First off, let’s be clear…we think aging is a privilege and that women of every age should have fun with makeup and express themselves. We also prefer when our makeup helps us look refreshed, energized and radiant—in other words, like the best version of ourselves. We rounded up 5 common makeup mistakes that may be (unintentionally) stealing your glow. The good news? They’re all super-simple to fix!
Mistake #1: Cakey foundation
Dry, caked-on foundation is an unflattering look no matter what your age. The question is….how do you prevent cakey foundation? Our friend (and makeup artist extraordinaire) Laura Geller has some great advice that she shared with Prevention magazine: “I always say you have to meet your makeup needs where your skin is at. If you’ve been doing your makeup a certain way for so long and your makeup is no longer looking the way you want it to look, you may have to tweak some things in your routine.”
One essential tweak to your skincare routine? Regular exfoliation. As we age, our skin’s natural cycle of cellular turnover slows down, which leads to a build-up of dead skin cells. In addition, may women experience an increase in peach fuzz as we get older. When you apply makeup on top of peach fuzz and flaky dead skin, it’s a recipe for cakey foundation.
The fix: LUXE+ Sonic Dermaplaning is a safe, gentle, dermatologist-approved method of exfoliation that also happens to remove pesky peach fuzz. It only takes 10 minutes and (even better) it only needs to be done once a week. “I always use DERMAFLASH on my clients,” says celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg. “It removes peach fuzz, leaving skin baby soft and a perfect canvas for makeup.”
Mistake #2: Skipping primer
“The purpose of primer is that it mimics a more perfected complexion,” Geller says. Primer is especially important as you age. It can smooth or “blur” any fine lines or creases, and it prevents foundation from settling. Primer can also help visibly minimize rough texture and prevent foundation from “pooling” in your pores. (One thing many people don’t realize is that your pores can stretch with age, due to natural collagen loss. If you’re seeing enlarged pores, we have more tips for you here!)
The fix: It’s simple: just apply a primer of your choice before you apply your makeup. Our Hydraflash Cocooning Serum doubles as a makeup primer, so if you’re a fan of multi-tasking products, it’s a great 2-in-1 option. If you need extra pore-blurring power, we suggest Laura Geller’s Brighten-n-Blur formula.
Mistake #3: Brows that are too skinny (or too blocky!)
When we’re young, our brows tend be naturally full, with a not-too-arched look. As we age, our hair follicles decline and brows thin out naturally. Not to mention the fact that many of us fell victim to the overplucking trend as teenagers, which can cause permanent damage to hair follicles. “A ‘fat’ brow lends a more youthful look, because if you look at most children, 99% of them have glorious fat brows that have not been touched by wax or tweezers,” says makeup artist Jeannie Giannone.
Now, in an attempt to recreate full look, it’s easy to go a little overboard (i.e. a color that’s too dark or an arch that’s way too dramatic for your face). This also has the effect of making you look older than your years.
The fix: Now’s the time to start using a brow serum that helps promote hair growth. Look for one with ingredients like biotin, peptides and castor oil, like this one by Better Not Younger. When you fill in your brows, choose a pencil, pen or powder that’s about one shade lighter than you think you’ll need. Follow along with your natural shape, filling in sparse areas rather than creating an entirely new shape. Aim for straighter rather than a super-dramatic arch. When you’re finished, use a spoolie (i.e. a brush that looks like an empty mascara wand) to brush your brows upward, then set with a brow gel.
Mistake #4: Not removing your mascara before bed
Mascara is a lot of people’s “desert island” beauty product and it’s no wonder—there’s nothing like a swipe of mascara to give your eyes an instant lift and help you look more awake. But here’s the catch: not removing your mascara before bed can cause lash loss, which in turn contributes to a prematurely aged look.
The fix: Remove your eye makeup before bed every night, using a gentle makeup remover—you want a formula that melts off eye makeup and doesn’t cause you to rub or tug at your lashes. One tried-and-true formula is Clinique Take The Day Off. And as far as mascara, it’s a smart idea to choose a conditioning formula that helps fortify your lashes while adding color and thickness, like GrandeMascara, which has peptides and vitamin B5.
Mistake #5: Dry, cracked lipstick
Lips tend to thin as we age, losing some of their former volume and definition. And if you apply a super-matte lipstick on top of dry lips, you’ll end up making any lip lines you may have look more apparent.
The fix: First, don’t skip lip balm—and we don’t mean the old tube of ChapStick rolling around in the bottom of your bag. (We admit it, we have one too!) Look for a formula with lip-plumping peptides, like Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Balm, and apply it every night before bed. Next, restore a bit of definition with a lip liner that matches your natural lip shade, then apply a lip color with a juicy, dewy finish. We love Sarah Creal’s “The Adults Are Talking” Solid Serum Lip Repair.
There you have it...easy tips so you look and feel good in your skin, at any age!
