Almost every day I leave the house with what I think is a perfectly applied makeup but by the time I get to the office it ends up looking uneven or messy when I check it in the mirror. What am I doing wrongfi

— Janet, via email

Dear Janet,

The problem could be that you didn’t start out applying it so perfectly. Those smudges, smears, or fallen flakes of eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, or blush were most likely just overlooked. To prevent these kinds of makeup mistakes from happening, possibly the most important makeup tool you can have in your bathroom or makeup bag is a magnifying mirror. Regardless of how good your vision is, or how much lighting you have available when applying makeup, there are always slipups that are easy to miss. A magnifying mirror brings every detail into clear focus so you can see exactly where you really placed your mascara or lipstick.

Magnifying mirrors come with magnifications from 2X to 10X. A 2X will make everything appear twice as big, a 10X ten times bigger. I recommend you use at least a 5X magnification to allow for the best viewing without distortion. You will be surprised at how much better you can see what you’re doing. Not only is this kind of magnification helpful for makeup application, but it also makes the task of shaping your eyebrows far easier.

Paula Begoun is the author of “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me (6th edition)” (Beginning Press, $27.95). Write to her at 13075 Gateway Drive, Suite 160, Seattle, WA 98168 or check out her Web site: www.cosmeticscop.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B3.