5 Kardashian-Inspired Makeup Trends You Likely Should Avoid

Remember when we thought we kind of knew what we were doing with our makeup? Remember those days when we just applied bronzer with a big huge bronzer brush and felt good about the tan face that we saw in the mirror? We had never heard of the word "contour." We had never heard of "baking." We were happy then. Life was simple.

Those were the days before YouTube and the Kardashians.

These Kardashian women and their amazing makeup artists have actually changed everything we thought we knew about makeup and creating a flawless face. It's not all bad. Some of it is really great. As a makeup artist, I am obsessed with Mario Dedivanovic, Kim's personal makeup artist who uses innovative techniques and products to create her perfectly sculpted looks.

However, there's a real danger in thinking that if we use what Mario uses on Kim that we, too, can look so perfect. As the Kardashians tout their latest products and their makeup artists post their favorite techniques on YouTube and Instagram, we are excited to try them. It is important to remember that we are just everyday women that don't have the luxury of spending all of our time and money on makeup applications.

Maybe some things will work for us, maybe they won't, but either way we sure as hell won't be a Kardashian any time soon. No matter how much we overdraw our lips . . . it's not going to happen.

Here are five products and techniques that will NOT magically turn you into a Kardashian sister:

In my opinion, this is a look that definitely works for olive-skin toned, Armenian women with thick eyebrows. To fill in one's eyebrows is always a good move. To fill one's eyebrows with three brow products in dark brunette tones, creating an eyebrow that is thick and supple when you do not have a darker skin tone or features can be a bust.

Kim has severely toned down her makeup looks as of late. She has announced her love for tinted moisturizer as a way to even out her skin tone and give herself a natural glow. Most women need a little more coverage to feel like they have a flawless look. I am not diminishing the value of a beautiful tinted moisturizer product, yet we have to remember that Kim's skin is pretty perfect. For those of you that also have a blemish-free complexion without redness or discoloration, then tinted moisturizer is a home run. For the rest of us, we need more coverage.

When Kim takes a selfie after her makeup artist has spent hours blending contour stripes all over her face, she always look perfect. Please remember that she has paid thousands of dollars to the top makeup artists to create this look. You can buy every contour palette under the sun and every highlighting product that's available in hopes of looking like Kim in your selfies. You might find that you don't look like a Kardashian, despite your best efforts.

The reason for this is simple. Kim naturally (or unnaturally, if you take into account her fillers) has bone structure that lends itself to being beautifully accented with contour. We don't all have perfect features. Use your contouring products to highlight your best features and be realistic in your expectations.

Also, please remember, flash photography creates shadows and light on the face. Contouring was a technique that was originally created with photography in mind. Do not go too heavy with contouring, unless you will spend a great deal of time being photographed with a bright flash, because in real life, you will look very overly made up.

OK, so the Kylie Lip Kit is quite delightful. I enjoy a lipliner and a liquid lip as much as you do. One can overdraw their lips and fill in with these amazing lip liquids. You will see that your lips look noticeably plumper; it's actually pretty incredible. Just please be advised that your lips with the Kylie Lip Kit will simply be your lips with the Kylie Lip Kit. You will never have Kylie's lips or any Kardashian lips without going to your nearby dermatologist or plastic surgeon and getting lip fillers injected into your lips. (But don't do this.)

So many of you have run to buy the Laura Mercier translucent powder to "bake." Baking is a technique that drag queens have been doing for years. The technique is to use a sponge or brush to apply a thick layer of "banana powder" or translucent powder over concealer under the eyes or in the center of the forehead.

The powder sits for 5-10 minutes and "bakes" with body heat. It is then dusted off to reveal a beautifully highlighted and bright face. Well, guess what? If you don't have perfect skin — void of pores, lines, or puff — this technique is great. If you have even the faintest of lines under your eyes, then you end up aging yourself about 35 years. Instead of looking like Kim Kardashian, suddenly you look like Mick Jagger. Skip this step unless you are sure that your face is perfectly smooth and young.

It doesn't hurt to try different products and techniques in your quest for perfection. Just aim for makeup products and techniques that will perfectly accentuate your face, not Kim's. You are beautiful in your own right, inside and out. Embrace your own beautiful angles and features. You were not born into the Kardashian family, and that is not necessarily a bad thing.