10 Makeup Myths That Are Actually Making You Look Older
The world is filled with makeup rules that may have started with good intentions but have since gone way wrong. Pro makeup artist Andrew Sotomayor busts some of the biggest offenders—and tells you what to do instead.
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Courtesy of brand1/20Makeup myth: Matte skin makes you look younger.
Truth: This is the makeup equivalent of saying you have to cut your hair short after a certain age. We're not sure who started this silly rumor, but just like healthy, shiny hair, you can never go wrong with glowing, freshly moisturized skin. Keep your skin refreshed with a facial treatment oil and a dewy foundation.
Pro Pick: L'Occitane Divine Youth Oil ($106, loccitane.com)
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Courtesy of brand2/20Application tip: Powder partially.
If you're worried about looking more oily than dewy, apply powder just around the eyes and on the center of the forehead instead of all over your face. It'll keep your makeup from creasing in key areas without sacrificing a healthy glow.
*Lipstick Pick: Gucci Luxe Finishing Face Powder ($55, gucci.com) *
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Courtesy of brand3/20Makeup myth: Shimmery eyeshadow accentuates wrinkles.
Truth: Coco Chanel was known for wearing white blouses and multiple strands of pearls to bounce light around her neck, which she believed made her look younger and more glowing. The same concept works on your eyes. Sparkling shadows brighten eyes by distracting from imperfections like dark circles. And the shimmering particles break up light, creating their own unique texture that hides roughness and wrinkles on lids.
Lipstick Pick: Kat Von D Metal Crush Eyeshadow $21, sephora.com)
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Courtesy of brand4/20Application tip: Strategically place your shimmer.
Using shimmering beige, pink, or gold on the lids and the inner corners of the eyes wakes them up by bringing light to the area. The most foolproof way to apply it is with a chubby eyeshadow pencil. You want to color all over the lids and sketch a sideways letter V at the inner corner of each eye. Consider this trick your instant look-awake move.
Pro Pick: Nyx Cosmetics Jumbo Eye Pencil ($4.50, ulta.com)
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Courtesy of brand5/20Makeup myth: A smoky eye works only in your teens and 20s.
Truth: Look no further than beauty icon Jane Fonda to dispel this myth. At 77, she's been tearing up the red carpet wearing sexy, smoky eyes for decades. The stronger lid color makes your own eye color pop and conveys mega confidence.
Lipstick Pick: Sonia Kashuk Eye Shadow Quad ($13.69, target.com)
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Courtesy of brand6/20Application tip: Master the smoky ombré eye.
Use a fluffy brush to apply a light eyeshadow shade from lash to brow. Use the same brush to layer a medium-to-deep shade on the lid. Then take a dark eyeliner and trace your upper lash line. Smudge it smooth with a liner brush, and layer a dark bronze or charcoal color with the fluffy brush to intensify the liner and lock it in place. For this look, you want to line only on the upper lash line to keep the focus up top. Add two or three coats of mascara to help open and lift your eyes and keep the look from becoming heavy.
Pro Pick: Guerlain Six-Shade Eyeshadow ($93, saksfifthavenue.com)
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Courtesy of brand7/20Makeup myth: Tinted moisturizers will always make you look younger.
Truth: Tinted moisturizer is great for a sheer amount of color, but only a medium- to full-coverage foundation can hide signs of aging like sun spots, redness, and broken capillaries. Don't worry—there are plenty of new formulas that don't look cakey.
Pro Pick: Clé de Peau Beauté Silky Cream Foundation ($120, saks.com)
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Courtesy of brand8/20Application tip: Layer, layer, layer.
Use a foundation brush in soft outward strokes to apply the product over the face. For areas that need more coverage, use the brush to press foundation into the skin, allowing you to build it up in specific spots. Don't be afraid to experiment. If you apply too much, blot a damp sponge anywhere there is excess product to soften it.
Lipstick Pick: Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer ($27, clinique.com)
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Courtesy of brand9/20Makeup myth: Bright blush looks unnatural.
Truth: Avoid dull shades that look washed out, and don't add richness to your complexion. A bright color, applied softly, will look natural, but it will also combat signs of fatigue. A sheer application of bright peach, pink, or even red will mimic a natural flush better than a dusty rose color. Skipping blush altogether, especially when wearing foundation, leaves a bare face looking a little too neutral to look natural.
*Pro Pick: Dolce & Gabbana The Blush in Provocative 40 ($47, nordstrom.com) *
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Courtesy of brand10/20Application tip: Bright color + soft touch = perfect cheeks.
A brighter color will show up more than a dull shade, and a softly packed blush brush will pick up less product, so you'll apply just a veil of color. Rather than digging into the blush, tap it softly with your brush, and apply with a soft hand. Better still, invest in a high-quality synthetic brush, which doesn't pick up as much excess powder as the natural-hair kind.
