Makeup Mistakes That Might Make Us Look Older Than We Are

Makeup mistakes that might make us look older than we are can happen to anyone — even those who love experimenting with beauty trends. Makeup can be a powerful tool to enhance our natural beauty, but when used incorrectly, it can actually have the opposite effect. Small makeup mistakes like using too much foundation, heavy eye makeup, or mismatched tones can unintentionally add years to our appearance.

The key to a youthful look lies in subtlety, balance, and understanding what complements your features best. By avoiding these makeup mistakes that might make us look older than we are, you can keep your skin fresh, radiant, and naturally beautiful.

Avoid Heavy Eye Makeup

Heavy eye makeup with loads of mascara and eye shadow and eyeliner can be a striking look, but you might not know that it can also be an aging look. It can be hard to get the proportions just right so that you can keep the balance of stunning eye makeup but also youthful. The heavy eyeshadow can be the most challenging aspect of all and it can really add the most years. 

Maybe it is because heavy eye makeup is generally associated with older ladies or maybe it is the result of poor application techniques, but either way, if you’re trying to look young, you should avoid this. 

Keep the Contouring Light

Ah, contouring. It is perhaps the most shocking and magical part of makeup. It can completely transfer your face…for better or for worse, depending on your skills. Before walking out in public with the results of your first time of contouring on your face, make sure that you have practiced quite a few times to get it right as it can be very challenging. Blending is the secret to contouring perfection.

If you want to get the perfect contour you will also want to use multiple different foundations, not just one color. If you stick to one color it will end up looking unnatural and forced.

Don’t Overdo the Mascara

Just about everyone wants that long, luxurious eyelash look. Some people opt for fake lashes to obtain that look while others stick to the mascara for an additional boost. If mascara is your weapon of choice, you should really consider skimping on the mascara and not overdoing it. More does not necessarily mean better and mascara is the proof of that. Too much mascara will actually have the opposite effect of what you are looking for.

Instead of putting on countless layers of mascara, you should consider buying a lengthening mascara and a volumizing mascara and only use those two in small amounts. 

Do the Lips Last, Not First

Sometimes it seems like lipstick and lip liners are simply the cherry on top of a complete look, and that is exactly how you need to see things. Have you ever put on a full face of makeup, starting with the lipstick out of pure excitement only to realize that the look was ruined by the time you finished with the powders and concealers? Wait until the end to put the cherry finish on top! 

You want to make sure that you have foundation underneath the lipstick and lip liner. It’s really difficult to fill in the outer line afterward, so to save yourself the hassle, save it for the end! 

Only a Small Amount of Foundation Does the Trick

It may be tempting to use lots of foundation, especially if you have problematic skin. However, you should resist the urge and try to only use a small amount each time. Too much foundation will look unnatural in most natural lighting settings and that is the last thing you want. A little goes a long way, especially in the foundation world and it would be good to remember that always! 

Speaking of foundation, don’t forget about the neck! Having a full face of foundation without the same applied to the neck will give a very strange and unnatural appearance. 

Keep It Light on the Lower Lid

Looping back to mascara, again you are presented with the concept of “less is more”. Some people like to pile on the mascara, loading on layer after later to both their upper and lower lids. However, this is actually not the best practice. If you are going to cake it on, cake only on the top. Adding too much mascara to the lower lid drags your face downward instead of upwards. 

Having the upper lid with long and heavy lashes is actually a far more natural look. Lower lashes are almost always much shorter and less thick than their upper counteparts. 

Take Your Skin Type Into Account

Every person has a very different skin type. Some people have oily skin while others have dry skin…other people have a combination of both. Although it may be the first thing you think about when buying lotions and moisturizers, it is easy to forget about when it comes to types of makeup. Make sure that the brand and the type of makeup are the right fit for your skin type. 

You don’t want to end up with very oily makeup for already oily skin. Besides giving you an overly oily look, it also will take a toll on your complextion.

