Makeup Tips for Looking Younger

We are under so much pressure to look young, that sometimes we overdo on the makeup and instead end up looking garish and older. Beauty magazines and television constantly drill it inside our heads that any women who doesn't look like a 22-year-old is over-the-hill.

While aging is inevitable, you have to realize that anti-aging creams and serums can only help you reduce the signs of aging. The best way to combat aging is to accept it and take it in your stride, so that you look graceful even with a few lines and wrinkles. That is not to say that you let yourself go and don't wear any makeup at all.

The right amount is very effective in giving your complexion a warm glow and a youthful look. The worst mistake that most women make at the first sign of a wrinkle, is to pile on heavy foundation to conceal it. Well it does not work. Too much of foundation can actually make you look older than you are.

The skin starts to age during your 20s, with the skin losing its elasticity. Combine this with inadequate sun protection, faulty diet, and improper skin care regimen, and you will have skin that looks blotchy with sun spots and enlarged pores.

All these problems can be avoided if you just make changes in your lifestyle and beauty care regimen. Nevertheless, there is makeup that comes to your rescue and can help you look youthful and fresh.

One of the best makeup tips to fake younger looking skin is to use foundation with a light hand. A face caked up with a layer of foundation will only make you look older. So, apply foundation or concealer only on those parts of the skin where needed, like under the eyes, on dark circles, and dark spots.

A liquid foundation with luminescent or pearlescent particles is best for camouflaging fine lines and wrinkles. It gives the skin an even glow and because of its light weight formulation it does not look heavy or cakey.

If your skin is relatively free of blemishes and dark spots, you can use a tinted moisturizer instead of a heavy foundation. Under no circumstances should you use powder-based foundation, as it settles on the fine lines and wrinkles of the skin, making you look older.

The best way to apply liquid foundation is to use a damp sponge to apply it on the skin. If you are over 40, then it would be a good idea to use a primer before you apply the foundation. A primer helps smoothen fine lines and wrinkles, giving you a smooth and flawless look.

Eye makeup should be soft and the eyes should be done in light or neutral matte shades. You should avoid frosted eye shadows as they accentuate fine lines and crows foot. As we age, the eyelids sag and droop. To camouflage this, you need to make sure that you choose lighter colored eyes shadows as they help to make eyes appear bigger than they are.

Shades like champagne, plum, and taupe work best. Also, apply a light and glimmery eye shadow at the inner corner of the eye and at the brow bone to open up the eyes.

Use an eyelash curler before you apply mascara as it will help open up your eyes. Choose a good lengthening and volumizing mascara. Avoid applying eyeliner to the entire upper and lower lid of the eyes. This makes the eyes appear enclosed which makes them look smaller.

To enhance the shape of your eyes, apply a soft pencil eyeliner two-thirds from the outer corner of the eyes for the upper eyelid and fully to the lower eyelids starting from the inner to outer corners. Smudge it slightly to give it a natural look.

Many women shy away from using a blusher. But a bit of color on your cheeks can make your complexion look fresh and youthful. Choose a peach or dusky rose colored blusher to accentuate your cheekbones.

Don't know where to apply blusher? Just tilt your head down for a minute and look carefully in the mirror. The area of the cheeks where you see a natural blush is the place where you need to apply the blusher.

As lips begin to lose their collagen, lips become thinner. A good makeup tip to plump up the lips, is to apply a lip balm before applying a lipstick. A good lip balm will not only help combat dryness, but it will also prevent the lipstick from bleeding and settling into the fine lines of the lips.

One of the best tips for looking younger is to avoid using dark lipsticks and matte lipsticks. A light or nude colored lipstick with a pearly effect will give you a youthful look. Just a dab of clear gloss applied at the center of the lips will make your lips appear smoother and fuller.

Makeup should always enhance your look and make you look younger. The right makeup products and techniques can help you look graceful and radiant. So, use these tips and tricks to turn back the clock.