Unknowingly, we add 10 years to our overall look, but when it comes to makeup things can be quite dramatic. OK, so your clothes are outdated, but when your face says 50 and your ID 35, there’s definitely a problem.
These are the most common 10 makeup mistakes that make you look older:
1. Skipping foundation
Unless you are in your twenties or younger, there really is no reason to skip foundation. I hear people complaining about how foundation is too heavy, tricky and so on. If you couldn’t find the perfect shade of foundation, buy a BB cream that comes in 3 shades: light, medium and dark. Basically, this product is half foundation and half cream, which won’t make you feel like you’re wearing a mask. Why wear anything at all? Well, because in time our face is exposed to sun and ultraviolet light, which leads to freckles, spots, discoloration and enlarged pores. A foundation will level everything and help you look fresh.
2. Not filling in your eyebrows
Technically, there are two issues here. The first one is that people forget to fill in their eyebrows. After a certain age, our eyebrows become thinner and thinner which makes us look like a tree during fall. Here’s what to do: pick a mate eyeshadow that matches the color of your hair and apply it gently on your eyebrows. Why not use an eyebrow pencil: it’s too dense and it’s sure going to drip down your face if it rains or if you sweat.
The other problem is that people tend to use too much eyebrow pencil which also makes them look old. Here’s something you should never forget: never ever use a black eyebrow pencil! Use dark brown, light brown and whatever shade you want, but not black- the contrast with your skin is too powerful, even if your skin is dark. Use a softer shade and contour a natural shape (you’ve probably seen some pretty epic eyebrow fails online, so you know what I mean!).
3. Too natural?
Some women will tell you that they are beautiful just like they came into this world. We don’t want to argue with that, but why not take care of your face? After the age of 35, going natural should only refer to your food. As I explained earlier, our skin is rarely perfectly even and we need to do some contouring here and there. And even if you’re not wearing foundation (which is a mistake, but anyhow), don’t forget the concealer: apply it on your eyelids and under your eye to hide those dark circles.
Yes, circles make us look old and…sick. If you don’t want people on the street to refer you to a specialist, apply some concealer. Also, when going for a natural look, there are a few products you need to apply no matter what: foundation, mascara, eyebrow shadow, blush and lip gloss. It doesn’t matter how neutral the lip gloss is or how subtle you decided to go with your mascara, it’s important to make your face look fresh!
4. Your hair is too long
Generally, if your hair is thick and healthy, you can wear it long and beautiful. But when you struggle with it and its dryness caused by aging, the only thing you can do is get it shortened. The rule says that after 40 your hair should be up to your shoulders: go for a natural color, like a dark chocolate and get bangs (it will hide the wrinkles on your forehead and draw attention to your eyes). Also, many ladies go for a bob and that’s actually a great idea if you don’t mind the fact that you can’t make it into a ponytail anymore. Bobs are easy to maintain and fun to wear, so you might like them.
5. Wearing too much makeup
You know what we mean, you’ve seen the old ladies wearing a lot of eyeliner and a loud lipstick and thought that looked outrageous, but the truth is that after a certain age there are a few thing you can no longer wear on a regular basis: bright red lipstick, false eyelashes, light blue eyeshadow, dark blush, lip contour or tanning lotions.
Invest in a good foundation with a SPF factor, some eyebrow eyeshadow, a shimmering lip gloss and a peach blush. Of course, don’t forget the concealer: it doesn’t have to be too greasy or else it will only get between your wrinkles and stay there, accentuating them.
6. Tan
Remember tan-mom? Well, after 40 try to stay away from tanning lotions and tanning salons and here’s why: in time, your skin loses its elasticity and the collagen bonds that hold the cells together are weakened, which leads to wrinkles. Also, your skin get burned ways faster. That’s why you could sunbathe for hours and not get tanned when you were younger and now you notice a change in your skin color after a few minutes of walking on the streets on a sunny day.
7. Dark lipstick
Frankly, dark lipstick is never a good idea, no matter how old you are: it’s unpractical, it looks bad and in case you get some of it on your teeth you’ll look like you could really use a dentist appointment. However, in time our lips become less full and wrinkled, especially when smoking is involved. Generally, try to avoid dark colors for your makeup, unless we are talking mascara.
8. Mascara on the lower lashes
No, that thought is not outrageous! The thing is, when you have fine lines around your eyes and wear mascara on your lower lashes you accentuate the wrinkles. Plus, you make everything look artificial. You shouldn’t apply more than 3 layers of mascara on your upper lashes and no mascara at all on your lower lashes. Also, no eyeliner under your eyes!
9. Wearing the wrong kind of eyeshadow
There are a few basic rules that every lady should keep in mind when it comes to applying makeup: if your skin is fair, use plum colors, gold shimmer and a pale pink. If your skin tone is medium, choose a combination of really dark and really light: white for your inner corners of your eyes and brown for the eyelid, for example.
If your skin tone is dark, go for creamy colors: beige, ivory, peach, pale pink, but use the eyeliner to contour your upper eyelashes in order to really make your eyes pop. Eyeshadow colors to avoid if you’re over 35: red, dark blue, black, bright green, yellow, fuchsia, orange. Try sticking to pastel colors, solid browns and plums, plus a hint of glitter.
10. Not wearing blush
Believe it or not, the blush can sculpt your face in a great way. But there is one rule of thumb no matter the shape of your face: never ever apply blush on the apple of your cheeks. In fact, here’s how things work: the blush create the illusion of a crease by darkening that area. It works beautifully on any kind of face, but not all colors are great for mature women: fair skin tones- pinks and peaches, medium skin tones- red browns, dark skin tones- pinks and peaches.
In fact, there is one shade that fits all and that is peach. Use a shimmering highlighter for your apple cheeks to get a great contrast with the blush and you’re all set. Fortunately, we thought about adding a few examples for those of you think this is just a lot of reading to do and can’t imagine the final result.
Use these guiding lines and you’ll look younger than ever! Plus, it’s time to ditch all your expired makeup and invest in these beauty products: foundation/ BB cream, a peach blush, mascara and a shimmering lip gloss. And don’t forget about your hair: get a chic and short haircut and add bangs to highlight your eyes. Good luck, everyone!