Ever feel like you just can't keep up with the latest and greatest makeup trends? From the right way to contour to the best all-natural ingredients, keeping up with the rules, the shades and the changes requires ample reading and hours of YouTube video watching. That being said, it's important to always be a critic when consuming advice, since not all nuggets of wisdom are helpful — or more to the point: accurate.

In the revitalized age of fact-checking, it's smarter to go straight to the source and find experts who have tried all of the tips and know the most effective tricks and strategies. Professionally trained makeup artists have heard it all — from weird DIY products that don't work to rules of thumb that should be avoided. Luckily, they're here to shed light on the myths you shouldn't be following and provide alternative ideas instead. Here, the 8 worst pieces of beauty advice these pros have ever heard.

Image via Imaxtree

Find yourself in a hurry to head to the office and suddenly realize you're out of your go-to moisturizer? Plenty of bloggers will suggest using non-fractionated coconut oil as an alternative, but hair, makeup and male grooming expert Sophia Porter says to tread lightly on this hack. On the comedogenic scale, which determines how likely a product is to clog your pores, coconut oil receives a whopping 4 out of 5. This means if you're particularly sensitive or acne-prone, you could experience a major breakout and should only go for brands and ingredients that earn a zero rating. "Use facial oils like argan oil, hemp seed oil, sunflower oil, camellia oil or kukui oil to avoid any sort of adverse reaction," she says.

Image via AshaSathees Photography/Moment/Getty

Forget about the models who have sworn by the remedy for decades, makeup artist and hairstylist Jules Annen says Preparation H has no place under your eyes. Even the manufacturer warns that the cream should not be used for anything other than what is listed on the label. "The present-day Preparation H Ointment no longer contains 'live yeast cell extract' which was once known to reduce swelling," Annen says. "The current active ingredients, such as phenylephrine, shark liver oil and hydrocortisone do have anti-inflammatory properties, soothing and healing properties — but for your toosh, not your face!" Instead, use a jade beauty roller and an undereye gel recommended by your dermatologist to fight puffiness.

Makeup artist and owner of the beauty concierge service B Beautiful B Wilson says concealer is an area where plenty of advice gets thrown around — most of which isn't useful. One of the most common misconceptions is using a concealer that's two shades lighter to hide dark circles. Though it might make sense on the surface — no pun intended — Wilson says not all undereye circles are created equal and if you use this trick, you could end up looking grey or green under your baby blues (or greens or browns). "Most undereye discoloration requires some type of orange to salmon or pink corrector shade prior to using a concealer in your shade range to brighten or highlight," she says. Your best tactic for appearing like you reaped shut-eye is to stop by a beauty counter to get advice on your specific pigmentation and needs.

Image via Imaxtree

Makeup artist and beauty editor Naowshaba Ferdous says a client once credited bar soap as the reason her skin was flawless. It might seem easy to double-up what you use on your body to get rid of makeup at night, but Ferdous says this is not a smart idea for your pores on many levels. The most obvious reason is found in the ingredients. "Bar soap is generally made for our body skin which is usually less sensitive. Not only is bar soap way too harsh for the pH balance of your skin, but it also dries it out like crazy, leading to uncomfortable tightness, peeling/flakiness and premature wrinkles," she says. Instead, try a gentle face cleanser appropriate for your skin concerns, or talk to a dermatologist if you're breaking out.

Image via Getty