Beauty Etiquette 101

Let's be honest: We’ve all seen shameless beauty faux pas happen around us. From behind-the-wheel mascara applications (now, that's just unsafe!) to desk-side fingernail clipping, these primping errors need to be corrected. But in our fast-paced world, some public preening is unavoidable, right? In order to separate the absolute no-no’s from what’s okay in the modern day, we took a card from Emily Post's playbook and developed an easy cheat sheet.  

Beauty Etiquette 101

1. Makeup at the Table

Ever look at your refection in a knife to apply lipstick after a meal? Yikes! This tacky move is a no-no. If your primping requires a mirror, excuse yourself from the table with an old-fashioned “I’m going to powder my nose.” Lip balm or gloss are easy to apply in public—no reflection needed!—but never follow up with the rest of your face. Bottom line: Food and touch-ups don’t mix, so unless it’s a quick swipe of lip moisturizer, excuse yourself to the restroom.

2. Friendly Advice

It may seem awkward to highlight the fact that someone you know has lipstick on her teeth, flyaway strands, or eye gunk resting in her inner corners, but the truth is these little mishaps are common and potentially embarrassing. The right thing to do is discreetly let your fellow gal know so she can fix it immediately. Bottom line: If you see something, say something. Friends don't let friends walk around with glaring beauty blunders.

3. Hair Bands on Your Wrist

Strapping your brightly colored hair tie around your wrist looks incredibly childish. It may have been a wise move while you were playing soccer as a kid, but now you carry a tote just for these kinds of items. Even worse? When these very same bands are tangled with clumps of strands from your mane. Gross! Just as you clean your makeup tools, you should tidy up your hair accessories regularly. Bottom line: Save the space on your arm for bangles or bracelets and pop the elastic into your purse or pocket where it belongs. And if for some reason you must wear a hair tie on your wrist, try Goody Doublewear Elastics, which are disguised as bracelets.

4. Nail Touch-ups

Nail maintenance is messy no matter which way you slice it. Unless you are in the privacy of your own home or at a salon, avoid clipping, picking, peeling, painting, or filing your nails. All of these actions result in some kind of residue (even filing leaves dust!). Bottom line: Unless it's an emergency (i.e., you just broke a nail), leave it for another time.

5. Phone Calls in the Salon

We've all been there; you’re getting a blowout and a lady under the drier is loudly telling her bestie about her man troubles through her mobile. Or perhaps you are getting a pedicure, and the woman next to you is sharing her boss’s latest outburst to a coworker via her BlackBerry. Unfortunately, cell phones are not just a problem in movie theaters. Spas and salons used to be relaxing places where you could gossip with your technician and fellow customers. Now, you have a front-row seat to other people's personal phone calls. While we are all crunched for time and squeezing in a catch-up conversation seems smart, disturbing other ladies' beautifying time is not. Bottom line: Don't be a Chatty Cathy. Instead, politely end phone calls as quickly as possible or text quietly.