50 Common Mistakes You Don't Realize Make You Look Less Hot

If there’s a way to prevent clumped up lashes from the start, I’ve yet to find it. But when your mascara wand lets you down (and you’re not willing to give up on multiple coats), this lash comb is here to save the day. The tiny comb is fitted with even tinier stainless steel prongs that gently separate lashes and remove excess mascara for a natural, fanned-out effect. It also comes with its own protective cover to keep the comb clean in between uses.

Ever left the house thinking you looked totally normal only, to notice streaky-looking makeup at the first mirror you come across? Your lighting is probably to blame. To guarantee good lighting wherever you find yourself applying foundation or a smoky eye, try this travel-friendly mirror. Complete with a foldable stand and an additional magnifying mirror, the portable mirror’s best asset is its built-in LED lighting that gives you three light colors to choose from — each one with multiple brightness levels that can be adjusted with a touch of the screen.

Not only are cracked cuticles annoying and uncomfortable, but they can also make your manicure chip faster. This cruelty-free and vegan cream has both your nails and cuticles covered with its blend of shea butter, coconut oil, and the brand’s own Florium Complex of nail-conditioning and strengthening ingredients. Plus, because it’s a cream, it’s non-greasy and won’t stain your bedsheets, which means you really have no excuse not to tend to your cuticles now.

You can guarantee a smoother lipstick application and longer lasting color by taking an extra minute to prep your lips with this exfoliating and moisturizing duo. Start by using the lip scrub to buff away dry skin with honey crystals, then apply the smallest amount of the jojoba seed oil-infused lip treatment and let it sink in while you do the rest of your makeup. By the time you get to your lips, liner and lipstick will glide on more easily and look more even.

When brassy tones start to mess with your blonde color, neutralize those orange and yellow hues with this purple shampoo and conditioner. The trusted drugstore duo is beloved by over 20,000 Amazon reviewers for its sulfate-free formulas that use violet pigments to brighten blonde and gray hair, as well as hibiscus flower extract to nourish dry hair.

A heavy layer of foundation (or two) may seem like the best way to hide blemishes, but unless your skin is perfectly hydrated and smooth, it can make those imperfections more pronounced. That’s where this e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter comes in. The complexion enhancer creates more of a glowy, highlighted effect, and can be used on its own or mixed in with a drop of your usual liquid foundation to give you a sheerer finish. Soft shimmer makes skin look luminous, but the liquid booster is also formulated with squalane, glycerin, and sunflower seed oil to keep skin moisturized and smooth, too.

• Available shades: 12

Another crucial step in prepping for your lipstick application is lining and filling with a lip liner. Not only does this give you the chance to create a slightly fuller pout by over-lining, but it also serves as a base that helps lock onto your lipstick for longer-lasting color. This pencil liner has a creamy texture that glides onto lips, and it can be sharpened for the most precise application every time.

• Available shades: 11

Nothing ruins a good outfit faster than visible panty lines. For a smoother silhouette, these seamless thongs were designed to look and feel like you aren’t wearing anything at all. Made from a blend of fabrics that are breathable but still soft, the thongs come in a set of seven, so you’ll be covered for the whole week.

• Available sets: 10
• Available sizes: XS - XXL

Heavy-duty concealer can be a bust by midday once it starts to cake and settle into lines. This hybrid formula gives you light color coverage to help camouflage signs of under-eye fatigue, but it’s infused with hydrating and soothing ingredients like centella asiatica extract, green tea leaf extract, and allantoin to ensure your concealer stays smooth throughout the day. You can get slightly more coverage by blending in a second layer of the concealer (keep it thin, of course!), and it can also be used in place of foundation.

• Available shades: 15

If underwire and too-tight straps are digging into your skin, your bra is probably messing with your posture. To give yourself a break without going braless, try a seamless bra instead. This wireless and clasp-free bralette uses a blend of nylon and elastane for a buttery-smooth texture that doesn’t create lines, but it still offers plenty of support.

• Available colors: 14
• Available sizes: XS – XL-Plus

Whether you jump from one gel mani to the next or you’re guilty of not properly soaking your polish off, chances are, your beloved gels are leaving your nails dry and brittle. For a less damaging option that doesn’t require bare nails, go for one of these press-on nail kits. Available in a range of colors, designs, and shapes, the press-on nails give you a gel finish that still lasts longer than a week, and you can apply them right at home.

• Available designs: 31

These disk-shaped sponges may not look like anything special, but they’re a clever way to remove deodorant marks from clothes when you’re in a rush. The sponges were designed to be used dry, and they come in a travel-friendly pouch, so you can swipe away deodorant streaks wherever you go.

