As we age, the appearance of wrinkles is an inevitable reality. Yet, many of us would prefer not to draw attention to these fine lines with makeup. Rather, we choose to highlight our best features and embrace new styles and looks! To that end, we reached out to expert makeup artists who shared with us two frequent (yet easily avoidable) mistakes that women over 40 can sometimes make when applying makeup.
These blunders can accentuate wrinkles, but with their advice, we can avoid them and achieve the desired effect. Read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Destiny McGill, celebrity makeup artist and Day Spa Owner of Lavish Life Studio and Anastasia Tomchenko, co-founder and CPO of Glambook, and Kerrin Jackson, celebrity makeup artist and creator of The Makeup Refinery blog.
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2 Common Makeup Mistakes That Can Age You—And How To Avoid Them
1. Adding Heavy Black Liner to Your Waterline
When applied heavily on the lower waterline, a black eyeliner pencil can create the illusion of smaller eyes, Tomchenko warns, and this can also accentuate under-eye bags and wrinkles. To avoid this effect, she says to always think of a softer end goal. “Women over 35 do not need graphic makeup, and the line should be soft,” she suggests.
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Tomchenko has a great solution to this issue, and explains how to get a gentle cat-eye eyeliner look that will make your eyes look more refreshed and youthful. “I recommend using a gray or brown color, and a soft pencil like kohl can be used to stretch out a line,” she adds. Tomchenko notes that “you can blend it while the pencil is fresh or use a slightly dampened angled brush dipped in concealer to help achieve a soft mini-wing.”
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2. Using Ultra Sparkly Eyeshadow
According to McGill, eyeshadows that are excessively glittery or shimmering can have the unintended effect of further highlighting wrinkles, potentially exacerbating the issue rather than masking it. McGill says that “glittery or shimmery eye shadows really settle into the wrinkles and draw attention to them.” Instead, she recommends “choosing a matte eyeshadow.”
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Jackson agrees, adding that the color of your shadow is just as important. “Using a cool toned eyeshadow, and applying it with a heavy hand can tend to create a skull-like shadow in your eye socket,” she warns. “Try to use a warmer tone eyeshadow instead,” she suggests. She concludes that “keeping the application to a wash over the lid instead of a strong definition in the crease line” is ideal.
Good to know!
