Oh the art of beach makeup. It really is a fine balance between looking naturally pretty while basking in the coastal elements of sun, sea, sand, salt and surf—but not looking too overdone or made up for a day at the beach. So how do you strike the balance between the two? We can help. Here are the most common beach beauty and makeup mistakes that you don't want to make during your next Topsail beach vacation and what you can do to avoid them. 

Skipping Sunscreen

This is a huge no-no. You can't afford to skip sunscreen while on the beach no matter what your skin tone may be. Instead, make this your first step in your beach makeup routine to be sure that you're protecting your skin from those harmful rays. Start on your face and go ahead apply sunscreen to your entire body in preparation for your beach day. And of course, reapply often!

Not Using Waterproof Products

Whatever makeup you do decide to apply, make sure that you're choosing a waterproof product that has staying power and won't streak or smear from sweat, water or heat. From mascara to tinted moisturizer, you definitely want it to be waterproof and sweatproof. Same goes for your lips. Whether you're using a lip stain or tint, you want to choose something with staying power and added sun protection as well. You will still need to reapply, but it will be less often.

Putting on Too Much Makeup

The beach is not the place to put on a full face of makeup. Save that for your night out on the town later in the evening. Skip the full layer of foundation and instead opt for a tinted moisturizer with built-in SPF. Keep your eyes light and bright with a little shimmer, sparkle or just a dusting of bronzer. Keep lips and cheeks dewy and fresh but not too overdone. Think about highlighting and brightening your features, but don't use anything too harsh or dramatic. Remember, the sunlight reveals all!

Wearing Lipstick or Lip Gloss

Lipstick and lip gloss are really not the best choices for your lips on a beach day. Lipstick is usually too thick and lip gloss can be too sticky for the coastal elements—particularly sand paired with a blowing beach breeze. That's not a good combination! Opt for a light lip stain or tinted moisturizer for your lips instead. Lip stain has the staying power you need while a tinted lip moisturizer gives your lips a little shine without overdoing it. Choose products that already include SPF so you can protect your lips and look pretty all at the same time.

Avoid these beach makeup mistakes and you're well on your way to a beautiful beach day where you look fresh and ready for the day. Need more tips? Check out this article: 5 Tips for Wearing Makeup at the Beach. 

Do you have any beach makeup tips that we missed? We want to know! Drop them in our comment section.