If you’re slapping foundation over freshly cleansed skin, you’re missing out on the smoother and longer-lasting makeup that a primer delivers. This beauty award-winning primer from Saie throws a luminous glow into the mix with its sheer tint of color and micropearl particles that come from ethically sourced mica. Choose from four shades to best complement your skin tone, from the pearlescent Starglow to the warmer Sunglow.

• Available shades: 4

Greasy hair is not a good look, but neither is the noticeable white residue that dry shampoo tends to eave behind in darker hair colors. This tinted dry shampoo was formulated for brunette hair colors, as it uses rice starch to soak up excess oil and cacao seed extract to blend in with darker hair colors so it’s virtually undetectable.

A streaky tan and stained palms are common complaints when it comes to self-tanner. But they’re also fairly easy issues to solve. This mitt applicator lets you seamlessly blend self-tanning lotion and mousse while keeping your palms protected from unwanted color. The double-sided mitt can be handwashed and reused once it’s dry, and it’s also a great way to keep your hands clean when applying a shimmery body bronzer.

If you’re noticing an itchy scalp or dull, limp hair, buildup from styling products, like dry shampoo and curl cream, could be to blame. For an at-home reset, incorporate this scalp scrub and clarifying shampoo into your weekly wash routine. The two-in-one formula uses sugar crystals to remove buildup without irritating the scalp, as well as sake water, hyaluronic acid, and platinum fiber to moisturize and give your hair a glossy finish.

• Available scents: 3

For a sleeker silhouette, a bodysuit is a one-piece solution that ensures a fitted (and more polished) finish. This duo of V-neck bodysuits come double-lined to keep them from being see-through, and they’re made from a soft, stretchy blend of fabrics that create a smoothing effect. While they’re easy to throw on with a pair of denim shorts for casual summer looks, the bodysuits can also be dressed up with wide-leg pants, heels, and your favorite jewelry.

• Available colors: 11
• Available sizes: S – XL

Yes, exfoliating your skin 24 hours before applying a self-tanner is one of the cardinal rules of self-tanning. But it’s important to continue exfoliating your skin every few days after your color has developed, too, to help prevent your self-tanner from turning patchy. This in-shower exfoliating scrub was formulated to treat keratosis pilaris, but its blend of glycolic acid, volcanic sand, and microcrystalline cellulose also makes it suitable for self-tanner prep and aftercare. As the scrub buffs away dead skin cells, ingredients like kukui nut oil and macadamia seed oil work to keep skin moisturized and smooth.

If it’s a more natural lash look that you’re after, using a white glue to set your falsies in place is a dead giveaway that you weren’t genetically blessed. To better disguise false lashes (both strips and smaller wisps), try this black lash adhesive that’s virtually undetectable. The brush-on applicator gives you more precision with your glue, and the formula is infused with biotin and blueberry fruit extract to help condition your natural lashes.

You don’t have to give up a cuddle sesh with your puppy in the name of fur-free clothes. This retractable lint roller is fitted with a sticky adhesive that quickly removes pet hair. While it can be used to keep furniture clean, the compact size of the lint roller featured here makes it especially convenient for keeping your clothes clean when you’re on the go.

Skip the strip lashes entirely and enhance your natural lashes with this beauty award-winning serum. Formulated to promote longer, thicker-looking lashes in three months, the once-nightly serum uses a prostaglandin analog to boost lashes, and conditioning ingredients like radish root extract, grape seed extract, and amino acids to nourish and prevent breakage. Just be sure to check with your doctor or ophthalmologist first, as prostaglandin analogs do come with some potential side effects.

Those same sulfates that give your body wash its foamy lather could also be the reason your skin feels so dry. That’s because the cleansing ingredients are a little too good at their job, and can actually strip skin of its natural oils. This body wash dispenses as a rich oil that transforms into a light, milky lather upon contact with water. But despite its lather, it doesn’t contain any harsh surfactants, and instead uses moisturizing ingredients like rose fruit oil, jojoba seed oil, and squalane to leave skin soft post-shower.

Let’s be honest, cleaning your makeup brushes is kind of a pain. But unless you want to run the risk of bacteria messing with your skin, washing your makeup brushes every seven to 10 days is a nonnegotiable. This makeup brush cleansing duo makes the process easier with its solid soap cleanser and textured silicone mat. Once you’ve dipped your brush in water, swirl it through the cleanser and spin it around the mat to remove dirt, oil, and residue before rinsing the brush clean — no scrubbing or pruney fingers.

If you take the time to shape and fill in your brows every day, but you’re not adding a touch of highlighter, you’re missing out. This double-sided highlighting pencil lets you choose from a matte and shimmery finish to apply along the bone underneath each brow for a more lifted and sculpted effect.

