Over the years, we’ve gotten a lot of, let’s say, advice about makeup. Between mothers, know-it-all best friends and the women behind the makeup counters, it seems everyone is itching to share their ideas about beauty. But the wise beauty girl knows not to believe everything she hears. The beauty world, much like the rest of the world, is laden myth. We’re here to deliver a reality check.

Myth: A contoured face can only be achieved with bronzer.

Reality: The old notion that using dark bronzer is the only way to contour your face has got to go. In reality, there are plenty of alternatives. Blush, for instance, can be used to sculpt cheekbones. Just use a light shade high on the cheekbone, or choose a neutral color and apply it to the temples and hollows of the cheeks. Choosing blush over bronzer is a softer approach to contouring, and a nice alternative for fairer skinned gals. You can also contour with highlighter. When applied down the center of the nose and to the brow bone extending out just below the eyes, highlighter can create the illusion of a slimmer face.

Myth: Use concealer with yellow undertones to hide dark under eye circles.

Reality: This is true–if your skin has yellow undertones. The best way to conceal under eye circles­­, or anything for that matter, is to find a concealer that is a match for your skin. For tough dark circles, you can turn to a color correcting concealer. But it’s orange and peach tones–not yellow–that counteract blue. We love Giorgio Armani Master Corrector in Orange.

Myth: Lip plumpers can increase the size of your lips.

Reality: As much as we’d like to believe this one, the truth is the only way to permanently change the size of your lips is through surgery. That said, lip plumping products contain ingredients like cinnamon which irritate the lips causing them to swell, if only temporarily.

Myth: Smoky eye makeup translates to black eye shadow.

Reality: When you hear smoky eyes, most people immediately go to black. But the smoky eye is actually an application technique not a color. You can create a smoky eye with any color. The key is to see that color gradation from light to dark, and of course to blend, blend, blend. Test out a new color palette for your smoky eye with an eye shadow quad like L’Oréal Studio Secrets Professional Color Smokes.

Myth: Match foundation against your cheek or hand.

Reality: Finding the perfect foundation match is difficult, especially if you’re matching it to the wrong area. Skin varies in color all over the body. Hands are exposed to more UV rays and tend to get less exfoliation than the face, so they can be slightly darker than the skin on your face. Also due to sun exposure and other environmental stresses, the skin on your face differs from the rest of your body. The idea is to find the best match that will seamlessly blend all exposed areas of skin, and your neck is the ideal place to start. Test foundation on your jawline to see how well matches your neck and blends with your chin.

 

Which one of these myths surprised you the most? Tell us below.

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