JOIN USCompromising on makeup for the fear of looking bad or ruining your skin is not a good idea. Aakriti Kochar frees you from cosmetic-related disbeliefs.
We all aim for a skin that radiates with health and beauty. We even spend much of our time using varied products to achieve lustrous hair and flawless skin. Such is our love for amazing looks. And in our pursuit of this, we often follow certain beliefs without checking the facts. Let us look at some of the most common beauty myths.
Concealer lighter than foundation
The shade of concealer need not be lighter than that of foundation. It is a known fact that using a lighter foundation makes the skin grey or unnatural. Also, using a lighter shade of concealer makes the flaws become more prominent rather than hiding them.
The solution to this problem is to match the shade of the concealer with that of your natural skin tone. If your foundation and concealer shade are two or three tones different, then you can first apply the concealer on affected areas and then apply a thin layer of foundation to match the colour and bring it to your natural tone.
For hyperpigmentation or dull eyes, one can use an orange or yellow concealer to kill the blue undertone first and then, apply the concealer. Using the concealer shade alone on hyperpigmentation might not hide your dark circles or flaws completely. In this case, use loose powder or a compact to seal the concealer. Or you could immediately follow it up with foundation. This sets the base and prevents creasing.
Blush only adds colour
Blush is not used just to add colour to cheeks, but also to add definition to your face. Blushers help in contouring cheek bones, thereby making our features appear sharper. However, dark brown shades can only be used to contour or give shape to your cheeks, jawline and the nose.
Using a pink or peach colour will not serve the purpose. These contour shades should be matte finish, whereas blushers used to add colour to the face can be pink, peach or corals. Those with sheen/shimmer are used to highlight your face.
No black liner for small eyes
That people with small eyes should not apply black eyeliner is an absolute myth. On the contrary, black eyeliner on the top rim of the eyes can make small eyes look bigger. These also help in transforming small eyes to big or almond-shaped eyes, depending on the shape of the eyeliner.
Coloured liners also emphasise the eye shape, though not as much as black; but they do make your eyes look popped. One can use a coloured eye liner on the inner rim, that is, the waterline to make it look bigger and brighter. White eye liner pencils are also used to make your eyes bigger and brighter.
Red lips only for the fair
Red lips are not limited to fair women. The colour comes in various shades to suit
different skin tones. Women with fair tones can use coral reds, whereas for women with dark complexion, it is advisable to go for warmer shades of red (more towards the maroon tone). Always remember to outline lips with a red lip liner matching the colour of the red lipstick you are going to use.
Another useful tip while wearing a red lipstick or any other bright shade is to keep it matte. A bold lip colour on its own gives the required definition and the so-called pout, which everyone wants. Avoid gloss or shimmer. The colour on its own does the magic. Just find the right shade.
Wearing makeup causes breakouts
It is a common myth that wearing makeup causes breakouts. Skin breakouts depend on one’s personal hygiene. Clean your makeup brushes regularly. Keep in mind the expiry of products to avoid any kind of skin infections. As for powder products such as compact, blush and eyeshadows, they can be cleaned with a dry tissue. Clean the top layer on the product if you are using it after some time and the fresh layer can be used for more than two to three years since its first use. Picking products to match your skin type is another factor that can help prevent infections.
If you have oily skin, avoid cream-based products, especially in summers. Also,
certain ingredients present in a particular skincare product or cosmetic can be allergic to some skin types. Be aware of ingredients that do not suit your skin type. For dry skin, which is usually sensitive, one should pick products that have a soothing ingredient or are cream-based, which will provide comfort to the skin without any reaction. This is true for any other skin type as well. Accumulation of bacteria and oil causes skin problems leading to breakouts.
Foundation makes you look fairer
A foundation is designed to even out your skin tone. It does make one look fresh and bright, but that is because it evens out your skin tone and hides the marks and dark spots from your skin. This in turn makes your face look even and brighter. Using a lighter shade of foundation will make you look grey and will never blend into your skin
naturally and completely as compared with the shade matching your skin tone.
For most of the Indian skin tones, pick a foundation with a yellow undertone. A pink-based undertone will not blend well into your skin. Only the correct shade will settle into your skin and look natural.
The compact, in fact, can be picked one shade lighter or the exact shade of the foundation.
(The author is a beauty & makeup expert, Oriflame India)