• Available shades: 2

This body oil doubles up on the skin-enhancing benefits. First, it immediately smooths skin with its blend of seven botanical oils (including skin care favorites like argan and sweet almond). Then, golden pearl particles suspended in the oil add a subtle, sun-kissed glow to your skin, making it ideal for days when you’ll be baring your arms and legs.

If you find that black eyeliner can look too harsh with your fair skin or lighter eye color, you don’t have to skip out on liner entirely. This dark brown pencil offers a more flattering way to add definition to your eyes with its slightly softer finish. The eyeliner featured here gives you waterproof color that lasts all day long, and even though it’s a retractable pencil, there’s a built-in sharpener at the opposite end to help you keep the liner at its sharpest.

Open-back dresses or spaghetti-strap tops are great in theory, until you realize they leave your bra straps on full display. This strapless and backless bra has all of your bases covered, using a medical-grade adhesive that sticks to your skin without causing irritation. A magnetic clasp at the front of the bra offers a bit of extra support and lift, too.

• Available colors: 7
• Available sizes: A – G

When it comes to applying foundation, makeup sponges are what the pros use to achieve the most flawless finish. But while prestige sponges will set you back as much as $20, this set gives you six makeup-blending sponges for half the price. Hypoallergenic and reusable, the sponges feature a teardrop shape that allows you to blend makeup along the sides of your nose and under your eyes as effortlessly as larger areas of your face.

Transparency is key when it comes to face sunscreen, but it’s also surprisingly difficult to find. This SPF 50 takes a blend of chemical sunscreen filters and formulates them into a gel-like serum that’s free from even the slightest hint of a white cast. Packed with good-for-skin ingredients, the sunscreen-serum hybrid moisturizes and brightens with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin C-rich kakadu plum extract.

As convenient as it is to grab a makeup wipe at the end of the day, ask any dermatologist, and they’ll break the bad news to you: those wipes aren’t actually getting your skin clean (and are likely doing more damage than good). To fully remove makeup (and not just spread it around your face), you’ll want to double cleanse. This double cleansing set starts by melting away makeup with a cleansing oil, then, you can follow up with the cleansing foam, which uses salicylic acid to exfoliate away dead skin cells as you remove any last traces of residue that might have been left behind.

If shade matching isn’t your strongest point, this blush balm does the work for you with its pH-adaptive blush that works with your skin to create a custom pink hue. The end result is a natural, rosy glow that can be swiped over cheeks and lips, thanks to its blendable formula that includes nourishing ingredients like ginseng root extract, aloe vera, and fruit extracts.

These oil blotting papers let you keep the shine away without taking up any extra space in your bag. The portable pack is small enough to fit in your pocket, but it contains 100 linen sheets that use bamboo charcoal and green tea leaf extract to absorb excess oil and refresh skin — no powders or setting sprays necessary.

A proper measurement is always the best way to guarantee your bra fits correctly. But whether you’re experiencing a fluctuation in your bra size or dealing with sizing inconsistencies among brands, these clever bra extenders will save the day. For bra bands that are too tight, these stretchy extenders can be hooked along the back of your bra for a looser fit. They come in a range of colors and widths to best match your bras, and they’re an Amazon favorite with more than 25,000 five-star ratings.

• Available options: 44

If you’ve already found your perfect color match with your foundation or tinted moisturizer, there’s no need to mess with a tinted setting powder that could leave your complexion looking darker or lighter than it actually is. Instead, invest in a translucent setting powder like this Laura Mercier favorite, which will keep your makeup in place longer and blur imperfections with the lightest of applications.

Wrinkled clothes happen to the best of us (especially when we’re traveling). But rather than let them interfere with your look, you can keep this handheld steamer in your arsenal to remove wrinkles in just a few minutes. Though it’s tiny in size and weighs just over 2 pounds, the steamer heats up in 30 seconds, holding enough water in its detachable tank to give you 15-minutes of continuous steam time.

• Available options: 4

Not only does regularly exfoliating allow for the rest of your skin care products to work more effectively, but removing dead skin cells also leaves you with a more even texture that gives your makeup a smoother finish. This fragrance-free enzyme cleanser contains rice powder and papaya extract for a gentle way to work more exfoliation into your routine. The powder-to-foam formula also lets you control the level of exfoliation behind each cleanse (the more water you add, the gentler the exfoliation level).

Toners tend to get a bad rap, thanks to the alcohol-laden formulas of the past. But toners that strip your skin aren’t your only option. This skin-balancing toner was made with oily and combination skin types in mind, using niacinamide to minimize the appearance of pores without causing irritation. To further solidify its benefits, the toner includes hyaluronic acid and ceramides to hydrate and strengthen the skin barrier, as well as soothing chamomile extract.

