Beauty Mistakes You’re Making That Are Actually Aging You

You'll want to make note of these mistakes – trust us!

November 12, 2014 10:15 am

Beauty Mistakes You're Making That Actually Age You — Image via Imaxtree

When applying our makeup, the key is often to look as radiant, fresh, and glow-y as possible (yes, we’re going to make glow-y a word). As young women, thankfully we’re in a position where our skin is in its prime and not seeing too many signs of age just yet. However, there’s a possibility that the way you’re applying your makeup and the products you use is actually aging you—eek! To help stop these mistakes in their tracks, we put together a list of some beauty snafus to avoid like the plague:

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Skipping Moisturizer: Applying moisturizer both morning and night is so, so important for your skin. As we get older, skin starts to lose that precious natural moisture we once had as teenagers. To help restore moisture and keep skin looking soft and radiant, try a super-hydrating lotion like Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream.
Blush Blunders: Time and time again we’re told to apply blush to the “apples” of our cheeks, however, doing this can often give off a doll-like look, with two round, pink circles on our faces—yikes! Instead, apply blush up and into the temples. Be sure not to start too far below the cheekbone, as this will bring the eye lower, causing the face to look pulled down. Focus right on top of the cheekbones so that you’re visually lifting the face. Also, stick with blush colors that compliment your skin tone instead of going too bright or too dark.
Caking It On: While using foundation to hide blemishes and uneven skin tone is a plus, layering on a thick foundation can actually make matters worse. Heavy, caked-on foundation settles into fine lines, amplifying them like a magnifying glass. Instead, opt for a lightweight liquid foundation or a CC cream, and apply with a damp Beauty Blender for flawless coverage.
Too Much Sparkle: Highlighter should be applied with a light hand on top of the cheekbones, your cupid’s bow, and just above the space in-between brows. Doing an all-over dusting of highlighter is a bit too much like channeling Twilight. Not to mention, when applied incorrectly, highlighter can settle into all the wrong spaces, making you appear much older than you are.
All-Over Powder: To help curb shine, dusting a small amount of powder on the T-zone is fine, however, heavily buffing a setting powder all over the face can age you. Powder settles into fine lines (especially around the eyes) so if you can, avoid powder as much as possible.
Eyeliner on the Lower Lash Line: Drawing attention to this area can actually accentuate fine lines underneath the eye. Alternatively, wing out your eyeliner on the top lash line ever so slightly so that it draws the eye upward.
Too Much Matte: Matte makeup sounds ideal for girls with oily and combination skin, however, sometimes having super-matte foundation and powder can look a little too plastic. Instead, go for a more natural foundation like Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. To fake a dewy glow, try a face spray like Kora Organics Balancing Rose Facial Mist.