Avoid Over-Powdering

You've probably seen photographs of celebs in mags with white, powdery faces, with the light from the camera reflecting off their power leaving them looking pale and completely washed out. This'll either be due to over-powdering - just using too much powder to blot away oil or because the oil isn't translucent enough. A lot of powders have a bit of a pearlescent finish, which can look beautiful in natural light, but it'll turn white under artificial lights.

Let both sink in before you apply your regular makeup. Then, if you spot any oiliness, use blotting paper to try and soak some of the oil up before you use a powder. Then, and only then, you can use the powder - but use a brush to apply it rather than a sponge.

Too Much Blush

Using too much blush is a sure-fire way to make you look like either a doll or a clown - less is definitely more with this. Applying it in the wrong place will totally change the shape of your face, so it's also really important that you apply it properly! Generally, you just want a light dusting on the apples of the cheeks, moving the brush (or your fingertips if you're using a cream blush or liquid formula) in upwards circles towards the hairline - but not actually up to the hairline as you'll just look like you're flushed from being too hot. You don't need to see the lines of the blusher, either - you should use just enough to give you a glow. When you're using bronzer, you use it a little bit differently - sweep it in upwards strokes from the hollows of the cheek, around the hairline (the idea is to look like you've caught the sun naturally), down the bridge of the nose and across the chin.

Skipping the Primer

Primer isn't really an optional piece of makeup if you want your foundation and blush to stay in place all day long. If you don't, it'll slide off your face. If you have problem skin of any description - oily, flaky, dry, spotty - it's really important to use the right moisturizer and primer for your skin type so that your makeup will stay in place.

See Also: Cheat Your Way To Flawless Skin

Choose the right formulas for your skin type and take a little bit of time to apply primer in the morning - it'll really make a difference.

Does your makeup all rub off by the day, even if you use primer? You might need to use a setting spray instead of a powder. Not got a setting spray? Hairspray will do the job nicely!