’re still young enough to fit that category, listen up: stop tanning! There is really no excuse for frying your skin in the sun anymore. We know way too much about sun damage, premature aging and skin cancer to ignore sun safety these days. So, wear sunscreen, cover up and seek shade – you’ll thank us later.

Even if you’ve got the right shade of foundation, it is so important to blend it well to achieve a seamless application. Using your fingers, a sponge or a foundation brush, make sure to blend out your foundation, bringing it down over your jawbone, as well as blending into the hairline. We want natural-looking faces here people!