Aging is a part of life. We’ll all grow old some day if we are blessed and fortunate enough.
Some of us tend to accelerate our face aging by making mistakes with makeup.
If you aren’t following a daily skin care regimen for your skin type, you’re helping your skin age faster than it should.
There’s not much we can do about natural aging but what about those common makeup mistakes that don’t actually age your face but create the appearance of aging?
It’s those things that you can control. So, let’s get started with just 3.
Applying Mascara to Your Lower Lashes
Adding mascara to your lashes helps them to look long and luxurious. Your eyes even look brighter. However, you can achieve the length and brightness by applying mascara to your top lashes only.
There’s no need to add mascara to your bottom lashes. When you apply mascara to your bottom lashes, it eventually smudges (yes, even waterproof). The smudged raccoon eye then brings attention to any wrinkles, dark circles or signs of fatigue you may have. The result is you look older than you actually are. Plus, it’s just played out.
Therefore, don’t make it a habit of adding mascara to your lower lashes. A little eyeliner is sufficient.
Wearing Deeply Pigmented Matte Lipsticks
Matte lipsticks make your lips appear dull and can also dry them out. That’s because they don’t contain emollients that help to hydrate your lips.
When the color of a matte lipstick is dark (ex: black, burgundy), your look becomes a lot more “mature.”
Unless that’s what you’re going for, as you get older dark colored matte lipsticks should not be a part of your beauty routine.
Applying Bronzers
I used to love applying a bronzer to my face when I was younger. However, as I get older, it’s clear. Bronzers make you look older than you are.
Bronzers can also be very drying to your skin. They contain mica which leaves your skin looking caked up and dry.
It’s best to go for a more subtle change in your skin’s tone than to slather on bronzers which can make you look much older than you are.
There are many things in life that we can’t control. Makeup mistakes that make you appear older is not one of them. If you are committing any of these 3 makeup mistakes, stop doing them and try something different.
Try taking a picture of your face with bronzer on and then take a picture of your face without it. See the difference?
What have you found makes your face look older than it is?
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I still use bronzer, but atop my blush… just a little for a little glow. I agree that the dark lipsticks making you look older, in my twenties I loved the darker near black colored lipsticks. I generally don’t use mascara on my bottom lashes, it’s just too sloppy and my makeup motto is to get it done in ten minutes or less.
I’m with you on the 10 mins or less thing. I hate getting raccoon eyes too so I put very little eyeliner on the bottom.
I use bronzer too and find that it makes me skin glow and gives my face more dimension (you’ve seen me with and without my little bit of makeup and know that I aim for subtle). To really get a fresh look, I apply a very little dark pink (not quite fuchsia) blush over the bronzer.
I never put mascara on my bottom lashes because I think my eyes look brighter and wider without it.
As to matte lipstick, when I was young, I tried it, but felt my lips were always dried by it. Generally speaking, I don’t do dark lips at all … from reds to pinks to deep browns. I tend to go with mocha or sightly pink/nudish colors with a little gloss. I think gloss, when done subtlety, also helps keep the look fresh.
Shelli
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Shelli you always look nice and natural. When I skip the bronzer, I’m not talking about as a highlight. Think Snookie from Jersey Shore. She ODs on bronzer and it’s aging her face fast.
Michelle recently posted..3 Makeup Mistakes That Are Aging Your Face
I love using a bronzer instead of blush on my cheeks. How many black women do you know have naturally rosy cheeks? I will rethink this in the future, but I do like some color on my cheeks that isn’t bright. What do you suggest?
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I think bronzer as a highlight is OK. Like i said to Shelli, there are ladies who bronze their whole body. That’s just too much trying to look all tanned when it’s no where near your natural skin tone.
This was an awesome post! I never thought about these things aging you! I usually don’t put mascara on my bottom lashes but sometimes I do and you are so right- it does end up smudging! And the thing about matte lipsticks, I totally agree! I don’t wear lipstick for the simple reason that it gives your lips a dried out look. If I do lipstick, it’s with gloss over it. And the third tip is awesome as well…I never got into using bronzer and I guess now that I am older [ahem...36] I don’t have to! LOL
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LOL you don’t look a day over 20
Wearing mascara on the bottom line is sooooo dated but you know what? People still do it!
Ahhhh … you know, I was going to say, I only use it on my cheeks, eyelids and then dab my chin, nose and temples. But then, I was like … that’s pretty much everywhere! LOL!!! Ok, cool. Yeah, I’ve never used a bronzer everywhere. So, glad to know I’m not breaking any cardinal rule;).
Shelli
Shelli recently posted..Be Weird. Be Random. Be Who You Are.
I also agree with the mascara! Really adds years to your face right? I think it’s what teens use to make them look older so they be admitted entrance to clubs lol!
lol i never thought of it that way…entrance to clubs? hmmm. I don’t recall if I did that back in my younger years.