YouTube is absolutely flooded with hair tutorials and make-up demos, and yet very few of us manage to keep up with all the latest tips, tricks and hacks on the beauty scene.
We’ve definitely heard of the latest trend and we might have actually seen it on someone in the flesh (the future is now, ladies), but when it comes to our own regime, a lot of us play it safe and stick to the old reliables in our make-up bag.
While it’s cool to find a style that suits and work it to the max, many of us tend to make the same make-up mistakes and skin care slip-ups on a daily basis which is why broadening your horizons on the cosmetic front is always a worthwhile exercise.
Here are just five times (this week) that we've failed on the beauty front.
1. The nitty-gritty
You could have splurged on the most expensive foundation on the market, but if your skin care routine isn’t up to scratch, you’re cheating yourself out of a flawless complexion.
Cleansing and toning are undoubtedly two of the more tedious aspects of our beauty routine, and probably why most of us tend to skimp on it whenever we can.
If you’ve been a face-wipe-and-run kind of girl for as long as you can remember, it’s definitely time to school yourself on your skin type and tone in order to make the best of it.
2. Hair care hassle
For many of us, drying, straightening and curling has become as regular a morning habit as brushing our teeth, but unfortunately this daily routine leaves our locks open to a world of trauma.
A lot of us are unsure how to best heat-style our hair without subjecting it to serious damage which is why many of us spend more time than we’d like to admit seeking and destroying split ends.
Learning how to style your hair without destroying it is the holy grail of hair care and something a lot of us need to learn sooner rather than later!
3. Make up ‘mares
You may have a foundation or blusher which you wouldn’t give up on pain of death, but as our look evolves over time, it’s important to keep on top of the cosmetic game and not rely on the same shades and styles for years.
Choosing the correct products and establishing the most flattering colours for you is what sets you apart from everyone else, and yet some of us still rock a product which should have been left behind years ago.
If you’ve found yourself frantically scrubbing a tidemark out of your jawline at some stage this week, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about!
4. Nailing it
Us Irish girls are absolutely MAD for Shellac and Geleration, and while they look fantastic at the time, it’s important to treat your nails well between treatments.
Giving your nails time to breathe, conditioning your cuticles and tending to your talons isn’t exactly something we’re taught in school, but it is something every girl should have a handle on.
Seeing your nails break and flake is about as uplifting as an evening watching The Antiques Roadshow.
5. Sun care slip-up
Read the lifestyle bio of any beauty industry heavy-hitter and they’ll insist that sun cream is one of the most important products in their beauty bag.
While some things that happen on holiday should remain on holiday, protecting your skin from the sun is not one of them, girls.
Yes, there are more wet days than any other in this country, but that doesn’t mean you’re immune from the sun’s rays, so schooling yourself on the damage which can be done when you scrimp on protection is an absolute must.
Thankfully, learning about skin care routines, make-up application, hair styling and nail nourishment has never been easier, so if you're interested in upping your game over the summer, why not check out the week-long courses kicking off at the Beauty Bootcamp Studios on Dublin's Fitzwilliam Street?
Taking place in June, July and August at just €190 a pop, the Total Teen Beauty Course is your one-stop-shop when it comes to all things beauty-related.
Oh, and at the end of the week when your winged eyeliner is on on fleek and your hairstylin' has been locked down, you'll walk away with a goody bag worth a cool €50.
You can find out more about the Beauty Bootcamp Studios and their various other courses right here!