This article has been updated since its initial publish date to include more expert insight.
For women over 40, using anti-aging makeup requires a less-is-more approach that emphasizes hydrating products for a supple, radiant complexion. Unfortunately, four common makeup mistakes can instead make your skin look heavy and emphasize fine lines and wrinkles.
To avoid these errors and achieve a stunning, supple look, we asked professional makeup artists to share their tips and advice. Read on for suggestions and insight from Casie Paterson, beauty blogger and makeup coach and Margina Dennis, celebrity makeup artist and expert.
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4 Makeup Blunders That Add Years To Your Look — And How To Fix Them
1. Using Matte or Powder Foundation
As we age, our skin inevitably loses moisture, leading to a naturally drier complexion. What many don't realize, Paterson notes, is that choosing an equally dry foundation type like a matte or powder product can inadvertently draw attention to fine lines or wrinkles over 40.
"As you get older, the skin tends to become drier and matte foundations can exaggerate fine lines and wrinkles," she warns. To avoid this, she recommends "using a hydrating primer for your base and choosing a hydrating foundation to glide over wrinkles" and to "give a beautiful youthful glow to the skin."
2. Wearing The Wrong Shade Of Blush For Your Skin Tone
It's imperative to find the best products for your skin tone and undertones, Paterson says, as the wrong colors can make your skin look heavier and patchier as opposed to glowy and hydrated.
"To find your correct shades, you should not only test in proper lighting but also test the shades on your jawline," she suggests. She says that "your correct shade" of foundation and blush should "always match your neck."
3. Choosing A Dry Liquid Lipstick
Our lips also tend to get more dry with age, and one way that this can be even more apparent is with the use of a dry matte liquid lipstick, Dennis points out. It's better, she says, for women over 40 to choose a more hydrating lip color or something that is more cream based.
"Too dry of a formula of lipstick can emphasize wrinkles and dryness," she says. Instead of a matte lipstick, Dennis advises picking a "moisturizing and balm lipstick" in shades that "emulate a youthful flush."
She also suggests "a clear lip liner or one that matches the lip color that will keep the color from feathering and look more natural."
4. Failing To Fully Blend Foundation
Blending your foundation fully and thoroughly is often one of the most crucial makeup steps at any age, but especially if you want an anti-aging effect, Paterson notes.
"Many women are guilty of causing their foundation to look like a mask by not blending it all the way down to the neck and into the hairline," she says.
To prevent this from happening, she suggests "blending the foundation all the way through, as this gives it a seamless and flawless coverage." (Good to know!)
