Beauty enthusiasts could save £55 a year if they stopped overusing products, and one in three (33%) skincare users admit to using expired SPF. These are just a few of the beauty mistakes that should be left in 2025 according to experts, as consumers now embrace natural enhancements, self-car and healthy radiance, while leaving behind the extremes of the past few years.
Jay Clayton, Owner and Aesthetic Practitioner at Luxe Aesthetics breaks down the five biggest beauty mistakes that we won’t be taking into 2026, and the routines that we will instead.
- Overloading the skincare
According to a recent survey, 59% of skincare users aren’t clear which skincare products can and can’t be used together, and are using 77% more products than the recommended amount on average, meaning they’re spending almost twice as much as they need to.
Data even found that skincare enthusiasts could even save around £55 a year if they stopped overusing their products.
Jay Clayton, Owner and Aesthetic Practitioner at Luxe Aesthetics adds: “The last few years have been all about layering skincare products: The rise of Korean skincare routines, mixing acids, retinol, serums, but piling on actives can actually damage your skin,” explains Jay, who warns that combining multiple active ingredients including acids, retinol and exfoliators can damage the skin barrier if over-used.
“Using acid-based cleansers, toners, and retinol every day without proper protection can cause irritation or sensitivity,” explains Jay. Going into 2026, we’ll see much more use of actives strategically, paired with SPF, and built routines that support long-term skin health rather than short-term effects.
- Over-filled lips
Big lips aren’t gone, they’ve just grown up. Instead of injecting more and more filler, treatments such as lip lifts are becoming a more popular subtle tweak that shortens the space between nose and lip, creating youthfulness without filler fatigue. “Women want to look like themselves again, just slightly more polished.” Says Jay.
Since Taylor Swift released The Life of a Showgirl on October 3rd, global Google searches for “Cupid’s bow lip filler” have also jumped by more than 5000%. “The defined upper lip dip gives the mouth expression whilst remaining soft and sculpted, giving the lips a fuller shape whilst remaining on the natural side.”
Jay also points out that this shift ties into the wider cultural pendulum of natural-looking lips. “Natural, effortless-looking treatments and beauty routines will be taken into 2026, and lip tints are also back, but smarter. Today’s versions are hydrating and SPF-infused.”
“We’re seeing more people come in asking for tiny tweaks: a touch of lift, a hint of structure, that soft hydration that makes everything look more alive. They want to look refreshed, like they’ve just had the best week of their life, not like they’ve had work done.”
3. Blush-blindness, but in all the wrong areas
Blush has been bigger than ever in 2025, partly inspired by celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter who have made it a focal point of youthful, glowing makeup.
But there is a right way to apply it, and sometimes it’s not about trusting the process but being strategic with application: “Blush should complement your contour, not run against it. Dragging blush across the cheeks can disrupt products underneath, resulting in a patchy finish,” Jay advises. Proper blending, using gentle pressing motions ensures a seamless, youthful appearance.
“This wider blush trend celebrates warmth and vitality,” he adds, “but applying it incorrectly can undo all the other work you’ve done with foundation and contouring.”
4. Makeup wipes
Convenient as they are, makeup wipes are increasingly seen as outdated and potentially damaging.
“They rarely remove all product or impurities, and constant rubbing can irritate the skin,” says Jay Clayton. Instead, 2026 will favour double cleansing with gentle, skin-friendly formulas, for example, an oil-based cleanser followed by a mild foaming or gel cleanser. This approach ensures makeup and pollution are fully removed without compromising the skin barrier.
5. Brushing your wet hair
Wet hair is 50% weaker, making it prone to breakage and split ends. Tugging or brushing aggressively when damp can cause long-term damage.
“The biggest mistake is using a regular brush straight out of the shower or rubbing hair aggressively with a towel,” explains Jay. Instead, opt for gentle towel patting or scrunching to remove excess water, followed by wide-tooth combs or fingers to detangle, starting from the ends and working upwards. Using a leave-in conditioner or detangling spray also helps reduce stress on the hair shaft.