I’m spending the day, most likely, with the children in this photo. We’re not kids anymore, though, so we’re not nearly as adorable.

Anyhow, my cousin K brought to light a number of makeup misconceptions that I hadn’t even thought of before on our last visit. My plan? Announce and debunk, of course!

I have to finish this tube of mascara before I can buy a new one!
Well, honey, this is why a lot of us buy drugstore mascaras. If you don’t know by now that you have to replace every three months, you probably have spider lashes framing your pinkeye. Keep the tubes fresh to minimize clumps and stop bacteria cultures from forming and ruining your eyesight! (Now, eyeballs, on the other hand, cannot be repurchased.)

Well, okay. So it’s okay if I pump it, right? I want to get more product.
No, it’s not! Pumping the wand forces air and moisture into the tube, increasing the rate at which the product dries and bacteria grows. I assure you, you can get enough on your lashes by just pulling it out! And if not, go in for one more pull – not a series of pumps!

I was looking at this tinted moisturiser from Estee Lauder – it should be good, right?
Nope. Just like with most everything, ‘expensive’ doesn’t mean ‘good’. I showed her the MUA productville for this one and we’ll find a good one when she needs to replace her current one. A lot of people link brands that you find in large department stores (in Canada, the biggest one is the Bay, which carries Estee Lauder, Clinique, and Lancome, predominantly) with quality. This is a great thing to keep in mind when buying makeup for your mum, for instance, as a pretty jar of Estee Lauder Lucidity will seem higher quality to her than a NARS or Laura Mercier powder since she won’t recognize the latter brands.

Sephora’s too expensive for me.
A lot of girls simply assume Sephora is more expensive than department store brands, never going in, because it’s a prestige makeup store. In truth, many brands are more expensive. But most are cheaper, or on par with, brands like Estee Lauder or Lancome. And, unlike counters, Sephora has their Friends and Family sale, as well as (on occasion) the $15 off $35 emails.

More is better
More isn’t better. More is just more. A smoky eye smoked out too far can cause the eyes to “receed” into the face, not to mention, make you look like a clown. A ton of blusher just makes you look overdone, not super-healthy. Everything in moderation.

And that in point, this ends this segment :P Feel free to leave questions or comments and I’ll get back to you once I get home! Have anything along these lines that you’ve been itching to know? I’ll answer… and if I can’t, I’ll find the answer.