Get the Right Eyeshadow

Eyeshadow can be a blessing and a curse….the devil is in the details. What is the most imporatnt thing to keep in mind when it comes to choosing an eye shadow? You want to make sure you get the best color for your eye and your skin tone. The safest choice is always brown, as it tends to work for many different colors, but the next best are any earthy tones like green. 

If you don’t know what the correct color is for your face, you can go into any beauty store and ask the employees there for their recommendations. 

Try to Take a Break From Makeup for Healthy, Youthful Skin

It may be a challenge for some people to avoid putting makeup on for an entire day, but that may be the best step forward to keep your skin looking youthful. Although there are countless products out there to enhance and improve the condition of your skin (and they do help), sometimes it is good to give your skin a break and a breath. Too much of anything is not a good thing. 

Of course, you should still moisturize to keep your skin in good condition, but it is alright to miss a day here and there…and it is possibly even for the best. 

Don’t Hide Your Glow

Some people truly underestimate how beautiful of a natural glow their skin has. That is not something that you want to hide behind a heavy foundation. Of course, the correct type of foundation can add to your natural glow and make your skin appear more even, but be sure to get the right tone. Many people try to get a lighter color than their actual skin tone and it adds on a few unnecessary years ot the face. 

If you do choose to wear foundation, one of the most important tips is to be sure that you get the closest color possible to your actual skin tone.

Try Not to Overline Your Overlining

Overlining is a pretty common practice when it comes to lip care. Most people want to give their lips a fuller and larger appearance than they naturally have. As a result, overlining has become a pretty popular technique. But overlining is a risky business if you do not know what you are doing. When overlining, be sure to not extend too far outside of the lip or it will be very obvious. 

The whole point of the lip liner is to make it look like your lips are naturally larger than they actually are. People don’t usually want it to look like makeup. 

Try Not to Overshine to Make Your Skin Look Healthy

Shimmery and shiny makeup may just be the most tempting types out there. After all, who can resist the urge to apply all those appealing shiny eyeshadows and shimmers to your face? However, if you want to keep a subtle and clean look, try to keep it to a minimum. There is nothing wrong with a little shimmer and shine here and there, but anything that is overdone will not look good.

You’d be surprised to learn that you will actually look more glamorous if you use shimmer and shine sparingly. People who overuse it tend to look like they don’t know what they are doing when it comes to makeup. 

Sharpen Those Lipstick Lines

The lips are very important when it comes to makeup. Perhaps the most sensual part of the face (competing with the eyes), they tend to draw a lot of attention. That is why it is so important to keep your lip makeup looking fresh and perfect. Be sure to invest in a nice lip pencil or pen that makes sharp and precise lines. You don’t want the color blending or bleeding into your concealer or foundation. 

Try getting a lip pencil that is a very slight shade darker than your lipstick. This can also add to that distinct and striking look, making sure your lips don’t fade away.

Blend the Eye Shadow

Eye shadow can be lovely. However, it is important to remember not to just brush on a full one-toned shade to the top of your lid. If you want to create a natural and authentic look (even when using bright colors) it is important to blend two different shades of the same color. The eye has shadows and creases so it is crucial to incorporate the different shades of the same color for a clean look.

Although this may be harder to do with the bright colors (as different shades can be hard to find) it is still worth a try and you won’t be disappointed with the results. 

Try New Looks

Nothing screams boring more than the exact same makeup every day. Of course, there is nothing wrong with having a go-to or classic look, but it is also nice to change it up a little bit here and there. Even if you look best in black eyeliner, black mascara, and brown eyeshadow maybe you should give brown eye makeup or earthy tones a try and see what you think of it. 

What’s the worst-case scenario? You have a look that you don’t like. What is the best case? You’ve discovered a whole new look that looks really great on you.

Keep Everything Coordinated

Although it may seem pretty obvious that you should avoid wearing clashing colors with your makeup and your clothing, it is not so obvious for some people. Unless that is the look you are going for, you should try to keep things at least coordinated (it doesn’t have to match perfectly). If you have an entirely blue ensemble on, consider choosing a color that compliments that rather than something that would clash. 

Not everything has to match all the time and of course, you can experiment with different styles, but it tends to look elegant and thought out if the colors coordinate.