Have you seen those photos of celebrities that look like they’ve dipped their faces in icing sugar. It seriously look like they have chalk marks all over their cheeks and foreheads.

So, what is this white stuff? And who lets them walk out of the house looking like that?

Celebrity makeup artist Max May, recently said that HD makeup powders were to blame. HD powders are designed to “set” makeup, and create a slightly matte, blurred finish of the skin.

“The powder they have used is specifically designed for HD film, not flash photography,” May explained. “It’s a super light powder used to specifically set heavy camouflage creams without making them look cakey on motion film only.”

The question is of course- why didn’t anyone tell them?

Unfortunately, HD powders aren’t detectable in natural light, but as soon as it’s hit with a flash, it glows a neon, blue-white.

So, what is it about HD Powder that makes it photograph so strangely? Well, that would be a single ingredient: silica. When applied in excess, this ingredient will reflect light like a crazed disco ball, resulting in that unfortunate icing-sugar-face result.

If you must use an HD powder, use it as sparingly as possible, and try to restrict it to the daytime. Avoid using it for big, photographed events, such as a wedding. Because unfortunately it is guaranteed to show up in all the photos that use a flash!

Photos courtesy of Google images