Women spend a fortune on hydration serums, moisturizers, and masks, but there are things in our daily routine that can make us look older.
Makeup mistakes that age you are not rare, so we decided to have a little chat about them. Ensure you don’t forget these things next time you do your makeup.
1. Using a Heavy Foundation
Heavy foundation can inadvertently highlight the imperfections it’s meant to hide, such as fine lines and wrinkles.
When applied too thickly, the foundation settles into creases and pores, making them more pronounced rather than smoothing. It also gives the skin a dull, caked-on appearance, detracting from a natural, youthful glow.
2. Not Using the Foundation Right
The two biggest mistakes women make regarding foundation are the wrong shade and type.
There are many different foundation formulas – gel, liquid, powder, creamy, and even mousse. They have their own purpose.
Choose the foundation based on your skin type. Pick the correct shade, and learn more about coverage. Choose CC or BB cream instead of foundation if you want natural, lighter coverage. Avoid powder products if your skin is dry.
3. Not Using a Primer
Primer is the must-have product in your makeup bag. Apply it before your foundation to prevent shine and your makeup from falling off too quickly.
Some primers are enriched with hyaluronic acid silicone, so they can work miracles on filling in your wrinkles. That is how you will get smooth skin, prepared for any foundation.
4. Over-Powdering
Applying too much powder, especially under the eyes, can make the skin look dry and accentuate lines.
Be careful with loose powder. Too much loose powder covers the face with a visible layer and hides the natural skin color. You can use translucent loose powder. Apply it lightly with a large powder brush. Or you can carefully dust with a loose bronzer – the skin will have a warmer tone.
5. Wearing the Wrong Lipstick
Dark-colored lips are beautiful, but be careful. A thick layer of matte lipstick, when the outline of the lips is clearly visible, visually thins the lips, making you look 15 years older.
If you want the contour of your lips to be soft and your lips to look fuller, use lipstick with an oily texture.
6. Using the Wrong Lip Liner
Be careful when choosing the pencil. If it is too dark or too drawn out, the results can quickly go awry.
On the other hand, a natural shade lip liner can make your lips look younger and poutier. Pick a color that’s either the same shade as your lips or the same shade as your lipstick.
7. Using Too Much Concealer
One of the most common makeup mistakes is applying too much concealer. It then looks completely dry on your skin and makes your skin look unnatural.
To solve this, make sure your concealer is fluffy and airy, not thick and cakey! Or mix it with a skin lotion.
8. Contouring Can Make You Look Older
Since contouring has become a thing, women spent endless hours learning how to do it. Every brand, from L’oreal to Sephora, sells sets that should help you become a master of contour.
The truth is that over-contouring can make you look older than you are. Fine lines are visible when you overdo some products. Yes, it can help enhance your face to look younger, but too much definition can do the exact opposite.
9. Wrong Blush Color
Blush gives your face a glow and makes you look fresh and healthy. However, choosing the wrong shade of it can actually make you look older.
Women with fair skin tones should choose pink, rosy, and peachy shades, but they all work fine for medium skin, too. Orange, berry, corals, and rich bronze shades should be reserved for women with dark skin tones.
10. Wrong Blush Placement
It can be incredibly easy to make your cheeks look sunken with blushes and bronzers. This is definitely different from the image you’re after.
Before thinking about blush, you better know exactly how to get rid of that hollow in your cheeks.
11. Ignoring Eyebrows
Sparse or overly thin eyebrows can age your face, as fuller brows are associated with youth.
Another common makeup mistake that makes you look older is plucking your eyebrows too thin and creating that “surprised” face. It can age you a lot. Make sure you know precisely what brows will look too thin on your face.
12. Harsh Eyeliner and Brows
Eyebrows that are too dark or thick are way too noticeable.
To fill in and emphasize the shape of the eyebrows, use a pencil or shadow that is a shade lighter than their natural color. Eyebrows should frame the eyes and give structure, but they should not be the most prominent accent on the face.
13. Wearing a Lot of Mascara on the Bottom Lashes
Mascara on lower lashes can cast shade. It can also be flaky and create an illusion of bigger, darker circles under your eyes.
Make sure to put only a small amount of mascara at the lash roots, or avoid it entirely on your bottom lashes.
14. Too Much Eye Shadow
Satin or pearl eyeshadows can be very aging. Glitter accentuates wrinkles and blurs the eye contour.
Use a matte eyeshadow to shape the eyes and highlight the crease under the browbones. Use shimmer shadows sparingly – apply in the inner corner of the lid and across the middle of the lid.
15. Ignoring Skin Care
It is as simple as that, but worth repeating nevertheless – makeup looks best on healthy, well-moisturized skin. Neglecting skin care can make fine lines and wrinkles more pronounced under makeup.
16. Using Old Makeup
As makeup expires, it can perform poorly – it may not apply evenly, not blend well. This can highlight imperfections and make the skin look older. Additionally, expired products can cause irritation and dryness, further aging the skin.
17. Using Heavy Makeup Products
If you don’t want to look older, use lightweight formulas.
The key to perfect makeup is not in a heavy foundation that makes your face cakey but in a lightweight application that blends perfectly.
18. Neglecting the Neck
Women focus on the face but tend to forget the neck and décolletage. Ensure that your foundation and skincare extend to these areas for a seamless look.
Why Does My Makeup Make Me Look Older?
As you saw, makeup can make you look older for several reasons.
In most cases, too much of something makes things worse. Too much eye shadow, too much concealer, heavy foundation… It’s no wonder that “no makeup” makeup looks are so trendy.
Remember that you need to change the makeup products you use as you get older. Techniques and makeup tricks from high school might not work on you when you are 40 or 50.
Applying the wrong products or the right ones in the incorrect places is why it makes you look older. Your makeup routine should change with you.
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