Don't Let Makeup Age You!

• Fine lines under or around the eye area

• Sparse or thin eyelashes

• Drooping or sagging eyes

• Sparse or thin brows

• Wrinkly eyelids

• Dull or yellowish skin tone

• Thinning lips

• Skin looking too pale

• Final tips for makeup that makes you look younger

 

How to Use Makeup to Look Years Younger

As you age, your makeup techniques and products should grow up, too. Wearing what you wore when you were 15 or 25 is rarely a great fashion statement at 40 or 50. Learning how to enhance certain features, such as your eyes and cheekbones, while downplaying others, such as crow's-feet or a slightly sagging jaw, can make you look dramatically younger, and it's easier than you think! Below we've listed the top concerns women struggle with as they age - plus solutions so you'll look better than ever!

Fine lines under or around the eye area:

Use a slightly creamy concealer, but be careful not to overdo it. Layering too much product draws attention to wrinkles and may look cakey. A concealer brush ensures expert application and also smoothes over fine lines so you can avoid creasing.

To help prevent concealer from slipping into lines around your eye, set it with a sheer, luminous (but not shiny) powder, and stop applying overly emollient moisturizers around your eye. Use those at night instead.

Concealers you'll love:

• Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Maximum Coverage Concealer
• M.A.C. Select Cover-Up
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector

Sparse or thin eyelashes:

Pairing an eyelash growth enhancement product with fabulous mascara will work wonders for your lashes! Just be careful not to get taken by the misleading eyelash "boosting" products that do not work as claimed, and there are tons of them!

Eyelash growth products that really work:

• Latisse (prescription only; approx.
• Peter Thomas Roth Lashes to Die for Platinum
• RapidLash Eyelash Renewal Serum

Stunning mascaras to give your lashes that extra oomph:

• Paula's Choice Great Big Lashes Mascara
• Maybelline New York The Colossal Mascara
• Clinique High Impact Mascara

Drooping or sagging eyes:

If the outer corners of your eyes droop, make sure when applying eyeliner that you turn it upward ever-so-slightly at the corners. This will de-emphasize the downturned corners and create a more youthful look.

You also can experiment with applying a thin line on the inner corner of the lash line and make it gradually thicker toward the back third of the lid for an attractive, classic look. Avoid heavy eyeliner along the lower lash line, which closes up the eye and adds years to your face!

Check out these smear-free eyeliners:

• L'Oreal HIP Studio Secrets Color Truth Cream Eyeliner
• M.A.C. Fluidline
• Rimmel Exaggerate Full Color Eye Definer

Sparse or thin brows:

Brows that are obviously drawn on instantly age you, and can look severe! The key to pulling off natural-looking brows is to find a product that has a light texture and is easy to apply.

Other good brow fillers in powder and pencil form:

• Anastasia of Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo
• Maybelline New York Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil

Wrinkly eyelids:

If you have wrinkly eyelids, one of the best things to do is avoid sparkly eyeshadows! They always make wrinkles more obvious. Eyeshadows with a hint of soft shimmer are OK, but it's best to apply them to the brow bone rather than on the eyelid itself.

Try these beautifully matte eyeshadows:

• Revlon Matte Powder Eyeshadow
• Physicians Formula Matte Collection Quad Eye Shadow
• Laura Mercier Matte Eye Colour

Dull or yellowish skin tone:

Want more radiant-looking skin? Don't wear heavy foundation because an obvious layer of foundation doesn't make anyone look young. Instead, try a lightweight, luminous foundation, but make sure it doesn't sparkle. And be sure your skin-care routine includes a good exfoliant - a surefire way to bring back a youthful glow almost overnight!

Check out these foundations for smooth results and a hint of radiance:

• Bobbi Brown Oil-Free Even Finish Compact Foundation
• Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
• Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Extreme Radiant Lifting Foundation SPF 15
• Maybelline New York Dream Liquid Mousse Airbrush Finish

For a sheer foundation with sun protection, consider these favorites:

• Paula's Choice Barely There Sheer Matte Tint SPF 20
• Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer SPF 20
• Olay Definity Color Recapture Anti-Aging UV Moisturizer SPF 15

For a luminous finish that enlivens your skin, try these powders:

• Estee Lauder Nutritious Vita-Mineral Loose Powder Makeup SPF 15
• L'Oreal Translucide Naturally Luminous Powder
• Lorac Translucent Touch Up Powder

Thinning lips:

It's a fact: Lips turn inward as we get older, so using lipliner does help. But, don't make the mistake of drawing past your natural lip line; just accent it with a color that matches your lip color. Your lips will look more enhanced, but not overdone!

Lipliners that won't let you down:

• Sephora Waterproof Retractable Lip Liner
• Clinique Quickliner for Lips
• L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipliner

Skin looking too pale:

Blush is the answer for perking up a complexion at any age, but especially as we get older and our circulation isn't as strong. Wearing blush adds a healthy flush to your skin - and you can do it without looking clownish! Sometimes it helps to wear more blush than you think you should - really! We know that advice sounds a little crazy, but if you can't see the blush, it's not doing anything for you. Just be sure to check it in daylight and blend well for soft edges.

Some of our favorite blushes:

• Boots No7 Cheek Tint
• Neutrogena Healthy Glow Blush & Bronzer
• Revlon Cream Blush
• JK Jemma Kidd Chic Cheeks Powder Blush

Final tips for makeup that makes you look younger:

• Stick to neutral-tone eyeshadows.
  Forget about colors like blue or green or obvious colors of any kind - they'll only make you look older. Just because a 20-year-old model or actress is wearing it, doesn't mean you should. And, to tell the truth, those colors don't look all that great on her, either.
• If you don't know how to make your eyeshadow design look like something you see in a fashion magazine, don't wear it.
  Keep it simple: lipstick, blush, concealer, foundation, brows (if needed), mascara, and a little powder.
• Use products for your skin type!
  If you have oily skin, you can't use what someone with dry skin uses, no matter what it says on the label. Many "anti-aging" or "mature skin" products are formulated with dry skin in mind, but just because you're older doesn't necessarily mean you have dry skin.
• Apply powder lightly.
  Powder often comes with a powder puff, but using a brush instead distributes the powder much better and gives you a more natural look.
• Always use professional quality brushes to apply makeup.
  You'll get better, smoother results with less effort, not to mention that the best brushes feel exquisite as you're enhancing your appearance.