August 08, 2023 8 min read

The beauty industry is one of the most significant sectors globally,  worth around $45 billion worldwide. Every day, countless people worldwide refuse to venture outside before they’ve worked on their brows, applied sound foundation and blended away those dark circles.

The good news is that you can continue to use makeup for as long as you like, even on ageing skin.

The bad news is that as you get older, you’ll find that your face begins to change. If you don’t want to draw unwanted attention to the features you don’t like, like wrinkles and dark spots, you may need to update your makeup routine.

Today, we’re going to look at some of the biggest mistakes made by women over 40 when applying makeup.

We’ll also give you some top tips on making sure you get the best makeup look for your entire face.

Mistake #1: Failing to Prepare Properly

At any age, failing to prep for your makeup routine correct could mean you don’t get the best results from your look. Ultimately, you need a clean, smooth surface to work with before you can get great results. One of the most common makeup mistakes is to skip the prep work entirely. However, if you’ve got ageing skin, you can’t afford to be underprepared.

Start by washing your face with a natural cleanser designed for your skin type. You’ll want to exfoliate any dry skin away carefully and make sure you apply plenty of moisturiser to your face before you start applying makeup. Remember, it’s a good idea to cover ageing skin with a moisturiser that has built-in SPF. As you get older, your skin gets thinner, making you more likely to suffer from sun damage.

Once you’ve applied your moisturiser and you’re sure it’s soaked incorrectly, you can use a layer of primer.  Primer is one of the most valuable tools you have for older skin. It will help eliminate dryness, oiliness, large pores, and more while accentuating your best features. You can get primer with included sunscreen, but avoid anything with a shimmer.

 

Mistake #2: Not Using the Right Tools

If you’ve ever heard the term “an artist is only as good as their tools”, you’ll know how valuable the  right tools can be to makeup application. Start by making sure you have the right brush for each task. This means you need a different brush for applying foundation to the one you use for powder and so on. You’ll also need a meeting to help with tinting your brows and applying eye makeup.

For concealer, having a separate sponge to help you blend different colours throughout your skin can assist with minimising the appearance of wrinkles. A good sponge is also fantastic when you want to make sure your foundation doesn’t look too thick.

Other valuable tools to have on hand when applying makeup include:

·         The right mirror:You’ll need a good mirror with in-built lighting to ensure you can see every detail of your face. Applying makeup in a room that’s too dark could mean you end up applying too much bronzer, blush, or powder, which could cause you to look older. Natural lighting will ensure you can see your face clearly, for better results.

·         Eyelash curlers: Eyelashes can become a little sparse and have less volume as you get older. Applying a little mascara and then curling your lashes will help draw attention to your eyes without requiring you to use too much eyeliner.

·         Setting sprays: make sure you have a setting spray on hand to prevent your foundation from cracking and drawing more attention to wrinkles and dark spots throughout the day. A light powder can be helpful too, but avoid anything with shimmer.

 

Mistake #3: Using the Wrong Makeup and Colours

Just because you’ve always used brightly-coloured eyeliners and dark lipsticks in your makeup look doesn’t mean they’ll continue to look good when you get older. Specific colours and styles can draw attention to all the wrong things as your skin starts to age.

For instance, shimmer might look great when you’re younger, but a slight shimmer on your eyes, particularly in cream eyeshadow, will draw attention to creases and wrinkles. Other mistakes to avoid include:

·         Bold eyeliner:If you’re starting to see drooping and wrinkles around your eyes, avoid bold liquid eyeliners and stick with a smudge of eyeliner around the lash line instead. This will help to make your eyes look bright and more youthful.

·         Dark lipsticks: Dark lipsticks can make your mouth look thinner and smaller, which can be a problem if you’re already getting a little older. A berry-coloured lipstick will give you a far more compelling pop of colour.

·         Single shade concealers:As you get older, it becomes less and less likely that you’ll be able to cover all of your faces with one concealer. You may need to explore different colours based on different parts of your face. Green tones are great for cancelling out redness, for instance, while orange tones reduce under-eye dark circles.

·         Ultra-dark eyebrows:The days of non-existent eyebrows are long gone, and today everyone wants full, lush brows. However, adding too much pencil to your brows might make you look older rather than younger. Avoid simply drawing lines in the shape of eyebrows. Instead, use your pencil to draw hair-like lines across the patchy spaces in your brows to create a more natural look. You can also use powder a and a flat-angle brush.

