Wear Sunscreen
Choose a Cream Blush
Unless you’re well-versed in makeup, avoid using powder products on a cream base. Powders have a tendency of looking patchy and accentuate fine lines. Cream blushes blend out really well on cream bases.
Aim for a lighter color for a more natural look.
Use a Mask Once a Week Minimum
Moisturize after Toning
Acids are your friend, especially hyaluronic acid! After you tone your skin, grab a good moisturizer with hyaluronic acid.
The name sounds scary, but our skin actually creates it to naturally to retain moisture levels. As we grow older, it can be harder for our body to keep up with everything we put it through.
Use Sheer Tinted Lip Balm Instead of Lipstick
The lips can be challenging to work with because they wrinkle very quickly. As we age, sheer tinted lip balms become our friend.
Instead of lipstick, get a lip balm or a lip stain. These products give you color without increasing the appearance of wrinkles on the lips.
Remove Makeup with Coconut or Olive Oil
Do Your Eyes Before Your Foundation
While you could do it the other way around, many people have started to do their eye makeup before their foundation.
This simply makes it easier to clean up any fallout that may occur when you’re doing your mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow.
Blend, Blend, Blend
Whether it’s your foundation or eyeshadow, blend it out. Taking an extra few minutes to blend your makeup out makes a huge difference because harsh lines cause the face to look droopy and tired.
If you’re blending your eyeshadow, use a clean brush and go to town.
Use Tinted CC Creams or Balms Rather than Foundation
Foundation is heavy and has a tendency to settle into fine lines and wrinkles. Tinted CC creams and balms don’t do this. They don’t have as much coverage, but that isn’t a bad thing.
It keeps the skin from looking cakey hours after application. Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue is a really good option.
Use Silicone-Based Primers
Silicone-based primers are the Holy Grail of products. They’re perfect for removing the appearance of fine lines and larger pores.
You can test various products, but we suggest rolling with a mid-priced brand like Too Faced or Benefit. Just make sure to blend it out really well.
Don’t Be Afraid to Wear Eye Makeup
Many women become more worried about eye makeup as they get older, but it can actually do a lot for your face.
Eyeliner and mascara can make your face look more defined and draw eyes to the center of your face. It doesn’t have to be complicated because a little can go a long way.
Use a Foundation Brush or Beauty Blender
Stop applying foundation with your fingers. This can create a streaky look. Instead, use a foundation brush or a damp Beauty Blender sponge.
If you have oily skin, a foundation brush is especially useful. For dryer skin, get a damp Beauty Blender sponge ready. There are several off-brands of Beauty Blenders, too, so don’t feel pressured to get the name brand.
Lightly Define the Lip Line
Using a natural tone or light pink lip liner can help define your lines, especially since our lips is where many of our fine lines start.
Using lip liner can bring a look of natural fullness that may be lost over time. Just make sure to color match properly.
Prime Your Lids if You Have Visible Veins or Spots
If your lids have veins or dark spots, you can prime them to get rid of them! You can use whatever concealer you already own to hide any discoloration.
Not to mention, priming your lids makes your eyeshadow last all day without creasing.
Highlight Your Cheekbones
There are so many highlighting products on the market that they're impossible to ignore. What this does is bring light to the proper place on your face.
Sure, it’s a bit of a shimmer, but it gives every face a little shape and provides a little lift. Put a little on your cheekbone closer to your eye socket.
Get Samples Before Committing
You don’t have to buy expensive products before deciding whether it’s right for you. Some stores, like Sephora, will give you a small sample of some products to let you try it out for a few days.
Additionally, these stores let you return products even after they’ve been opened. If it doesn’t work, return it!
If You Want Lipstick, Stick with a Lighter Shade
If you insist on using a lipstick, try to use a lighter shade. Dark shades will accentuate every single crease in your mouth—no one wants that.
The shade should complement the base of your skin tone, whether it’s a yellow or pink base.
Blend Foundation Outward
Foundation and tinted creams can easily become too much and build to a cakey mess. Start with a small amount of product on the inner portion of your cheeks and blend outward.
Not only does this create a natural look, but it also puts coverage in the places our face need most.
Don’t Go Overboard with Concealer
Use Long-Lasting Eyeliner
We tend to go cheap on eyeliner. It’s all the same, right? Wrong. Cheaper eyeliner tends to smudge after a few hours. You want to get a higher-end, long-lasting eyeliner.
Once in place, it stays there. Overall, using eyeliner makes the eyelashes look fuller.
Only Use Eye Pencils, Not Liquid Liners
Liquid eyeliner may be tempting, but it can look extremely heavy. Eye pencils are subtle and give you more freedom.
If something doesn’t look quite right, you can smudge it right out. That isn’t something you can do with liquid liner.
Smudge Eyeliner with Q-Tip
Harsh lines are a big no-no, so you’ll want to smudge out your eyeliner. You can use a Q-Tip to smudge it out for a smoky appearance.
Using a Q-Tip also removes any extra product that could end up smudging downward later in the day.
Curl Eyelashes for a Fuller Look
An eyelash curler looks like a torture device made by someone influenced by A Clockwork Orange. It isn’t as scary as it seems and using it can make a huge difference.
Curling your eyelashes makes them look fuller and visible. For extra lift, use a lighter to heat it for a second but make sure it isn’t too hot before trying to curl your lashes.
Exfoliate Daily
Define the Brows in a Subtle Color
Many of us have overplucked our brows or have thinning eyebrows. There is hope! You can use a brow pencil to fill in your brows and get that look you always wanted.
Just make sure to use a subtle color that vibes with your hair color. Otherwise, things will look a little off.
Try to Contour
Contouring can seem like a big mystery, but the secret is that it just takes practice.
Get a cheap contour palette and play around with shades until you find the right one. Then, work on applying it properly. This can give your face shape and definition.
Use a Toner
Whether you’re 12 or 72, toners are essential. Toners help return the skin to its natural Ph balance.
After spending all day outside in the sun, in the cold or heat, in the city, your skin can get irritated. This can result in dryness or oiliness, but toners reset everything back to its natural place.
Outline the Lower Lash Line
Outlining the lower lash line is all about adding definition to your face. Leaving the lower lash line with nothing on it can make your makeup look a little unfinished.
Put a little bit of eyeliner in the corner of your eye toward the middle. Then, use a Q-Tip to smudge it toward the corners. Remember: a little goes a long way.
Use a Heavier Foundation or Concealer to Spot Conceal
Who doesn’t have a few spots on their skin they’d rather conceal? Instead of putting a dozen products to hide it, use a heavier foundation or small amount of concealer.
It can work wonders to hide dark spots, scars, and veins.