Most Beauty Professionals Can't Ace This Makeup Quiz. Can You?

Isadora Teich

Image: shutterstock

About This Quiz

Think your beauty knowledge is as sharp as perfectly pointed eyeliner wing? There is so much that goes into the perfect face of makeup. While trends constantly change, the products and their placement must match skin tone, texture, type, eye color and more. The size, shape, and placement of different facial features all require different techniques to be flattered. Big eyes will be flattered by different techniques than smaller eyes. Even the undertones of the skin can play a huge role. Two people may appear to have the same skin tone, but need totally different foundations to match them.   

Some people use makeup to change their faces entirely, while other use it just to enhance their features and naturally smoothe their skin. There are so many ways to put on a face of makeup and even more products to choose from. Especially in recent years, the beauty industry has exploded with countless products of every color, for every purpose, and at every price point. It can make it overwhelming for newcomers to the beauty world to know what tools and products they need to get the look they want. 

If you are a true makeup expert, put your knowledge to the test with this quiz! 

You should use a small brush for:

As a general rule, large, fluffy brushes work best for diffusing products on large areas of the face. Smaller brushes work best for more detailed work on the eyes and lips.

What lipstick shade instantly makes teeth look whiter?

A blue-based classic red lip, like the one worn by Marilyn Monroe, is flattering on all skin tones. The blue undertones also make teeth appear whiter.

When it comes to color correcting, what cancels out redness?

The green color is used to cancel out redness on the face. This can be from acne, sun damage, rosacea or other skin conditions.

What tool is best for applying loose face powder?

A big fluffy brush will disperse the product lightly and evenly over the skin. You may even want to tap some of the product off your brush before you apply.

Where should you swatch foundation to get a good match?

While many people swatch foundation on their hands, this will not work for most people. Many people have faces that are significantly lighter, darker or redder than their hand skin. Opt for your neck instead for a truer match.

If you have sensitive skin, what should you avoid in face products?

Strong fragrance is one of the key culprits when it comes to irritating skin, as it's often a bunch of undisclosed chemicals. While some brands are famous for the scents of their products, these will often not work for those with very sensitive skin.

Which of these foundation types should most dry skin types avoid?

Matte foundations lack glow and can often look cakey and heavy on dry skin types. While this is not always true, it is often the case.

Which of these is not a possible skin undertone?

While human beings can have skin tones ranging from the very pale to the incredibly dark, all of us fall into one of 3 categories when it comes to undertones. There's only cool, warm and neutral.

What eye shape might have trouble with winged eyeliner?

Hooded eyelids have skin which folds over the crease, and may hide it partially or entirely. If you have this eye shape, you may need to modify trendy winged eyeliner looks to suit you.

Do all foundations and primers work well together?

Foundations and primers are either oil- or water-based. Make sure the bases in your products match for the best finish.

Applying foundation with what tool lends itself to sheer coverage?

If you want to sheer out a heavy foundation, blend it in with your fingers. Foundation brushes can often give the most coverage, as sponges and beauty blenders absorb some of the product.

What color works best for concealing under-eye circles?

On many skin tones, a concealer with a peach tone will work well at counteracting under-eye bags. These can often look blue or purple tinged before they are corrected.

What kind of face powder is generally used for setting makeup?

There are two main types of face powder: loose and pressed. Loose translucent powder is best for setting face makeup.

Which of these generally are a no-go on textured skin?

Shimmer can emphasize texture, pimples, large pores and lines. This can make them tricky to pull off for many people.

What color of eyebrow product will create the most natural look?

For a natural look, light feathery strokes with a brow product slightly lighter than your natural brows will work best. Even if your hair is black, black drawn in brows can often look too harsh to be natural.

What instantly lifts eyes?

Applying subtle highlight to the brow bone instantly makes eyes look more lifted and awake. Apply it on the skin right under the arch in your brows.

Which of these can eyeshadows be used as?

You don't have to spend a fortune on specialized products to get a beautiful makeup look. You will find that many eyeshadows are the exact same colors and sheens as highlights, blushes and bronzers and work well all over the face.

What can make an eyeshadow more pigmented?

There are many ways to get more color payoff from an eyeshadow. You can use your finger, wet your brush or use a white or black pencil base first.

Where do you apply eyeliner when you tightline?

Tightlining lends itself to a natural look, as liner is applied beneath the lash line. Only do this waterproof eyeliner.

What combination of lip products creates an ombre lip look?

Ombre lip looks are popular, as they can make lips appear bigger. Darker lip liner on the corners of the mouth fading into a lighter center creates this look.

How can you figure out what your skin's undertone is?

It is important to know your skin's undertone to pick the right foundation and products, and you can figure it out by looking at the color of your veins. If you have bluish or purplish veins, you have cool undertones. If they look green, you have warm undertones, and if you have trouble telling, you most likely have neutral undertones.

You should apply blush according to your:

There are 7 basic face shapes, and each will be complimented by having blush applied in a slightly different way. These face shapes are oval, round, square, diamond, heart, pear and oblong.

How can you make close-set eyes appear farther apart?

Close-set eyes are often flattered by makeup looks that move from light to dark. The inner corners are light, with any dark pigment concentrated around the outer edges.

What color pencil in the lower waterline will make eyes look larger and more awake?

Whatever your skin tone, using a skin tone-colored pencil in your lower waterline will help to brighten up your eyes. If you are very fair, white may look natural on you, but some people prefer the more natural flesh-toned look.

What is the secret to contouring properly?

Contouring can work all sorts of magic for the face by emphasizing the features you like and masking the ones you do not. It requires a lot of subtle blending to look believable, as unblended contour can look like stripes on the face.

Which kind of lip product makes lips look bigger?

Gloss has shine, what reflects light and catches attention. This emphasizes the lips.

Apply foundation to the face with a brush using __________.

If you have peach fuzz on your face, applying foundation in an upward motion can make it stand out and emphasize it. Applying foundation in the same natural direction the hair grows will look better.

How should you style your eyebrows?

While brow trends range between super thin and super thick, no one brow shape will compliment every person. Brows can do a lot to frame and compliment your face, so put your tastes and face shape before the trends.

What look is a staple for flattering monolids?

Many East Asian people have monolids, or eyelids without creases. An eyeshadow look that is a begins dark at the lashes and gets lighter across the lid and beyond it is known to flatter this eye shape.

How much concealer should you apply at once?

If you are trying to conceal a blemish or other imperfection, applying excessive concealer to it can actually highlight it. Start off with a small amount, blend, wait for it to dry, and then add layers if you need more.

What can help prevent dark lipstick from bleeding?

If you are wearing bold lipstick, concealer can come in very handy. It can be used to both carve out a clean lip shape if you make a mistake, and it can prevent the lipstick from bleeding.

Where should bronzer go for a natural look?

The idea of bronzer is for it to go on places the sun would naturally hit. It will roughly form the shape of a 3 on the perimeters of the face.

What product works the best for subtle brows?

Choosing a powder the same shade as your brows is the best way to achieve a very natural look. You do not run the risk of drawn on or overly harsh-looking brows, as you can easily with a pencil.

Which of these products should you make sure is blended in?

One of the most common makeup mistakes is forgetting to blend. Whether it's face makeup, eye makeup, or even lip pencil, blending is your friend.

Which area of the eye should you highlight to flatter it?

When doing your eye makeup, apply the lightest colors to these areas for a flattering look. This will work on a wide variety of eye shapes.

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