Fact or Fiction? 9 Beauty Myths Cleared Up!

Knowledge is power, yes we know. But that doesn’t exempt us from falling victim to beauty falsehoods every now and then. Most times this involves some beauty advice that is larger than life or gets you in a quagmire wondering which beauty product is good for you. 

Just like talking to a boy when you reach puberty won’t immediately get you pregnant; eating while standing isn’t good for your digestion and but it won’t give you large feet; and crossing your legs while sitting down won’t give you varicose veins *rolling my eyes*; there are beauty facts that simply aren’t true.

Here are a few:

1. You don’t need sunscreen because your foundation is applied over it: Did you even for a second consider this to be true? Haven’t you heard that protecting your skin is a year round chore? The sun penetrates your foundation and gets to your skin so you still need SPF. This is unless your foundation contains SPF, but even at that it could lead to the problem of ashy skin. So skipping sunscreen is not even an option.
2. Primers are necessary to ensure longer lasting makeup: Being a huge advocate of primers it was quite difficult for me to admit this, but primers are not a must for long lasting makeup. Primers are meant to perform certain functions like fill out your pores for smoother looking skin, mattify your skin and delay the production of sebum which makes your face oily. Also eye primers help prevent eyeshadows from creasing and last a lot on longer. But if primers are not for you, then by all means chuck them and move on.
3. You MUST use a foundation brush: We know now that the traditional foundation brush we have known for ages are not all there is to foundation application. It shouldn’t surprise you to know that your fingers can do the same job, even a bit better. Hands have an added advantage of being able to warm up the foundation so it melts into the skin and can blend it perfectly. The pads of the hands are also perfect tools for blending mismatched patches on the face.
4. Blushes look clownish: If for any reason you end up looking like a Geisha with a round dollop of blush on your cheeks, it is most likely due to one of two reasons – the wrong blush or the wrong application. Don’t use small brushes. Instead use medium to large tapered brushes with soft bristles to apply your blush. Remember to always start with a little product and brush from the apples of the cheeks, blending backwards to your ear.
5. A colorful lower lash line makes your eyes look smaller: I love colour on my lower lash line so I don’t know what people mean when they say it makes the eyes look smaller. Instead It makes the eyes pop! Also, try to be adventurous with colors on the lower lash line and be sure to blend the colours well to even it out.
6. Cosmetics are too expensive: Well, in all fairness, y’all might just be right here. But there is a solution. No matter the trend, you will always need your skin to look like it’s actually skin – not caked with makeup. So by all means splurge on foundations, concealers and powders. Trends are based on colours and textures and that includes using eyehsadows, glosses, blushes, pencils etc – for these I would suggest you stick with drugstore products. There are many drugstore brands eg. Maybelline, Sleek, Elf, L’Oreal etc. that stock good quality colour products that last (not forever) but for a considerable length of time. So these will definitely save you some money when buying cosmetics.
7. Makeup makes you look too done up: Then don’t put on too much hun! It is best to work in light layers instead of one thick layer. The reason is you can always build on if it is too light but you can’t take it off without having to start all over again if it is too heavy. Learn to blend, blend, blend; this helps to ensure the product mimics the skin perfectly. On carefree days, work with light-weight formulas like tinted moisturizers or BB Creams. Use makeup only where needed with a wash of colour and you can skip the brushes. 
8. Makeup makes you breakout: In my opinion, this is one of the worst myths ever. Unless you buy really cheap, poor quality products, the ingredients in makeup are not to blame for the breakouts you suffer. There are so many other factors that can cause that. It could be due to poor makeup storage and hygiene which could cause bacteria to thrive in your products; not sanitizing your brushes properly before usage and sharing of makeup products with friends and family who have poor hygiene. Please be sure to take of all your makeup before bed everyday so your pores are not clogged and dirt doesn’t have a convenient environment to build up. There are some cases of allergic reactions to makeup though. In cases like that, hypoallergenic makeup is the way to go.
9. Makeup application wastes time: Not if you do it the right way. Create a routine for your everyday makeup that has a bit of colour, and leave the brigade for those special occasions when you need to arrive at that event with your red lip popping. 

To achieve an everyday face, 10 minutes is enough – really! Let me take you through it. Use a BB cream all over your face, add some concealer under your eyes applied with your finger, use a compact powder all over to set the foundation and concealer, add some blush/bronzer, apply lip gloss and mascara and you’re done!

Chances are there are so many myths you know that I don’t. So, please share them in the comments section below and let’s all bust them together.