·         Bright blush:Try to avoid going over the top with blush. Although a bright colour might make you look a little more vibrant and youthful in small amounts, too much can make you look sweaty, flushed, and older.

 

Mistake 4: Failing to Work on your Skills

When’s the last time you watched a makeup tutorial online? If you haven’t worked on updating your skills for a while, it might be time to refresh your knowledge. We’re still living in a world where many people don’t know how to contour their cheeks or apply eyeliner properly.

For instance, highlighting your cheekbones with some extra colour can help to accentuate bone structure, but putting blush too high on your cheeks is a great way to add years to your face. Instead, you should be using just a tiny amount of colour on the apples of your cheeks.

When applying eyeliner, focus on the top lid and not the bottom. Though eyeliner on your lower lash line used to be a trending look, it’s a little outdated by today’s standards. The bottom liner can make your eyes look droopier and accentuate sagging.

While you don’t have to become a professional makeup artist to look good after you hit the age of 35, you should at least learn:

·         How to contour:Avoid applying bronzer and highlighter to your face until you know how to use these cosmetics to shape your face and draw attention to your bone structure. Too much contouring can make your wrinkles look far more severe.

Natural Lip Line

·         How to use lip liner:Lip liner is a valuable tool for maintaining a youthful look. It helps keep your lipstick in place for longer, and it can also make your lips look fuller and more youthful. Just be careful not to go over the top with substantial lip lines.

·         How to blend your foundation:  Good blending techniques can solve many makeup problems. As you get older and your skin begins to change, you’ll need to learn to use different shades together to make the most of your natural appearance. Avoid piling on layer after layer of coverage, as this will eventually cause lines to appear deeper on your face as the makeup settles.

When applying makeup, you should always avoid too much of a heavy hand. The more makeup you use, the more dramatic it will look, which might not be a good thing as you get a little older.

 

Makeup Mistakes #5: Refusing to Try Something New

As we get older, we’re more likely to stick to the same routines, particularly in our fast-paced lives. The chances are you’ll follow the same makeup routine religiously most days, which might save you time, but could also leave you looking like you’re stuck in the past.

Take some time to look in the makeup mirror and ask yourself if your skin type has changed, your eye shape has evolved, or your lip line has softened. Examine your features and ask yourself which parts of your appearance you want to accentuate and which you wish to cover.

You might even need to invest in new products to help maintain a polished makeup and skincare routine. For instance, you might decide to start using lip liner now, even if you’ve never considered it before. You may decide it’s time to explore brown eyeliners and smudging when you used to be all about bold black lines.

Being open to recognising makeup mistakes will help you rectify bad cosmetics decisions faster. If you decide to upgrade your beauty routines and try something new, avoid trying too many different trends at once. See how you feel about one look before moving on to something new.

 

Bonus Tips: Some Quick Tips to Boost your Makeup Routine

Once you’ve made sure you’re no longer falling victim to the same old makeup mistakes mentioned above, you can start using some extra tips to improve your look. Here are some additional top tips to help give you the best makeup finish possible.

·         Replace products regularly:Remember everything from your lip pencil to your eyebrow pencil will eventually become old, crumbly, and less effective. Every time you clean your foundation brush and lipstick brush, go through your makeup products and ask yourself what you need to update or replace.

·         Stay away from blue tones:Blue toned eyeshadows might brighten out undereye circles, which make you look older. Stick to natural tones that help to accentuate your eyes and bring more shape to your face.

·         Avoid full coverage foundation: As your skin grows more mature, layering too much heavy foundation onto your face will make lines appear more profound and more dramatic. Stick to anti-ageing foundations, powders, and lighter coverage.

·         Explore different tones: Don’t be afraid to look at a slightly warmer tone of bronzer or different colour lipstick from time to time. Experimenting with your lip colour, your bronzers, and blush colours can help you to create the perfect new look.

·         Don’t forget skincare: Remember the skincare part of your makeup routine. Cleansing your skin after you wear makeup all day and keeping your skin moisturised will help to ensure your cosmetics look great for longer.

 

Update your Makeup Routine

Makeup mistakes are pretty common among women of all ages. Unless you happen to be a makeup expert in everything from foundation to mascara, you’re likely to make a few errors over the years. However, it’s essential to rethink your approach to cosmetics as your hormone levels change as your skin begins to age.

Makeup should help protect your self-esteem and give you a new level of confidence. The last thing you want is for your makeup and beauty routine to make you look older. And don't forget to remove your makeup at night before you go to bed with these makeup removal tips

Infographics design by the DealsPlanet team

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