We all want to look fresh-faced and young
— and makeup can make it happen. But keep in mind that your makeup needs to
evolve and adapt to your changing skin as you age. Tried and true techniques from your high school
years will no longer cut it 15, 20, or 30 years later. You might be an old hand at applying your
makeup, but if you're not careful, you can end up looking older, too. We've compiled a list of the most common makeup
mistakes that actually add years instead of hiding them. Stay tuned to find out if you're guilty of
these aging mistakes, so you can fix them today! Foundation faux pas Foundation forms the base of any look, but
as you age, your foundation needs will change. As Maybelline New York artist Melissa Silver
explains, "No foundation is better than bad foundation,
but good foundation is best." If you skip foundation, your skin tone will
be uneven. But if you apply your foundation too heavily,
it can settle into fine lines and creases, highlighting your imperfections. Use a formula that is heavy enough to smooth
out your complexion without becoming cakey. Drier skin is common as you age, so you may
be happier with a liquid or cream foundation, or even a tinted moisturizer, instead of a
powder foundation which can make your skin look flaky. Even if you've been using the same shade of
foundation since 8th grade, you might be surprised to find a better match or formulation out
there for you! And even though some recommend using powder
on top of cream formulas to make them last longer — powder might only accentuate the
dryness of aging skin. Makeup artist Ariel Lewis advises, "With dryer skin, powder tends to seep into
fine lines. Try using a setting spray instead!" Blushing beauty Unless you're actually in high school, don't
apply blush to the apples of your cheeks. Also, avoid using too much blush, applying
it too low, or picking the wrong shade. Los Angeles celebrity makeup artist Jan Ping
says, "There was a certain era when more was better
when it came to blush, and you can still spot those women today because they're still piling
it on." Avoid shades that are too brown or red, because
they can look muddy on skin. Instead, pinch your cheeks and try to find
a blush that matches the natural shade that results. Opt for a cream formulation instead of powder
to avoid a flaky finish. Apply a small amount to the center of your
cheekbone and sweep upward and back. Blend well, and you’ll nail that youthful
glow. Lining the bottom lash line in black Heavily lining that bottom lid ages you for
many reasons: It makes your eyes look smaller, it accentuates the fine lines surrounding
the eyes, and it drags down your whole face. To keep things looking youthful, you want
your eyes to appear brighter and more open. Our first tip? Keep that bottom lash liner light. Ariel Lewis says, "Use a deep brown eyeshadow
and an angled brush instead of a hard black kohl pencil. Keep gel liner away from the bottom. Use it only on the top of your lids." Or, even try white or nude liner on the bottom
waterline. Oranj Studio’s makeup artist Missy Lowe
explains, "It brightens your eyes and creates a youthful glow." Perfect for that no-makeup, makeup look.” Concealer mishaps When it comes to concealer, one size does
not fit all. A concealer perfect for covering spots or
blemishes will likely be way too thick for under-eye use. Explaining ways people usually go wrong with
concealer, makeup artist Lavonne says, "If the concealer is too thick or not the
right color, you're accentuating more than you are concealing. Skin under the eye is seven times thinner
than the rest of your face, so a light touch is necessary." Use a lightweight formulation for your under-eye,
in a shade matching your skin tone. If you have purplish circles, try a color
with a yellow or peach undertone to counteract it. Don't go with super-light shades, which will
make you look ashy or give you the "reverse-raccoon" appearance. Apply only to the inner corner of your under-eye
area, and gently blend and sweep outwards and downwards. Metallic eyeshadow Sorry disco divas, metallic eyeshadow can
really age you if your eyelids aren't as taut as they used to be. Yes, it’s a natural part of aging, but those
fun shimmer shadows can draw attention to wrinkles and fine lines. Makeup artist Missy Lowe warns, "Metallic, shimmer and glitter shadows can
settle into the fine lines and 'crackle' around the eyes. The best bet to create a flawless look is
to use either matte or satin finish shadows." Makeup artist Ariel Lewis explains that if
you’ve gotta sparkle, keep it in the center of your lid. She says, "Putting [metallics] on the corners of your
eyelids brings more attention to the fine lines that tend to settle in that area." Another way to rock the shimmer without aging
yourself is to use fine pearl shadow. Ilia Beauty founder Sasha Plavsic says, It's nice to use fine pearl as a base and
layer over top with a non-shimmer shadow to soften the look." So, we know a pop of color in your makeup
look is fun. But once you get older, it's more likely to
look out of place. Plavsic says, "It would similar to wearing a mini skirt
— some mature women will pull it off better than a teenager, but for many others it may
not be age appropriate." She adds, "Bright blues, purples [and] greens tend to
highlight features that point to a woman's age." Ariel Lewis also recommends staying away from
bright colors. She recommends opting for muted colors — such
as navy instead of bright blue, or deep jade instead of green. Lipstick that's too dark Our lips become thinner and lose definition
as we grow older. Unless you plan on going crazy with the liner
to overdraw your lips, you'll want to start easing away from darker shades, which make
your lips look thinner. Jan Ping shares, "I like to start with lip liner, and use a
nice neutral shade that's just a bit bolder than the person's natural lip color. I line the lips and then I fill in the rest
with a tinted gloss. A lot of women are really stuck on the idea
of always using heavy lipstick, but I think that gloss gives a softer, more youthful appearance." Highlighting Bright, glowing skin equals youthful-looking
skin. But it takes the proper placement of such
a glow to make it work in your benefit. There are certain areas of the face where
mature women shouldn't wear highlighter. Celebrity makeup artist Suzy Gerstein says, "You don't want to apply a shimmery highlighter
on your brow bone — that can look dated and tends to pull down the eye.” Gerstein suggests avoiding the crepey areas
of the mouth and eyes, and instead, highlighting more taut areas, like the center of the eye,
or the cheekbones. And if you’re going to highlight, she recommends
sticking to a liquid highlighter. Wear too much mascara on the bottom lashes Suzy Gerstein explains that heavy mascara
on the bottom lashes can cast shadows and flake, creating the illusion of dark circles. She dishes, "I'm really into the Tightline mascara by
It Cosmetics. It allows you to get right into the roots
without clumping, and functions almost as eyeliner." If you're going to wear mascara on the bottom,
keep it clean and tight. Less is more So, how do you keep makeup from aging you? Less is more! Keep things light and natural. And even when you want a splash of something
extra, keep it to a minimum. But as Missy Lowe tells us, "Most makeup rules are meant to be broken,
so don't be afraid to try new things and find what works best for you!” Thanks for watching! Click the List icon to subscribe to our YouTube
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