Is your makeup ageing you? Take years off your face with age-appropriate makeup techniques!

One of the most common style mistakes that many women make is sticking to the same makeup routine year in and year out. They’ll keep bang up to date with fashion trends but will still do their makeup the same way they’ve always done. Keeping up with makeup trends, taking advantage of advances in science and subtly altering your makeup style to counter the effects of ageing can keep you looking fabulous no matter what your age.

If you’re under 16 the only advice is “less is more”. If you’re using makeup, keep it subtle and let the freshness of youth speak for itself. A little eyeliner and lipgloss should be all you need. Good grooming is essential: clean hair, well-shaped eyebrows and a take-no-prisoners attitude to hair removal are vital – now and forever.

Humaima Malik

When you’re this young keep up with trends in cosmetics and don’t be afraid to try bizarre fashions. This is the time to try popping eye shadows, glittery glosses and green nail polish. Do learn how to apply makeup properly – take a class or experiment in your bedroom with different techniques so you can work out what suits your features best.

Remember to differentiate between day and night make-up. Kohl-lined eyes with full blusher and lippy may work for a formal dinner but they are a complete no-no in the daytime – even if you are newly-wed, no matter what the ‘aunties’ say. Keep daytime makeup subtle, with softer shades and a fresh natural look.

Don’t stick to one particular look – try smoky eyes one day and glittery eyeshadow the next. Try to avoid the fully made up look – pair dramatic eyes with a nude lipstick or match red lipstick with a simple slick of mascara. For ultra formal occasions you can pull out all the stops for a dramatic look but keep your hairstyle a little messy the way celebrities do.  Remember there is nothing more ageing than being overly made-up with a formal hairdo.

Finally remember to use a good UVA/UVB sunblock – it’s the one thing that’s been proven to slow the visible signs of ageing.

Mahira Khan

 

Looks-wise this is a brilliant decade. Most women have few if any signs of ageing though you should remember that your skin will gradually become less forgiving than it was. Be meticulous about using sunblock and invest in a good eye-cream. You may have never bothered to take off your makeup in your twenties but now cleansing, toning and moisturizing should become a permanent part of your bedtime routine. Other than that you can forget about ageing and enjoy the fact that you can carry off almost any look – from natural to dramatic.

Do remember to update your style. Makeup trends change all the time and it’s important to keep your look current. Keep an eye on the way what celebrities your age are doing makeup-wise as they have access to the best stylists and products. Don’t go overboard with funkier trends – you can smear sparkle all over your lid in your twenties but by your thirties you should perhaps tone it down to a glittery pencil. Aim for a more polished look that gives a nod to catwalk trends rather than loading your beauty bag with the season’s glitziest trends.

Ayesha F. Hashwani

As you hit your forties, you’ll suddenly see the first signs of ageing appear. Almost overnight you’ll see the beginnings of crows feet and the odd age spot. Your skin will also tend to be drier and less translucent. Your lashes will seem less full and as you head towards 50, drooping eyelids and feathering around your lips will appear.

Zeba Bakhtiar

Depressing as this may seem, you can minimize the effects without having a cosmetic surgeon on speed-dial. Invest in a good primer to fill in and mask imperfections such as fine lines and enlarged pores. Primer will give your makeup staying power and will help it go on more evenly – which is especially important around the eyes. Use lip pencils to counter feathering around your lips and an emollient concealer for age spots.

Ditch your black eye pencil for a more flattering brown and use a lengthening, volumising mascara for those sparse lashes. For formal occasions fill in the gaps in your lashes with individual falsies. Bring youthful colour back to your face with a pink or peach cream blusher on the apples of cheeks.

Overall however, tone down your makeup and go for a more natural look. You can still vamp it up in the evenings but not as much as you did when you were younger. If you want to remain looking youthful it’s time to go back to a “less is more” philosophy with subtler softer shades.