Is Your Makeup Making You Look Older?

There is of course nothing wrong with ageing gracefully and sometimes all it needs is a positive outlook, a balanced and healthy diet, daily exercise and a really good makeup kit. The problem is some products can become outdated really quickly, and methods of applying makeup can change so rapidly as trends rise and fall that for a lot of us, it’s the keeping up with makeup trends that is the hardest part of getting older.

Wearing makeup that was once fashionable or using old makeup products could be what makes you look older, and all it takes is a little revamp and some inside knowledge, so you know how to look younger as each day passes, or at least look like you are ageing gracefully. Let’s look at what makeup and styles can add years without even realising and how just a few adjustments can start turning back the clock with ease.

This is a nice one to start with as it can be an obvious way to make you look older without even realising you’re doing it. As we start to age, our skin loses its natural elasticity and produces less oil, so wearing powder to keep the skin looking matte can actually go one step too far.

Instead of concealing oily patches, a powder can sit on top of the skin instead of being absorbed into it, and cause dry looking skin with no levels of tone. This means that if you apply powder all of the face, you end up creating a blank palette with no highlights which ironically highlights all the bad bits.

This means creases and wrinkles. And yes, ladies it will happen to the best of us at some point. The eyes tend to be the first place to go when it comes to fine lines and applying powder there will make it gather in the cracks and stand out instead of fade into the background.

To get around this, only use light powder on areas that the skin tends not to crease or gather, focus on your T-zone if you tend to get a bit shinier there and leave a semi-glossy look around the eyes that won’t draw focus in the wrong way.

When we were all young and finding our way with makeup products that felt good on our youthful skin and were easy to apply, we thought we had found something that would stay loyal to us forever. But the skin changes over time, as does the shape of our faces and the angles of our eyes; we tend to lose more hair in our eyebrows, and eyelashes can begin to thin out as we start to get older, so what once worked for us, may not work well now.

There are so many new products from our favourite brands that have been scientifically advanced to work better for different skin types so it may be worth trying out something new and seeing how it can bring radiance to the skin or eyes where they are perhaps looking a little tired from using the same type of makeup all the time.

No one has to be an expert on makeup to achieve some naturally looking makeup styles, even though it can be daunting changing things up, it will help you keep up that youthful glow instead of looking a bit outdated and even older just from wearing something that looked great at the time.

This one is always tempting especially to cover up blemishes and wrinkles, but actually piling on the makeup just makes it more obvious you are wearing makeup on close inspection and can actually highlight those lines and bumps in the skin that we wish growing older wouldn’t gift us.

There are times where you can wear a lot of product on the face but in the forms of creams, serums, primers and sprays that keep makeup in place, but this means using the right products for the skin and removing it carefully and properly every night. This not only helps to keep the skin youthful but looking youthful as well by not covering a great face with tonnes of makeup.

Instead of trying to cover any lines in the face, address them with collagen boosting moisturisers, keeping the skin hydrated at all times to reduce their appearance, and then work on those areas that you want to stand out – such as the eyes or lips – that will help to draw attention to the things that look fantastic.

As well as the products that you used to use when you were younger making you look older, you also have your old routine to contend with. Times have really changed so much over the last twenty years and things like makeup application probably seemed easier ten years ago to how it does now. We are in a generation of great skin care routines and one where specialised makeup products and tools have really crossed over to the mainstream so there may be more steps than there were a few years ago.

Older routines may have been a simple cleanse and tone, moisturise, then apply foundation, powder and blush, then moving onto mascara and some lipstick to finish off. Today, this routine may include a facial serum, colour correcting, contouring, false eyelashes, brow pencils and gels and then setting sprays. Admittedly, it is a lot, especially to someone who isn’t used to taking so long on their makeup, but it is good for keeping that youthful look physically and fashionably.

Those old routines could be ageing you just by being ‘out of style’ and as much as that isn’t really a big deal, it can be a tell-tale sign that you are older than your years.

You may be wondering if there is such thing as the wrong mascara, and unfortunately for a lot of us there is. This is because over time our eyelashes can change in texture, strength and colour and if you don’t find a mascara that is complimentary to lashes or to your overall look, you could be making yourself look a lot older.

