6 makeup mistakes women make that secretly scream “outdated”

Makeup trends come and go, but here’s the catch: many of us keep doing what used to work long after the world (and our faces) have moved on.

I’m all for timeless over trendy, but there’s a difference between classic and dated.

If your routine hasn’t changed since your college ID photo, a few small tweaks can make everything look fresher—without buying a whole new kit.

I’ll share what I see most often (and, yes, what I’ve corrected in my own mirror).

Think of these not as “don’ts,” but as gentle nudges toward a more modern, “you—but brighter” look.

1. Heavy, mask-like foundation

If your base looks like a layer of frosting, it’s aging you and dating your look.

Telltale signs: a flat, opaque finish; product settling into fine lines; and a sharp color jump at the jawline. That mask effect reads early-2010s Instagram more than present-day skin.

Try this instead: swap full-coverage matte for a skin-like finish. Mix a pump of your foundation with moisturizer, or use a sheer-to-medium formula just where you need it—center of the face, around the nose, on redness. Let real skin peek through.

Match your undertone (not just depth), and pull a whisper of product down the neck to erase that telltale line. A small damp sponge pressed—not swiped—over the T-zone picks up excess so you keep polish without the paste.

As makeup artist Bobbi Brown famously put it, “Makeup is a way for a woman to look and feel like herself, only prettier and more confident.” Keep you in the picture; let the base enhance, not replace.

2. Over-tweezed or overly blocky brows

Two ways brows date a face fast: skinny 90s arches or squared-off “stamps” in a shade that doesn’t match your hair. Both fight your features instead of framing them.

Try this instead: think soft structure. Choose a brow product in a tone that mirrors your root color (or one shade softer if your hair’s very dark).

Use light, feathery strokes at the front, then concentrate definition from the arch to the tail. A clear or tinted gel brushed upward gives that quietly lifted, current look. If you’re growing brows back, fill first, then tweeze only the strays outside your ideal shape—less is more.

As brow icon Anastasia Soare reminds us, “Beauty is about balance and proportion, not perfection.” In other words, brows should harmonize with your whole face, not steal the show.

3. Harsh contour stripes and extreme baking

Chiseled cheekbones are lovely. Tiger stripes? Not so much.

The old routine—cool-gray contour painted ear to mouth, heavy banana powder under the eye, and a blinding highlight—photographs sharply but looks theatrical in daylight.

On textured or mature skin, the powder-on-powder approach can turn every fine line into a roadmap.

Try this instead: choose a subtle, skin-flattering sculpt in a cream or balm a half-shade deeper than your natural tone.

Tap it just under the cheekbone (not down to the mouth), around the temples, and under the jaw.

Blend until it disappears into a quiet shadow.

Swap baking for a pinpoint set: press a tiny amount of finely milled powder under the eyes only where you crease (usually the inner corner), then leave the rest of the skin soft and alive.

A satin cream highlight on the tops of cheeks keeps glow, not glitter.

4. Dark lip liner with pale lipstick (or “concealer lips”)

If your liner is several shades darker than your lipstick—or if your lipstick erases your lips altogether—you’ve time-traveled.

The high-contrast ring draws the eye to the outline, not the shape, and “concealer lips” flatten the face.

Try this instead: choose a liner that matches your natural lip color or your lipstick. Sketch just outside the highest points of your Cupid’s bow and lower-lip center to subtly balance asymmetry, then blur the edges with a fingertip before filling in.

Opt for “my-lips-but-better” shades—rosy browns, peachy nudes, plums—for a modern, plush effect. A touch of gloss or balm at the center makes lips look soft, not slippery.

Pro tip: if nudes always look dead on you, go warmer by one notch; most of us need a hint of peach to compensate for lip pigmentation.

5. Powdering everything flat (plus frosty, stripey highlight)

A fully matte face can look sophisticated in theory, but over-powdering sucks the life from skin and throws texture into high relief.

Pair that with an icy, stripe-like highlighter from cheekbone to temple, and you’ve got retro club lighting on a Tuesday afternoon.

Try this instead: be strategic. Set the zones that break up first (sides of the nose, chin, center forehead) and leave the high points alone. Use a featherlight brush and tap off the excess before you touch your face.

For radiance, switch to cream or balm highlighters in champagne or soft gold and tap them where light naturally hits—high cheekbones, a dot on the nose bridge, maybe a kiss on the brow bone. The goal: believable sheen, not metallic foil.

Here’s a reassuring truth from research: even subtle, well-applied makeup can positively shape how others perceive us.

As noted by Harvard’s Nancy Etcoff and colleagues, “Cosmetics can have significant effects on how attractive a face appears.” Use that power lightly and thoughtfully.

6. Raccoon eyeliner and clumpy, droopy lashes

A thick black line circling the entire eye (especially the waterline) plus several coats of dry, flaky mascara pulls the eye downward and closes it off. Add a frosty pale shadow on the lid and…hello, high school reunion photos.

Try this instead: lift and define. Tightline the upper waterline with a deep brown or soft black pencil to thicken the lash base without stealing lid space.

Keep the lower lash line clean or smudge a whisper of taupe in the outer third only. Curl your lashes (it matters!), then use a lengthening formula with a flexible brush; comb through before it sets to prevent clumps.

If you love drama, try half lashes on the outer corner rather than a full, heavy strip—instant lift without the droop.

Quick self-audit questions

• Does my foundation match my neck in both color and finish?

• Are my brows softly structured—or do they announce themselves before I do?

• Can I still see skin, or have I powdered away the life?

• Do my lips look plush and dimensional—or outlined and flat?

• Do my eyes look open and lifted—or lined shut?

If a few of those made you tilt your head, you’ve already found your update list.

A few fast, modernizing tweaks

• Switch textures. Trade matte-on-matte for a mix: satin skin, cream blush, strategic powder.

• Lighten your hand. Apply less than you think you need, then add where necessary. It’s easier to build than to erase.

• Blend like it’s your job. Especially edges—brows, liner, contour. When in doubt, soften.

• Mind undertones. Warm up lip and cheek shades slightly; cooler, grayish tones can read flat.

• Edit old tools. Dried mascara, stiff brushes, and expired powders behave badly. Retire the relics.

Final thoughts

I spent years in finance before writing full-time, and here’s what spreadsheets taught me about beauty: small inputs multiplied consistently make the biggest difference.

You don’t need a 25-step routine to look current. You just need a handful of thoughtful swaps and the courage to let more of you show through.

And if you want a guiding star while you edit your routine, keep this one close: as Bobbi Brown says, makeup should make you feel like yourself—just more confident.

That’s the opposite of outdated. That’s timeless.