Makeup mistakes that make you look older
Steer clear of these habits that could be adding years to your appearance.
Overlining your lips
Going outside your lip line and being heavy handed with a dark lip liner will date your look. You might be doing this to make your lips look bigger, but you’re actually doing them a disservice. Use a lip liner to stop any feathering or bleeding of lip colour and stick to the natural curve of your lips when lining. Lip liners are supposed to provide definition, to your lips and your lip colour. They aren’t a substitute for lip colour. To avoid any harsh lines, pick a lip liner that’s similar in colour to the lipstick you plan to use.
Photograph: evagarden_official / Instagram
Lining only your lower lid
We Indians love our kohl-lined eyes, and they’re a staple for most women. However, applying a whole lot of kohl or eyeliner only on your lower eyelid will make your eyes look bottom-heavy and appear small. It will emphasise dark circles, shadows and wrinkles under your eyes, making you look tired and older. If you want attention-grabbing eyes, apply kohl or an eye pencil on both your lids. Apply lightly and go close to the lash line. Then smudge or blend it out a little to lighten the line and give it a soft, subtle look.
Photograph: chelseapoveymakeup / Instagram
Skinny brows
Brows that are very thin can make it look like your eyes are receding, giving your face a skeletal look. Brows are an integral feature when it comes to framing your face. Thinner brows mean an older look. So pay attention to them and resist over-tweezing. If you have sparse brows, fill them in with an eyebrow pencil or gel that’s similar to your natural hair colour.
Photograph: freepik.com
Harsh streaks of blush
Blend, blend, blend really is the mantra when it comes to makeup. Harsh lines of blush or circular pops of colour on the apples of your cheeks will definitely age you. Both techniques recreate unnatural lines on your face and emphasise wrinkles. The trick is to sweep blush along your cheekbones and blend away any lines, so as to create a natural-looking flush. Cheek stains or cream blushes are also a great option as you have more control over them and they can be easily blended with your fingers.
Photograph: freepik.com
Going overboard on the shimmer
Being subtle is key when it comes to highlighters, bronzers, and other shimmery products as overdoing it can look artificial, draw attention to your wrinkles and fine lines, and make you look older than you are. So apply a hint of highlighter only on the high points of your face, and blend. Lightly dust bronzer along the sides of your face and on your temples. Remember you don’t want to look like you doused yourself in shimmer.
Photograph: nats_canvas / Instagram
Lead photograph: pressfoto /freepik.com
