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In the wonderful world of beauty, there’s a lot of room for experimenting, but there are also a lot of do’s and don’ts constantly being imposed on us. While we understand the reasoning behind some of the more important rules, like ‘always be sure to wash your makeup off before bed,’ there’s quite a few that leave us wondering “why can’t I do that?” If you’re as curious (or maybe just as rebellious) as us, you’ve considered breaking some of the rules– why not start with these below?
1. Don’t pair a bold eye with a bold lip. While we’ve been told to pick just one because having both is “too much” thats not entirely the case. If you want a dramatic eye and a bright lip, by all means, go for it. All you have to do is tone each down a bit — for example, don’t bring your shadow too far above the crease, and dab your lipstick on instead of applying it in steady swiping motions.
2. Curl your lashes before mascara. It’s been said that if you curl your lashes after you’ve already applied mascara, it will damage them and even make them fall out. However, we’ve found that giving it a go after our lashes have dried is a sure way to make the curls stay all day, and for our lashes to look fuller than ever.
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3. Use lip liner just to outline your lips. Sure, the name tells you what it’s intended for, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used elsewhere. While we’re not going to go as far as saying that your lip liner can be your eyeliner’s stunt double, we will say that completely filling in your lips with a lip liner can give you the most perfect matte lip ever.
4. Apply foundation all over your face. If you don’t need it, don’t use it. It’s okay to just apply a small amount of foundation to a problem area to get some coverage there, while leaving the rest of your skin blank — just make sure your foundation is a good match and no one will be able to tell the difference!
5. Make sure to set your makeup with a powder. Setting powder is said to be a definite means for locking and loading your foundation in place, however, not all of us need it. If you have dry skin, try skipping out on the setting powder. Chances are, without it your makeup won’t budge and with it, your dry patches are actually being accentuated.
MORE: Makeup Tips for Redheads: Learn How to Pull Off Everything From a Bold Lip to Eyeshadow
6. Bronzer is for the summer. We all love to look like bronze goddesses in the summer, but that’s the time where we may actually be able to ditch the bronzer because we have a natural glow of our own. If you’re feeling pasty and flat during the winter months, warming your skin tone up with a subtle wash of bronzer on the cheeks and temples is the quickest way to bring your complexion back to life.
7. Only apply blush to the apples of your cheeks. Growing up, we were taught to apply blush to the apples of our cheeks and while that isn’t a wrong tip to be told, we may just have a better one for you. If you feel like your face shape is too round, adding blush to the apples of your cheeks will actually make it even rounder. To slim your face, apply blush right along your cheekbones, which are more along the sides of your face than the apples of your cheek.
MORE: Beauty Buzz: Makeup Tips For Girls In Glasses, How to Relax, More
8. Match the color of your eyebrows to your hair. This rule is contradictory because then we’ve also heard never to use black on your eyebrows — but what if you have black hair? Whether you have blonde, brown, black, or even red hair, brown pencils and powders can and will work for you. Obviously, the shades will differ depending on your hair color — for instance, blondes should use taupe or ash brown shades, while those with dark hair should opt for a very dark brown since it’s not as harsh as black.
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