Beauty 'rules' it's okay to break

Sure, there are some beauty rules we should never question (wear sunscreen daily, remove make-up before bed and say no to smoking), but there are also a few that were made to be broken. From the war on greys to challenging traditional make-up combos, these are the old-school beauty laws you need to ignore...
Wash your hair every day
Believe me when I say it's better to leave it for a day or two. That way, your hair has time to build up the natural oils that keep your scalp healthy and happy. Ironically, washing hair too often can dry it out.
bh tip: If you’re looking a little greasy between washes, a dry shampoo such as Klorane Oil Control Dry Shampoo with Nettle can work wonders.
Cover the greys
Sorry, who died and put the goddess of youth in charge? Grey hair is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, many celebs are embracing the colour and choosing to dye their locks grey and quite frankly, we’re digging it.
bh tip: If you decide to embrace your silver strands, you might want to consider switching your shampoo for one that's specifically formulated for greys like the Avon Advanced Techniques Radiant Silver Shampoo.
Mascara is only for top lashes
If you read our biggest beauty trends of 2015 story, then you’ll know this rule ain’t gonna stick. How many times have you seen a woman and thought, “she’d look great if only her eyelashes weren’t so big and full”? Never? Thought so. The trick to the whole bottom lash thing is finding a mascara with a fine brush that’ll allow you to coat each individual lash without clumping.
bh tip: Benefit They’re Real Mascara is brilliant for subtly coating both top and bottom lashes.
Steer clear of blue eyeshadow
It was the ‘it’ thing in the 80s, and now women are afraid to bring back the blue in fear of looking dated. Well, ladies, get ready to change your attitude. Navy and indigo eyeliners are so on-trend, and look great applied as a cat-eye. Oh, and did we mention blue is the perfect shade for making your peepers pop?
bh tip: Blinc Cosmetics Liquid Eyeliner in blue is easy to apply and long-lasting.
Redheads can’t wear red lipstick
Pairing red hair with a matching lip used to be a major make-up faux-pas, but that's nothin' but a load of grade-A baloney. Famous fiery-headed sirens like Emma Stone, Christina Hendricks and Jessica Chastain prove just how outdated this rule is. The key to pulling off the red lippie look isn’t in the strands, it’s in the skin. Got questions? We’ve got answers.
bh tip: Overwhelmed by the selection of reds out here? Dont fret - we'll help you find your perfect tone.
Don’t rock bold lips and smoky lids
We bet you’re thinking a smoky eye paired with a statement lip is beauty suicide, but that’s not entirely true. True, a dark and heavy lid and neon lip can look frightening, so it’s important to tone down the colours. Keep your foundation sheer and choose brown over black eye make-up. And there you have it: daring combo, nailed.
bh tip: Don't be afraid of the smoky eye - it's easier than you think. Watch bh's resident make-up artist show you how to get the look down pat.
Brushing your hair 100 times before bed makes it healthier
Not for curly hair, at least! Put down the brush and ward off frizz, Marcia Brady. While it’s fine for straight-haired girls to brush their dry mane, those of us with curly and wavy hair should just use a wide-tooth comb (like this Lady Jayne one ) in the shower for defined, tangle-fee strands.
bh tip: Need more advice on controlling those gorgeous curls? Check out our curly hair commandments.
Only wear ‘warm’ or ‘cool’ colours depending on your skin tone
Yes, skin tone is a big factor to consider when choosing your foundation and concealer, but when looking at eyeshadow or lipstick, anything goes. Work with your skin, but don’t get wrapped up in the theory of the colour wheel. The beauty of beauty is experimenting! Go on, live a little.
bh tip: Can't tell whether you are warm or cool toned? Click here and watch to find out.
Apply a face mask weekly
Really, if you religiously use a cleanser, toner, exfoliator and moisturiser, a weekly face mask isn’t going to make much of a difference to your skin. That being said, if you tend to be a little lazier in the skin care department, a weekly mask is well worth it.
bh tip: Have you been slacking on skin care? The Bioré Self-Heating One Minute Mask with Charcoal will give your pores a deep, thorough cleanse.
Women over 40 should chop their locks
Say what now?! This just makes me mad. While ageing does affect the strength and speed at which our hair grows, that does not mean you need to give up on the idea of long, lush locks completely. If you love long hair and want to keep the length, just commit to taking great care of it.
bh tip: Keep your locks in check for longer with Molton Brown Mer-rouge Deep Conditioning Mask - it melts into your hair like butter.
Use a brush to apply foundation
Finger painting isn’t just for the little ones. Mix your foundation and a small amount of moisturiser in the palm of your hand, then apply it to your face like you would a cream to make the skin really look alive. The power of touch helps with portion control, plus the warmth of your fingers helps to blend product easier, resulting in a more natural finish.
bh tip: if you're not ready to give up the brush, find out the right way to apply foundation using one.
What beauty rules have you broken?
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149 Member Comments
Good for you. Hope you have fun following you own.
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haha I break most of these rules already :P
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I love blue eyeshadows, oh and i love pink and purple too lol
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I didn't know any of these were "rules"!!
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I certainly don't wash my hair everyday - it'd be a giant frizz ball! Same goes for "brushing 100x before bed". I (thankfully) don't have any grey hairs in my ginger mane yet - and I certainly DO NOT plan on chopping that off when I reach the age of 40, or any other arbitrary "age related rule"... Oh, I also love red & other bold lippies & it seems I simply never got the memo about not applying mascara to my lower lashes ;-)
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I find face masks make a difference even though I have a good cleansing routine. Go masks!
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I suffer badly from panda eyes so bottom lash mascara is a recipe for disaster for me :(
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I have been using red lipstick and I have red hair.
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I'm breaking almost all of these rules heheh
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I break a few of these beauty rules all the time.
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i prefer to apply my foundation with my fingers too, i find it goes on more smoothly and does not dry out unlike when i use a sponge. i think everyone is different and what ever make up look or hair colour is their choice regardless as long we are all happy.
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I very rarely put mascara on the bottom - I tend to rub my eyes and it goes everywhere. I also don't do a bold lip, I just don't' think it suits me.
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Totally agree about not having to have short hair once you hit 40. That makes me mad too! Well said Astrid!
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The strong eye, bold lips, blue eyeliners,wash your hair everyday
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When it comes to makeup I don't follow rules, I just do whatever I think looks good :)
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If it works for me then it works.
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I have long hair and am in my 40's. It suits me - funny because when I was a teen I had a short bob which suited my young face back then.
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Nice. Love these animations, that's not what they're called, sorry, videos I think!
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Ohh I've broken many of these rules!
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I've been wearing mascara on my bottom lashes every day since forever... I never knew that "mascara is only for top lashes". Oh and I rock it with blue eye shadow too! ;)
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Pretty sure I've broken all of these at some point except maybe the red hair, red lips rule as I've never had red hair.
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In my beauty world of madness there is no rules! Love the pics, hilarious :D
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I seem to have have broken all of the above (minus 1). I'm a big believer of if it works for you, go for it! Great article, love the clips. :)
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I have broken all the rules, except the one about going grey. I'm not ready to go grey, and too old to look cool like the young starlets do with their grey hair. I've never heard the one about only wearing mascara on your top lashes. I have always worn mascara on top and bottom, just usually only one coat on the bottom, not two. I have never had any problems using the same brush on top and bottom lashes either, I just do the bottom after I have finished the top so there is a little less mascara on the brush.
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