The good thing is this can be turned around quite easily with the products that are available today. Gone are the days of clumpy mascara and feeling the need to apply several coats before you are happy. If it is time to invest in a new mascara then see what your eyelashes are telling you before settling into your old ways and buying what you’ve always bought.

For eyelashes that are getting a bit lighter, it may not be the best thing to buy blackest black mascara, instead go for a tint of brown to keep them looking great but also neutral. It is all about what the mascara does as well; volumizing mascara is fantastic if eyelashes are a bit thinner than they once were, but don’t go overboard with too many coats to end up looking older, if thinning lashes are a problem, then eyelash extensions could be a great quick fix. An eyelash growth serum is also a really good option to help keep your eyelashes long, strong and vibrant and this only needs to take a few weeks with daily applications, so then when you do apply your mascara you won’t feel the need to coat them like you once did.

Get your mascara game right, avoid applying it (especially black) to the bottom row of lashes and wow people with your beautiful set of eyelashes that look natural and youthful – even if they aren’t.

If you don’t remember when this was a trend then consider yourself lucky. But as with all trends, they luckily come and go, which is why a natural or barely-there makeup look right now is so on trend as it will never go out of style! Back when lip liner was all the rage, it was hard to look around and not see overly lined lips with a pale but shimmery nude shade of lipstick that looked cakey and highlighted all the wrong areas.

To keep your look youthful and not outdated, when it comes to lipstick, line your lips where you need to but stick to the shade of your lipstick or use it to contour your corners to add depth to the lips instead of just drawing an outline. It is a known fact that as we get older the definition around our natural lip lines start to fade, the best thing to do with this is keep your colours natural and not too bright to draw attention to thinning or undefined lips, and use liner sparingly to finish off your shape, not to create a new one.

Okay so this one is subjective as far as make up that can make you look older but there is definitely some element of truth to it. The reason being back in the eighties and nineties when blue or pink eyeshadow reigned supreme, it never really recovered fully as a modern look. That being said, there are plenty of editorial and everyday fashionable looks that use pink or blue eyeshadow, but it is all about how it is applied and where.

These days we are all about the highly pigmented eyeshadows that make a bold statement and don’t disappear after a few blinks of the eye. It can look really striking and modern when teamed with well brushed brows and a neutral face, so if you are still a lover of the old pink and blue, think about trying it without any blush or contrasting shades to the cheeks, instead opt for highlight. You could also team it with some sleek winged eyeliner or wear the eyeshadow across the bottom lid, blended to soften it up.

There are ways you can still work with pink and blue eyeshadow without making yourself look older and that’s what modern tutorials can really help with. Keep your brushes separate for applying and blending and clean them regularly so you aren’t depositing old product to the face that could end up looking really clumpy and uneven.

Always nervous that thin eyebrows are going to make a comeback, the way to play it safe when it comes to looking younger is to let your natural brows grow in and either groom them carefully yourself or see a beautician who can help create a complimentary and flattering shape. The problem is with thin eyebrows as a makeup style is not only does it look more dated, but it brings focus to more skin around the eyes that may have a few more lines than we would like.

Eyebrows are really having their day right now, and the fuller the better. But for many, the routine of plucking them into a shape that was once so stylish and comfortable is hard to break free from as the mid-stage of eyebrow growth can be a difficult one to get past. It does require a lot of patience indeed, but it will be work it once you have more brow to work with.

Eyebrow pencils and brush pens are great for filling in gaps and creating more of a fuller shape that modernises any look and takes years off you without even really trying, so if you worry that this part of your face is ageing you, then don’t worry as it can be easily rectified.

It is only when you take a step back and try something new that you will realise who much your existing makeup routines and products could be adding years onto you without knowing. Instead of blush, learn more about the contours of your face and where you should highlight; there’s nothing wrong with a little blush but always try to keep the focus even on the face so that it doesn’t overpower your cheekbones while your eyes are fighting for the limelight with lashings of mascara.

If you aren’t already, look at how to blend makeup well and foundations that can hide lines without making your face look too dry and you will soon take years off. And above all, don’t be scared to try something new, if it doesn’t work for you then at least you will know and you will be open to trying other things that will give you the youthful kick you need to get into a new routine.