Ten Beauty Rules You Should Break
There
are all kinds of beauty "rules" that women are taught to follow,
dictating everything from where we should apply perfume to exactly how
much shimmer is acceptable, depending on age. (Is there a mathematical
algorithm for that?) What will happen if break one of these rules? Will
there be mass chaos and rioting in the streets? Hardly. The worst-case
scenario is that you don't like the result, in which case you simply
don't do it again. But you just might discover that you love the way you
look! These "rules" are ready to be broken for good.1 
Rule #1: Focus on Eyes Or Lips—Not Both
The
traditional advice is that you should always pair a smoky eye with a
nude lip, and pair a statement-making lipstick with understated eye
makeup. But unless your idea of a “smoky eye” is three pounds of thick
charcoal shadow (in which case you might want to take it easy in
general), there’s no reason you can’t have both. Frankly, to focus only
on one feature tends to make the rest of the face look a little
unfinished. There’s nothing wrong with dramatic dark eyeliner and look-at-me-red lips inhabiting the same face during a night out on the town.
Well-meaning
grandmothers have been encouraging well-bred young ladies to coordinate
their makeup this way for generations, but the matchy-matchy look isn’t
just out, it’s totally over—and shows no signs of ever coming back.
Unless you want to look like you just stepped out of a cotillion (or if
you work on Capitol Hill), makeup colors should be complementary, not
identical.
Here’s
a news flash for the root police: No one’s hair is exactly the same
color from root to end. So if you color your hair, subtle darkness near
the scalp looks more natural than obsessive touch-ups—even the blondest
hair tends to grow in a little dark and then lighten up. For the past
few seasons, two-tone and ombré hairstyles have dominated the runways
and the streets, so don’t be afraid to duck your colorist’s calls for
another few weeks.
Rule #2: Always Match Your Lipstick to Your Nail Polish
Well-meaning
grandmothers have been encouraging well-bred young ladies to coordinate
their makeup this way for generations, but the matchy-matchy look isn’t
just out, it’s totally over—and shows no signs of ever coming back.
Unless you want to look like you just stepped out of a cotillion (or if
you work on Capitol Hill), makeup colors should be complementary, not
identical.Rule #3: Never Let Your Roots Show
Rule #4: Don’t Tweeze Above Your Eyebrows
Yes,
the bulk of the clean-up work should still be done below the brow, but
there’s no reason not to pluck the random stray hairs that grow from
above, too. Go easy on the above-brow area, because overzealous plucking
can lead to thin, unnatural shapes, but when hairs above the brow are
long, unruly, or growing outside the natural definition of the brow, get
rid of 'em
Rule #5: Your Eyebrows Should Always Be Perfectly Manicured
We’re
not suggesting a Frida Kahlo-style unibrow, but full, almost bushy,
brows have replaced the painstakingly thin eyebrows of the early 2000s.
Clean up stray hairs as desired, but don’t feel the need to shape your
brows into an arch of constant surprise. Thick, almost straight brows
have proven just as beautiful on and off the runways for a couple years
now.
Rule #6: Only Wear Either “Warm” or “Cool” Colors Depending on Your Skin Tone
Your skin’s undertones are a big factor in choosing foundation and concealer, as well as coloring your hair, but when you’re picking out mascara or eye shadow,
anything goes. Work with your skin and hair color, but don’t get hemmed
in by the arbitrary distinction between “warm” and “cool” colors or get
too wrapped up with what shades are in your color wheel.
Rule #7: Don’t Wear Eyeliner or Mascara on Bottom Lashes
Some
conventional wisdom warns that dark eyeliner or mascara on the bottom
lash line can age a face. Unless you have unusually small or very
deep-set eyes, this rule is nonsense. When applied properly (in the
right color, without clumping or smearing), there’s nothing about lining
or tinting your bottom lashes or lash line that brings out crows’ feet
or baggy eyes. Invest in a mascara with a fine brush that will let you
precisely shade each lash—like Benefit They’re Real! Mascara—and if pencil eyeliner looks too harsh, go with a soft powder liner instead.
Famous gingers from Amy Adams to Emma Stone
have proven just how false this severely outdated rule is. You just
need to know how to work with your skin tone: Fair-skinned, natural
redheads should choose an orangey or coral-tinged red to offset pink
undertones in their skin. If your red comes from a bottle, or if you
have darker skin, a more burgundy or blue-red might look better. Just
don’t try to match your lips to your hair.
Who doesn’t love getting complete sets of your favorite scent in everything from body wash to eau de parfum?
But that doesn’t mean you should use all the products all at once.
Trust us—after you get done washing with perfumed body wash, using
perfumed lotion, and applying the perfume itself, the effect is going to
be less “long-lasting, but subtle scent” and more “roadside bordello.”
Perfumed lotions, washes, hair sprays, and deodorants are great for
imparting a tiny kick of fragrance, but wearing them all at once is
overkill. If you want your fragrance to last longer, upgrade from an eau de cologne to an eau de parfum.
The point of mascara is to emphasize and darken lashes. Black mascara
does that more effectively than brown mascara, no matter what your hair
color is. How many times have you seen a woman and thought, “She’d look
great if only her eyelashes weren’t so long and lush”? Never? Thought
so. Most people—even many blondes—have naturally dark lashes anyway, so
black is the natural choice.
Rule #8: No Red Lips for Redheads
Famous gingers from Amy Adams to Emma Stone
have proven just how false this severely outdated rule is. You just
need to know how to work with your skin tone: Fair-skinned, natural
redheads should choose an orangey or coral-tinged red to offset pink
undertones in their skin. If your red comes from a bottle, or if you
have darker skin, a more burgundy or blue-red might look better. Just
don’t try to match your lips to your hair.Rule #9: Always Layer Your Perfume
Who doesn’t love getting complete sets of your favorite scent in everything from body wash to eau de parfum?
But that doesn’t mean you should use all the products all at once.
Trust us—after you get done washing with perfumed body wash, using
perfumed lotion, and applying the perfume itself, the effect is going to
be less “long-lasting, but subtle scent” and more “roadside bordello.”
Perfumed lotions, washes, hair sprays, and deodorants are great for
imparting a tiny kick of fragrance, but wearing them all at once is
overkill. If you want your fragrance to last longer, upgrade from an eau de cologne to an eau de parfum.Rule #10: Fair-Haired Women Should Wear Brown Mascara
The point of mascara is to emphasize and darken lashes. Black mascara
does that more effectively than brown mascara, no matter what your hair
color is. How many times have you seen a woman and thought, “She’d look
great if only her eyelashes weren’t so long and lush”? Never? Thought
so. Most people—even many blondes—have naturally dark lashes anyway, so
black is the natural choice.
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