Taking a few years off the face can be as easy as diving into your makeup bag!
Contrary to the thought that TOO much makeup can be aging, not wearing ENOUGH makeup can also backfire on us. It really boils down to knowing the right colors to wear and applying your makeup the right way that can turn back the clock in just a few minutes.
As I get closer and closer to 40, I realize now more than ever that makeup is the most inexpensive route to looking younger. If a pricey plastic surgeon visit isn’t in the cards for you, you still have options. And of course it goes without saying, that taking care of your skin and moisturizing and SPF use is a MUST. Your makeup will only look as good as your skin does.
So in this post I am just focusing on the makeup part however. If you want my thoughts on which anti-aging skincare ingredients pack the most punch, go to this POST HERE.
“I believe that all women are pretty without makeup – and can be pretty powerful with the RIGHT makeup.” Celebrity makeup artist Bobbi Brown of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics.
7 Simple Makeup Tips For A More Youthful You!
- Warm Up Your Foundation. When I say warm, I mean get one with a yellow-ISH tint to it. A yellow base to your foundation or tinted moisturizer warms up the skin, which in turn makes it appear more youthful than cooler shades. This goes for ALL skin tones from palest of pale to the darkest skin. (Here is my post for my fave summertime foundation that stays!)
- Eyelid Primers Are Your Friend. An eyeshadow base is especially important if your lids have even the slightest wrinkles. Fine lines on the lids can make makeup creasing worse which makes our fine lines look more prominent. When eye makeup is put on dry lids it fades quickly and sticks in wrinkles turning into a hot mess. (A really good option to try is Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eyeshadow Primer Potion.)
- Create A Crease. As we get older, our eyes tend to seem like they’re shrinking so it’s important to bring back structure. Now that you’ve got your eyelid primer set and a smooth base to work on, start by swiping a creamy eyeliner pencil in a medium to dark brown shade across the creases of your eyelids. Then blend it out in both directions with a fuller shadow brush and BAM! You’ve got eye creases again that build depth! (Try a cream liner to shadow stick that is easily blendable like this Julep stick).
- Curl Those Lashes. Has your lash curler just been sitting in your bag being ignored?? If you are over 35 you should probably be curling your eyelashes. As we age the lashes flatten and it’s important to keep everything going upward and against gravity. This includes your lashes! And don’t just squeeze them once in the middle – you need to squeeze at the base, in the center, and at the tips to create a soft curl that stays. Onward and upward! Bonus tip – use a waterproof mascara to hold curl better. Look how much more awake my eyes look in this comparison photo of bare eye and curled eyes with mascara!! (one of my fave tools is the Tweezerman Classic curler).
- Take That Concealer To The Temples. Speaking of onward and upward, this also goes for concealer. Yes it is used to lighten those dark circles UNDER your eyes, but if you also bring that concealer UP at an angle towards your temples it creates the illusion of a lifted eye bed. Which is never a bag thing the older we get. Heres how to do it : Create a V shape under the eyes bringing the bottom of the V just to where the dark circles stop, continue into the tear duct in the inner corners, then keep drawing the outer part of the V to the temples. Be sure to blend well into your foundation. (the BEST drugstore anti-aging not creasing concealer is THIS ONE by Maybelline and my video showcasing it you can WATCH HERE).
- Bring On The Shimmer (in small doses). Have you heard that shimmers accentuate wrinkles? It’s true. But only if you put that shimmer in the wrong spots!! The right spots for shimmer to getting an instant face lift are : upper cheekbones and right along your tear ducts. Just be sure when you’re putting on the shimmer to place it right on the top of the cheekbone, but underneath your concealer, so as not to draw attention directly onto crows feet. When it’s soft and subtle and just the right iridescent shade of peach champagne, it can work small miracles. If your skin is darker, go for a golden bronze highlighter instead of peach. (my cream shimmer go-to shade is by Josie Maran Argan illuminizing wand).
- Powder Blushes Are A No No. Nothing makes you look older than a heavy blush powder that just sits on top of the skin and looks ashy. Most makeup artists recommend stocking your makeup bag with cream/gel/liquid blushes that generally don’t require the use of a brush – fingers work just fine. The flushed natural look of a product that sinks into the skin with a slight amount of dewiness, appears the most youthful! (One of my all time favorite cream blush formulas is Stila’s Convertible Color and a cheaper and brand new option is the Pixi by Petra Sheer Cheek Gel, so pretty.)
SHOP THE PRODUCTS MENTIONED BELOW :
What are some of your favorite makeup tricks for turning back the clock a few years??
