So many colours… and you only ever use one. (Source: Supplied.)

Forget all those perfect makeup looks you see on Instagram and Pinterest: real life is all about the big, bad beauty fail.

If you’ve experienced even one of these, welcome to the club! It’s the club for women who try to look good… and have a laugh when it all inevitably goes wrong. Here are 13 beauty stuff-ups we’ve all been through — hey, at least they make life interesting, right?

1. The powder spill

The lid comes off your  bronzer or eyeshadow, and everything in your makeup bag gets covered in brown, sparkly dust. As do your fingers.

Oh faithful brown eyeshadow, you served Carla GS well...until you got crushed inside her makeup bag. (Source: Supplied.)

2. The dry shampoo overdose

You apply too much dry shampoo, and you end up with a giant, grey spot on your hair... and it's right at the back, so you never see it until your frenemy tells you. Alternatively, you do notice, but only when you've tagged in Facebook photos where your new Cruella de Ville streak is on full display.

http://cdn.theglow.com.au/app/uploads/2015/10/dry-shampoo-fail.jpg If you've ever used dry shampoo, you know this can happen to even the nicest person. (Source: Instagram.)

3. The smashed compact

One of your powder compacts falls to the ground, and it smashes into a million pieces... and it just happens to be the most expensive one you own. Cue internal screaming. But don't worry — this is one fail that can be fixed. Watch and learn. (Post continues after video.)

4. The mani cover-up

"I was desperate to cover up some awful half-chipped/half bare toes for an event. So I coloured them in with a black permanent marker before rushing out the door. Worked a charm!" - Melissa.

http://cdn.theglow.com.au/app/uploads/2015/10/hi-liter-nails.jpg Because anything is better than studying. (Source: Instagram.)

Share our pain with even more beauty fails in this gallery...

Hilarious beauty fails.

5. Uneven palette use

6. The polished foot

7. The shampoo-conditioner equation

8. The stretched-out hair tie

9. The eyeliner fail

10. The spray tan aftermath

11. OTT contouring

12. The false eyelash conundrum

13. The hairy makeup brush

What's your biggest beauty fail? Do you laugh, cry or both when it happens?