We all want to look fresh-faced and young — and makeup can make it happen.
But keep in mind that your makeup needs to evolve and adapt to your changing skin as
you age.
Tried and true techniques from your high school years will no longer cut it 15, 20, or 30
years later.
You might be an old hand at applying your makeup, but if you're not careful, you can
end up looking older, too.
We've compiled a list of the most common makeup mistakes that actually add years instead of
hiding them.
Stay tuned to find out if you're guilty of these aging mistakes, so you can fix them
today!
Foundation faux pas
Foundation forms the base of any look, but as you age, your foundation needs will change.
As Maybelline New York artist Melissa Silver explains,
"No foundation is better than bad foundation, but good foundation is best."
If you skip foundation, your skin tone will be uneven.
But if you apply your foundation too heavily, it can settle into fine lines and creases,
highlighting your imperfections.
Use a formula that is heavy enough to smooth out your complexion without becoming cakey.
Drier skin is common as you age, so you may be happier with a liquid or cream foundation,
or even a tinted moisturizer, instead of a powder foundation which can make your skin
look flaky.
Even if you've been using the same shade of foundation since 8th grade, you might be surprised
to find a better match or formulation out there for you!
And even though some recommend using powder on top of cream formulas to make them last
longer — powder might only accentuate the dryness of aging skin.
Makeup artist Ariel Lewis advises,
"With dryer skin, powder tends to seep into fine lines.
Try using a setting spray instead!"
Blushing beauty
Unless you're actually in high school, don't apply blush to the apples of your cheeks.
Also, avoid using too much blush, applying it too low, or picking the wrong shade.
Los Angeles celebrity makeup artist Jan Ping says,
"There was a certain era when more was better when it came to blush, and you can still spot
those women today because they're still piling it on."
Avoid shades that are too brown or red, because they can look muddy on skin.
Instead, pinch your cheeks and try to find a blush that matches the natural shade that
results.
Opt for a cream formulation instead of powder to avoid a flaky finish.
Apply a small amount to the center of your cheekbone and sweep upward and back.
Blend well, and you’ll nail that youthful glow.
Lining the bottom lash line in black
Heavily lining that bottom lid ages you for many reasons: It makes your eyes look smaller,
it accentuates the fine lines surrounding the eyes, and it drags down your whole face.
To keep things looking youthful, you want your eyes to appear brighter and more open.
Our first tip?
Keep that bottom lash liner light.
Ariel Lewis says, "Use a deep brown eyeshadow and an angled brush instead of a hard black
kohl pencil.
Keep gel liner away from the bottom.
Use it only on the top of your lids."
Or, even try white or nude liner on the bottom waterline.
Oranj Studio’s makeup artist Missy Lowe explains, "It brightens your eyes and creates
a youthful glow."
Perfect for that no-makeup, makeup look.”
Concealer mishaps
When it comes to concealer, one size does not fit all.
A concealer perfect for covering spots or blemishes will likely be way too thick for
under-eye use.
Explaining ways people usually go wrong with concealer, makeup artist Lavonne says,
"If the concealer is too thick or not the right color, you're accentuating more than
you are concealing.
Skin under the eye is seven times thinner than the rest of your face, so a light touch
is necessary."
Use a lightweight formulation for your under-eye, in a shade matching your skin tone.
If you have purplish circles, try a color with a yellow or peach undertone to counteract
it.
Don't go with super-light shades, which will make you look ashy or give you the "reverse-raccoon"
appearance.
Apply only to the inner corner of your under-eye area, and gently blend and sweep outwards
and downwards.
Metallic eyeshadow
Sorry disco divas, metallic eyeshadow can really age you if your eyelids aren't as taut
as they used to be.
Yes, it’s a natural part of aging, but those fun shimmer shadows can draw attention to
wrinkles and fine lines.
Makeup artist Missy Lowe warns,
"Metallic, shimmer and glitter shadows can settle into the fine lines and 'crackle' around
the eyes.
The best bet to create a flawless look is to use either matte or satin finish shadows."
Makeup artist Ariel Lewis explains that if you’ve gotta sparkle, keep it in the center
of your lid.
She says,
"Putting [metallics] on the corners of your eyelids brings more attention to the fine
lines that tend to settle in that area."
Another way to rock the shimmer without aging yourself is to use fine pearl shadow.
Ilia Beauty founder Sasha Plavsic says,
It's nice to use fine pearl as a base and layer over top with a non-shimmer shadow to
soften the look."
So, we know a pop of color in your makeup look is fun.
But once you get older, it's more likely to look out of place.
Plavsic says,
"It would similar to wearing a mini skirt — some mature women will pull it off better
than a teenager, but for many others it may not be age appropriate."
She adds,
"Bright blues, purples [and] greens tend to highlight features that point to a woman's
age."
Ariel Lewis also recommends staying away from bright colors.
She recommends opting for muted colors — such as navy instead of bright blue, or deep jade
instead of green.
Lipstick that's too dark
Our lips become thinner and lose definition as we grow older.
Unless you plan on going crazy with the liner to overdraw your lips, you'll want to start
easing away from darker shades, which make your lips look thinner.
Jan Ping shares,
"I like to start with lip liner, and use a nice neutral shade that's just a bit bolder
than the person's natural lip color.
I line the lips and then I fill in the rest with a tinted gloss.
A lot of women are really stuck on the idea of always using heavy lipstick, but I think
that gloss gives a softer, more youthful appearance."
Highlighting
Bright, glowing skin equals youthful-looking skin.
But it takes the proper placement of such a glow to make it work in your benefit.
There are certain areas of the face where mature women shouldn't wear highlighter.
Celebrity makeup artist Suzy Gerstein says,
"You don't want to apply a shimmery highlighter on your brow bone — that can look dated
and tends to pull down the eye.”
Gerstein suggests avoiding the crepey areas of the mouth and eyes, and instead, highlighting
more taut areas, like the center of the eye, or the cheekbones.
And if you’re going to highlight, she recommends sticking to a liquid highlighter.
Wear too much mascara on the bottom lashes
Suzy Gerstein explains that heavy mascara on the bottom lashes can cast shadows and
flake, creating the illusion of dark circles.
She dishes,
"I'm really into the Tightline mascara by It Cosmetics.
It allows you to get right into the roots without clumping, and functions almost as
eyeliner."
If you're going to wear mascara on the bottom, keep it clean and tight.
Less is more
So, how do you keep makeup from aging you?
Less is more!
Keep things light and natural.
And even when you want a splash of something extra, keep it to a minimum.
But as Missy Lowe tells us,
"Most makeup rules are meant to be broken, so don't be afraid to try new things and find
what works best for you!”
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