Fourth of July Facial Faux Pas

Every girl wants to be Pinterest perfect when it comes to holiday makeup. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the time, talent, products, or any combination of the three to actually pull them off. While starry lips and glittery eyes look adorable in that model’s Instagram, they probably won’t hold up as well in the 90 degree heat at the family barbecue. The following are the top trends to avoid this Fourth of July along with some easy alternatives to consider instead.

Intricate Eyes

Glitzy, glamorous eyes are all the rage on social media, but the truth is in the eye of the beholder (or in this case, on the eye of the beholder). Those cute stars and rhinestones glued to people’s faces aren’t feasible for long-term makeup. Keeping your look for the long haul is the name of the game for summer looks, so opt for something easier, but just as vibrant. A bold blue shadow faded into a black smokey eye is an easy way to get your American message across without having to check your pocket mirror every five minutes. Another way to up the ante is to swap your traditional black eyeliner or mascara with a bright blue. The pop of color is unexpected and exciting without sacrificing practicality.

Colorful brows

Red or blue eyebrows sound funky and fun in theory, but one wrong move wiping the sweat from your forehead will have those colors smeared and sorry-looking. You don’t want brows of blue to peel off and cost you a gorgeous look. Honestly, this look is way more exciting for a photo shoot than it is for a group shot with your friends. For most of us, pictures taken on the holiday with friends and family are ones where we actually want to look like ourselves. Traditional eyebrows are gonna be the way to go for this day. You won’t want to look back at those pictures a year later and wonder, “what was I thinking?” when this trend falls by the wayside.

Flag Lips

Probably the most popular style that shows up after a quick Google search is the stars and stripes lip trend. It’s adorable and looks easy enough for a makeup novice to attempt. Trust us, it’s not as simple as it seems. First of all, you’d need multiple long-lasting products to keep up with the heat. For those who don’t often wear blue or white on their lips, this means shelling out big bucks for a product you may never use again. Doing this could make the look work, but only if you decide not to eat anything off the grill or take a drink all day. The red and blue will end up mixing together and you’ll end your day with a pretty lavender pout. It might look nice, but it probably isn’t what you’re going for. Some makeup artists opt for glue on stars so the ones they draw on don’t smudge. This awesome idea will probably end with eating a plastic star halfway through your holiday hotdog. The best advice for lip looks on the Fourth is to go with a classic cherry red. Paired with some blue on the eyes, it will show your patriotism without costing you convenience when you’re eating and drinking away the day.

To the makeup gurus out there who can pull of these looks, more power to you! We envy your skills and will continue to pin them on our “if only I could do this” Pinterest boards. But for the rest of the mere mortals who don’t possess the power of makeup magic, intricate and exciting looks may not be in the cards, and that’s okay! Doing a classic look for the quintessential American holiday is the best way to look fab and avoid a faux pas while you celebrate.