For beachy, tousled waves that never fall flat, finish your styling sesh with a few generous mists of this dry texturizing spray. The vegan and cruelty-free formula adds volume and light hold without leaving your hair feeling crunchy. It’s also infused with good-for-hair ingredients like sunflower seed extract, hydrolyzed wheat protein, and glycerin to combat any dryness typically associated with texturizing sprays.

Once you’ve tried out fabric tape, you’ll wonder how you were ever living without it. The genius product lets you instantly (and temporarily) tailor clothes with a double-sided adhesive that invisibly secures slipping straps, adds more coverage to necklines, and hems pants that would otherwise be dragging on the ground. The tape is hypoallergenic, and it was designed not to damage clothes or leave any residue behind (the brand lists 22 fabrics in total that the tape is compatible with).

Noticing more split ends or hair that feels drier? Your curling iron could be to blame. To take a break from heat styling without giving up on your curls, you’ll need this heatless curling set. By wrapping your hair in sections around the plush satin rod before bed, you can wake up to frizz-free curls by morning and healthier hair all-around with continued use.

• Available colors: 13

Okay, so you’ve got your shaving prep routine down to a science. But if you’re still experiencing irritation or ingrown hairs, it could be your post-shaving routine that’s lacking. These compostable pads are saturated in an exfoliating formula that uses glycolic acid and salicylic acid to remove dead skin cells that can otherwise trap hair and cause irritation when you’re shaving or waxing. The single-use pads make it easy to swipe over any area you remove hair, and they also include ingredients like green tea leaf extract and aloe vera to deliver some soothing benefits.

Not only is your bath towel slowing down your hair drying time, but the friction it creates could also be contributing to breakage and frizz. This microfiber towel helps to wick away water to speed up your dry time by up to 50%, and was specifically designed to be used on hair. The turban-style towel also eliminates friction to minimize the risk of breakage and leave hair looking shinier and healthier.

• Available options: 7

For tarnished jewelry that’s lost its shine, these disposable cleansing wipes are a total lifesaver. Safe for polishing silver and gold jewelry, the cleansing wipes impart an invisible protective layer over your earrings, necklaces, and watches, helping them retain their brilliance for longer. You’ll get 30 wipes in each pack, but multiple Amazon reviewers shared that one wipe is enough to clean multiple pieces of jewelry.

Fairer skin types looking to add some warmth to their complexion know the struggle of finding a bronzer that doesn’t leave them looking muddy or orange. For the best match, skip the warm-toned bronzers and opt for something neutral instead. This cream bronzer was created to give fair skin tones a natural-looking glow, thanks to its neutral light brown color and easy-to-blend formula that includes plenty of moisturizing ingredients.

Hair ties don’t have to be boring to get the job done. Whether you’re wearing this set of elastics stacked on your wrist or to keep your hair out of your face, the embellished hair ties are an easy way to make your outfit look more polished.

• Available designs: 11

Unless you’re into fried ends, using a hot styling tool without applying some kind of heat protectant first is a big no-no. This spray-on protectant from CHI can be misted through dry hair in sections just before styling for a weightless way to shield your hair from some of that heat. It also contains hydrolyzed keratin and hydrolyzed silk to give your hair a glossy finish.

If you’ve been the victim of an over-plucking incident (yes, even if it was self-imposed), the right serum can help support faster brow regrowth. This brow-enhancing serum keeps things simple with USDA-certified organic, cold-pressed castor oil, which is naturally rich in fatty acids that work to nourish and strengthen hair. It can be used on the lashes, too, as it features a double-sided applicator with a brow spoolie on one end and a smaller brush for lashes at the other.

You can quite literally improve your hair while you sleep when you make the switch to a silk pillowcase. Just as luxurious as it sounds, a silk pillowcase feels super-soft, but also minimizes friction and absorbs less moisture than a traditional cotton pillowcase — leaving you with smoother hair and fewer tangles in the morning. They’re better for your skin, too.

• Available colors: 9
• Available sizes: 3

Using the same towel all week to dry your face and wipe away any residual makeup? The bacteria that’s building up day after day could be contributing to acne and irritation. Not to mention, bath towels can be too rough on your skin in the first place. For a more skin-friendly option all around, keep this box of disposable towelettes on your bathroom vanity. Made ultra-soft from bio-based viscose, the towelettes ensure cleaner skin and less risk of irritation.

Got rough, dry elbows and knees? Then you need a heavy-duty moisturizing cream, like this one from Dermatonics. Formulated with a blend of nourishing and exfoliating ingredients, including Manuka honey, the rich balm is also excellent at softening rough heels.