OK, so if someone told you they were scared of spiders you’d think they were totally justified, right? And if they said clowns made the hair on the back of their neck stand on end, you’d probably think that was a perfectly understandable reaction, too.
But what if someone told you the very sight of themselves in lipstick was enough to make them shriek at their reflection? Or that going for a pedicure made them cringe? Yeah, we know. Not so normal. Beauty is supposed to make you happy, not horrified, but there are some things that cause even hardcore beauty lovers to freak out.
In the hope that we can conquer our strangest fears, we’ve decided to confess our beauty phobias and take a look at some of the solutions that could help. So, here goes…
Laina – sales manager
The phobia…Getting my hair cut. When I was little I had short hair once and I got teased by the kids at school who said I looked like a boy. Traumatised.
The solution…There’s nothing like a good old hair disaster to put you off sitting in that chair again. Always seek hairdresser recommendations from friends whose hair you like (and who always seem happy with their locks) and don’t forget to be as specific as possible when instructing your stylist – taking in pictures to illustrate exactly what you mean.
Natalie – designer and video producer
The phobia… Eyeshadow. I just can’t get it right and am too scared to use it. I always think it makes my eyes look smaller or darker or I end up looking like a clown!
The solution…Practising in the mirror when it comes to eye make-up application can really make a difference. If you’re unsure of techniques to try, beautyheaven has lots of how-tos to help you master your look, including how to create the perfect smoky eye.
Liv – content producer
The phobia… Using pore strips. I had a VERY painful experience with them once when I stuck a strip a little too high up my nose and close to my eyes – right on that really fragile skin just under your eye.
The solution… You needn’t fear pore strips at all. If you use them correctly (applied to cleansed skin on the bottom half of your nose) they’re great at extracting blackheads and all that horrible gunk that gets stuck in your pores. You can always measure them against your nose and cut them to size if you think they’re too big. Try: Bioré Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips, which are formulated with menthol and witch hazel to cool and soothe the skin.
Deb – editor
The phobia… I hate pedicurists scrubbing the balls of my feet. Heels are fine, but the balls creep me out!
The solution…That uncomfortable feeling of having your feet scraped can be made worse if you have sore, callused or harder skin on the balls of your feet. Take regular care of yours by applying an intensive moisturiser such as AHAVA Enriched Intensive Foot Cream two to three times a week. When you next go to for a pedicure your feet will be so much softer and require much less attention from the scraper.
Laura – online manager
The phobia… Wearing lipstick. Lipgloss I love, but every time I try to wear a lipstick I look in the mirror and feel like a child who’s been playing with her mum’s make-up. And then there’s the ‘is it all over my teeth?’ paranoia. Just too stressful!
The solution… Many lipstick newbies just aren’t used to seeing themselves with colour on their lips, but it’s definitely worth persevering as a little brightness on your pout can lift your whole look. Try using a lip butter or tinted gloss, which will give you great colour without the worry of it bleeding or getting on your teeth. 1Skin Solution’s Tinted Lip Butters come in four gorgeous shades and give you a great glossy finish.
Tara – marketing manager
The phobia… Getting an eyelash tint. This stems from a bad experience when I was left with tint on that started to sting and I could only lay there and shout out to try and get someone’s attention to come and get it off me.
The solution… Make sure you ask the therapist what to expect before you begin. Lash tinting can tingle, and sitting with your eyes closed can make you feel a little vulnerable if you’re not used to it.
Di – office manager
The phobia… Having my cuticles cut. I always ask the nail technician to leave them alone as I find it incredibly painful and they have bled in the past. I know other people seem to like this part of a mani/pedi but I can’t stand it. Perhaps I have sensitive cuticles?
The solution… To minimise the need for cuticle cutting and tidying, ensure you regularly massage in a targeted cream before you go to bed at night. Mavala Cuticle Cream will keep your cuticles soft and pliable and prevent them from sticking to your nails.
Carli – content producer
The phobia… Plucking my eyebrows. When I was younger I did a bad plucking job on myself and ended up with one brow much thicker than the other. When I tried to even them up I made it worse and had to keep plucking until they were way too thin! They took ages to grow back.
The solution…If you’re uneasy about plucking your eyebrows at home, try a brow-shaping wax kit like Ardell Brow Shaping Kit. It is designed for easy, precision application so you can remove unwanted hairs in just two steps.
Do you suffer from any of the fears above? What are your beauty phobias?
