There's nothing wrong with getting older — every single one of us does it, after all!
Top makeup artists weigh in on which techniques and habits tend to enhance fine lines and age spots — and the tricks that can make you look fresher, dewier, and more glowing than ever.
Thick Foundation
Heavy
makeup can make your face look less youthful and glowing. To prevent
this, makeup artist Chrisanne Davis recommends choosing a sheer
foundation or tinted moisturizer (such as the
Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup),
and after you apply it, press a damp makeup sponge into areas where you
have wrinkles to soak up any excess. While the less-is-more maxim may
seem counterintuitive, "the more skin you can see, the better," says
makeup artist Sandy Linter. "As long as it is well-hydrated, fresh skin
looks much more youthful than an obviously covered complexion.
Base That's Too Light
Using
a foundation that's paler than your natural skin tone can exaggerate
fine lines. "Even if you have ivory skin, you need to go a little bit
warmer as you get older," Linter says. Switch to a hue that's one or two
shades darker and has luminescent particles, such as Giorgio Armani's Luminous Silk Foundation. "A light-reflective formula makes the skin look like it's glowing," says Davis.
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Heavy Concealer on Dark Circles
The skin under the eyes gets thinner as we age, making thick cover-up look like concrete. Keep it light (we like Urban Decay's Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer),
and apply it with a brush. "The brush distributes the color more
evenly," says Linter. And put it only on dark areas, not under the
entire eye.
Face Powder on Top of Lines
Powder
is fine for reducing shine on the nose and the chin, but on other parts
of the face it exaggerates wrinkles and can make skin look too dry,
says Linter. The only time Linter dusts powder on clients over 40 is
when she knows they're being professionally photographed (a loose
translucent formula like Kat Von D's Lock-It Setting Powder) does help cut glare), but even then, one unbreakable rule still applies: Avoid the eye area completely.
Blush on the Apples of the Cheeks
This
technique tends to draw attention to sagging skin. Instead, apply color
on the highest point on your cheekbones, not too close to the nose, and
lift it upward with a brush that's large enough to cover the whole
cheekbone. Keep shade choice in mind, as well: "Colors like wine and
cinnamon will only make you look gaunt if you're thin and clownish if
you're not," says Linter. "A neutral rose color flatters all skin tones
and really brightens things up." (We like Tarte's Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Paaarty.)
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Major Lipstick
Bright
colors, dark shades, and anything metallic or iridescent are too heavy
for thinning lips. Instead, choose a neutral rose shade. And consider
switching from a lipstick to a sheer gloss — it will give you more
fullness. Try Fenty Beauty's Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer.
Mascara on the Lower Lashes
It
highlights crow's-feet. And dark circles. And it just generally looks
bad. Coat your top lashes with the blackest black mascara you can find
—"it will make the whites of your eyes look clearer and whiter," Linter
says. It's also best to avoid superthick formulas that don't separate
easily. Lashes get dryer as we age, making mascara more likely to clump
and fall onto your face. (Try CoverGirl LashExact Mascara or Lancôme Définicils High Definition Mascara.)
And don't forget your curler. "Curling your lashes is the easiest thing
you can do to make your eyes look bigger — and therefore younger," says
Davis. (We love the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler.)
Eyeliner on the Lower Lashes
All
that does is make your eyes look smaller and draw attention to dark
circles. Stick to the upper lids — and make the line thicker toward the
outer corners, where eyes have a tendency to droop as we age. (Try Marc Jacobs Beauty's Highliner Matte Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner.)
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