Remember the first time you swiped on a little of your mom’s lipstick? The way it instantly made you look a little more … grown-up?

These days, you’re probably using makeup to make yourself look less grown up and more, well, youthful.

But what if your makeup is having the opposite effect? What if it’s actually aging you? Don’t let it!

Eight Makeup Tips for More Youthfulness

1. Hydrate

Before you even touch your foundation, make sure to give your skin a good dose of moisture.

Dryness increases with age, and wrinkles and fine lines tend to stand out even more on skin that’s dry.¹ And an application of foundation without moisture will only make things worse – your skin will suck up any moisture it finds in the foundation, further magnifying the appearance of wrinkles.

2. Ease Up On Foundation

You might think aging skin requires more coverage, but a heavy foundation can actually work against you.

Medium to full coverage matte foundations will certainly cover up some flaws, but they can also mask your natural radiance, giving you a cakey look. Heavy makeup can also settle into fine lines, drawing attention to wrinkles and creases.

Instead, look for a lightweight, luminous foundation – it’ll give you a dewy, fresh look.

And if you’re taking good care of your skin, you really won’t need much foundation. After all, a well-cared for complexion will always look more youthful than an obviously covered one.

3. Don’t Be Shy About Shimmer

Because it’s smooth, youthful skin tends to reflect light better. As wrinkles begin to set in, light tends to get lost in fine lines and creases when it hits your face.

And it’s not just wrinkles that are to blame. As you age, skin cell turnover slows down.² This means that the skin doesn’t quickly shed dead cells the way it used to. These dead cells can build up on the skin, making the complexion look even duller and less smooth.

A good exfoliant will slough away dead cells, revealing brighter skin, but you can also bring a little light to your face with some shimmer. Use a creamy formula shimmer in neutral shades, like champagne or rose gold. Dab it in the corner of your eyes and on your cheekbones to restore a little brilliance to your complexion.

4. Switch To Brown Eyeliner

There’s nothing more rock-n-roll than a swipe of black eyeliner. But this look tends to look best on skin that’s otherwise line-free (read: youthful).

If you haven’t made the switch to brown eyeliner, do it now. Brown is dark enough to give your eyes definition, but won’t make you look severe the way black eyeliner can.

To keep things extra soft, smudge the eyeliner into your lash line. Any obvious lines will serve to emphasize other lines on your face (read: wrinkles). If you like – you can flick the line up at the outer edges of the eyes, creating a tiny wing. Then, blend this wing up and out with a q-tip to open the eyes further.

5. Curl Your Lashes

Sure, an eyelash curler might look like a medieval torture device, but it’s actually a miracle tool.

You see, the elasticity of your skin decreases as you age, and everything seems to get, well … lower – including your eyelids.³

To prevent things from looking too droopy, it’s essential to keep everything moving upward – against gravity. This is where that medieval torture device becomes your best friend: Curling eyelashes will do a lot to open up the eyes and counteract that sleepy look.

The best way to curl? Position the curler at the base of your lashes and give it three firm, but gentle pumps. Release and repeat one or two more times, depending on the length of your lashes. Voila! Gravity’s got nothing on you.

6. Don’t Skip Mascara

Did you know that even your lashes lose a little va-va-voom with age? It’s true. Length, thickness, and darkness all decrease as you get older.⁴

And since you’re never too old to bat your lashes — swipe on a coat of mascara. And with dark, curled lashes? You may not even need that (brown) eyeliner to achieve a youthful, doe-eyed gaze.

7. Fill In Your Brows

Approximately 50 percent of males and females experience some type of hair loss by age 50, and that hair loss can even extend to the brows.⁵

To restore a little lost definition to your brows – use a brow pencil to fill in empty spots. Choose a pencil one shade lighter than your coloring (or if you’re blonde – one shade darker) and apply in short strokes at a 45 degree angle. This will ensure a softer, more natural application.

8. Go For Naturally Rosy Lips

There’s nothing like a little lip color to brighten up the face. But nude neutrals can look drab on aging skin and bright, matte colors tend to emphasize thinning lips.

The answer? Go for a rosy color just a shade or two darker than your natural lip color. It’s you, but better.

If you do want to go for red for special occasion or holiday party, follow these guidelines on how to choose the right red lipstick shade for your skin.

A Younger You

Luminous skin, dark lashes, full brows, and a pretty pucker? These eight makeup tips can help take years off your face. Now, go bat those long lashes at someone you fancy!

References
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15492432
2. https://www.aestheticscienceinstitute.edu/library/dermal-and-epidermal-aging
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11816083
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25347452
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5315033/