­What is a myth? It is a false or unproven set of beliefs that are perpetuated over time. So let's be real with each other; there are a lot of makeup myths out there. These myths are statements that you have heard or things that may have been passed on to you by your mother or your auntie or by friends and which – once analysed – have no basis in fact. Iknow it seems like every time you think you have it figured out when it comes to your makeup and skin routine, you find out something new which goes contrary to what you have been doing. So, I started thinking about some of the things that have been said to me about makeup over the years and I have decided to take on some of them in this forum (and in no particular order). So, here goes myth number one.
Myth: Dark skinned people can't wear blush.
Truth: Many times I have often totally skipped using blush myself and I have been told that as a dark skinned person it was completely unnecessary. Now while blush may have originally been used on lighter skinned persons to add a little colour and a healthy look, it can achieve the same effect on darker-skinned persons as well. Additionally, it can also be used to shape and contour and it makes a great difference once the right colours are chosen. The best coloured blush will depend on your tone – persons with olive or middle tones can generally wear shades with hints of orange or warmth to them, and darker women can do cooler shades with tones of dark pink or burgundy. But a well-blushed face should always look glowing and healthy, and never clownish.
Myth: Concealer should always be lighter than your skin.
Truth: This is not necessarily true as it depends on what you are trying to conceal. For example, if you want to hide a pimple on your face, you may want to use a green coloured concealer to hide the redness. If you want to cover a dark spot, you would want concealer the same colour as your skin. The under eye area could use a lighter colour to bring forward a little illumination and brightness; salmon coloured concealers are good for hiding dark circles under the eyes.
Myth: Only certain people can wear red lipstick.
Truth: This is untrue. However, if you want to wear red, try a shade of red with the best undertones for your skin type. For darker toned people, I like to use reds with blue undertones. For medium toned complexions, reds with peach or coral or orange tones are best, and for the light skinned persons, I tend to give them the true reds.
Myth: Makeup causes acne or breakouts.
Truth: Many environmental and physiological factors can cause acne, but it primarily comes about because of the over-production of sebum and the presence of bacteria. Therefore, all makeup should be cleaned off and removed from the skin at night. Failure to do so can lead to clogged pores filled with dirt and bacteria, which leads to breakouts. Now, there may be some cases where individuals may have an allergic relation to a particular ingredient in a makeup product, but this is usually brand specific. Makeup in general is tolerated well by most people.
Myth: Expensive makeup is better than cheap makeup – any time.
Truth: This one is a rather controversial subject, and thus, it has many different answers based on different persons' experiences. In my humble opinion, there are good expensive makeup brands and good cheap makeup brands. I always tell people to shop within their budgets, but know that there are some makeup categories where you can actually see the difference between the cheap stuff and the expensive stuff. So try everything and come to your own conclusion. Also, be reminded that what you put on your face gets absorbed into your skin, so look for good products with the best benefits (regardless of the price).
