10 Makeup Mistakes That Are Aging You & 10 To Adopt Instead
Did You Know Your Makeup Is Making You Look Older?
Makeup is meant to enhance, not weigh down, your features and add years to your face. Applying makeup doesn't immediately mean you're doing yourself a favor: there are countless ways you can misstep, from using the wrong shade of lipstick to putting on too much eyeliner. However, with a few simple swaps, you can change your makeup practices to have enhancing, glowing, and youth-preserving effects. Here are the 10 most common makeup mistakes that age you and 10 smarter moves to try instead.
1. Heavy Foundation
Heavy foundation tends to set into pores and accentuate wrinkles as opposed to concealing them. It can also dry out your skin, making it look older.
2. Choosing The Incorrect Shade Of Concealer
Concealer is meant to hide fine lines and wrinkles, but when you choose a shade that's too light, it does the opposite, highlighting them. It can also emphasise the thin, delicate skin beneath the eyes.
3. Skipping Primer
Primer is an essential initial step in any makeup routine. It hydrates your skin and nestles into pores and creases, making you wrinkles and fine lines less visible and creating a smooth canvas for your makeup to sit nicely on top of.
4. Heavy Eyeliner
Heavy eyeliner, especially on the bottom lashline, can drag your eyes down, making them look saggy. It can also make them look smaller which, as your eyes shrink with age already, is probably not what you're going for.
5. Skipping Blush
You'll be amazed what a difference well-applied blush can make to your overall look. Blush, applied lightly on the cheekbones, adds a nice healthy-looking flush and life to your face.
6. Contouring Too Low
Contouring is a great way to accentuate your face shape and make your face look more structured. However, contouring too low down can have the opposite effect of making your face look saggy.
Apostolos Vamvouras on Unsplash
7. Improper Blending
Blending is one of the most important steps of any makeup routine, yet many of us rush through it. Take your time to blend everything in properly uwing the right tool to create a natural, flawless look.
8. Too Much Makeup
Don't fall into the classic "old lady" trope of caking on way too much makeup. The idea of makeup is to enhance your favorite facial features and hiding your flaws while still looking natural.
Melanie Rosillo Galvan on Unsplash
9. Dark Lipstick
Harsh, dark lipstick shades can thin out your lips instead of making them look fuller. It also ages the face by highlighting wrinkles around the mouth.
10. Glittery Eyeshadow
You may associate glittery eyeshadow with your adolescent years, but that doesn't mean it makes you look older. It actually has the opposite effect because it settles into lines around the eyes, making them stand out.
Now that we've talked about common makeup mistakes that you didn't know were aging you, let's go over some practices you should incorporate for a more youthful look.
1. Prep Your Skin Before Makeup
Never neglect the importance of skin prep. Skipping this step will only result in cakey-looking, poorly set makeup. Always start by cleansing and hydrating your skin and applying SPF for protection.
2. Apply A Hydrating Primer
Before putting on concealer or foundation, you must start with a good quality primer. Primer creates a smooth base for your makeup, helps it stay in place for longer, and minimizes wrinkles and pores.
3. Choose Luminous Products
Luminous products as opposed to matte finishes make your skin look dewy and hydrated. The slight sheen adds a youthful, healthy-looking glow.
4. Use A Beauty Blender
The best way to apply most makeup is with a damp beauty blender or sponge. Use is to thoroughly blend foundation, concealer, blush, and bronzer for a flawless, airbrushed look.
5. Use Creamy Products
When choosing foundations, opt for creamy products as opposed to powders. They'll leave your skin looking and feeling more hydrated and avoid emphasizing lines.
6. Curl Lashes
Curling your eyelashes automatically opens up the eyes, making them look larger, more lifted, and awake. It also gives the issusion of longer lashes.
7. Choose A Light Lipstick
Instead of choosing a dark red lipstick, consider a shade that's slightly lighter than your natural lip color. Choose something with a light sheen to avoid your lips looking dry.
8. Brighten Undereyes
The delicate skin under your eyes is usually the most susceptible to visible signs of aging. Dark circles, puffiness, and visible fatigue shows here so apply protective moisurizer and concealer with light-reflecting properties using the triangle method.
9. Use Mascara
The best thing you can do for your eyes is focus on the lashes instead of the lids or outlines. Follow curling them with mascara to add definition.
10. Create Fuller Brows
Brow pencils become your greatest ally as you age because your brows naturally thin out. A strong brow is in style and it can add definition and youth to your face.