Lipstick Pick: Sephora Collection Classic Synthetic Complexion Powder Brush ($29, sephora.com)
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Courtesy of brand11/20Makeup myth: Apply blush under the cheekbones to make them pop.
Truth: Using blush to contour under the cheekbones was a popular trend in the '80s, but a more 2015 application is to put it right on the apples of your cheeks. This helps lift your whole face and brings more attention to your eyes.
Pro Pick: Bobbi Brown Blush in Apricot ($28, bobbibrown.com)
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Courtesy of brand12/20Application tip: Use a circular motion.
Apply blush in a circular motion, high on the apples of your face where your cheekbones end, about an inch below the outer corners of your eyes. Keeping the flush of color high adds fullness. Just don't go too high; you don't want blush anywhere near your temples.
Lipstick Pick: E.l.f. Studio Blush Palette ($6, eyeslipsface.com)
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Courtesy of brand13/20Makeup myth: Never buy foundation that's darker than your skin tone.
Truth: Many women need a foundation one shade darker than their true match. Over time, skin has a tendency to look washed-out. Applying a foundation that's one shade darker will warm your complexion and balance out the signs of stress and poor sleeping habits.
Lipstick Pick: MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation $32, maccosmetics.com)
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Courtesy of brand14/20Application tip: Don't forget your neck.
Apply foundation to the center of the face, and blend it out with a foundation brush or damp sponge. Then use a large powder brush to apply powder bronzer to your neck, so your neck and face will match each other. For women with a golden or yellow undertone who need a little more color, choose a foundation that's one shade darker and has peachy tone. For women with ivory skin, choose a color with a little pink in it (try Armani Maestro Foundation Shade #5 at left). For women with deep ebony complexions that look more olive, add warmth with a shade that is no lighter or darker than your skin tone but has a little more red or terra-cotta color to it, which will balance out the green pigments in your skin.
*Pro Pick: Armani Maestro Foundation Shade #5 ($64, giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com) *
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Courtesy of brand15/20Makeup myth: Never buy foundation that's lighter than your skin tone.
Truth: While women who have a tendency to look washed-out might want to go one shade darker, women with an uneven skin tone that tends to look red or blotchy are often better off choosing a foundation that's one shade lighter than their natural complexion. You want the shade to help even things out to match your healthiest-looking skin tone rather than matching the ruddiness.
Pro Pick: Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation ($58, chanel.com)
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Courtesy of brand16/20Application tip: Remember that rosy fights redness.
Typically, a pro will find your foundation match by picking a color that will disappear into your skin. If your skin has excessive redness, however, you'll need a shade that's somewhere between the color of your skin on your face and the color on the inside of your wrist. The inner wrist is usually not as red and is closer to your true complexion. Usually, a color that's neutral to cool, with a slightly rosy undertone works best. Avoid yellow-based makeup (layered on top of red skin, yellow makeup can turn you orange!). Instead, opt for a color that's more pink or beige. Tap on the product where you need it the most, and blend it out with a foundation brush.
Lipstick Pick: It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Correcting Cream ($32, itcosmetics.com)
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Courtesy of brand17/20Makeup myth: Lip liner makes you look older.
Truth: In general, women have had a love-hate relationship with lip pencils through the '80s, '90s, and early 2000s. Whether the pencil is too dark or two drawn-out, the results can go astray—fast. Adding a lip liner in a natural shade, however, can make your lips look younger, poutier, and more defined. Choose a color that's either the same shade as your lips or the same shade as your lipstick.
Pro Pick: Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Liner in Toast ($6.49, maybelline.com)
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Courtesy of brand18/20Application tip: Focus lip liner on the center of your lower lip.
To enhance the shape of your lips without it looking fake, the trick is to accentuate the lower lip—just in the middle. Trace a line below the center of your lower lip. Next, extend the liner, and sweep it up toward the outer corners of your mouth. The high angle will help the liner mimic the shape your mouth makes when you smile and ensure that your pout still looks natural. From here, add gloss or lipstick in any color. If you keep the color closer to the center of the lips and smudge out toward the liner, it will look even more realistic.
Lipstick Pick: Lipstick Queen Exact Match Lip Liner in Pink ($18, www.ulta.com)
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Courtesy of brand19/20Makeup myth: Waterproof mascaras rip out your eyelashes.
Truth: You need a waterproof mascara because it helps lashes hold curl better than regular mascaras (think of how a humid day can ruin your hair if you don't use some kind of frizz-control product). Now, it's true that trying to scrub off any type of mascara (waterproof or regular) can damage your lashes or cause some to fall out prematurely. So when you're taking your makeup off, it's important to softly massage a gentle cleansing oil across the lashes until the mascara becomes loose enough to be wiped away. Finish by washing your face as normal, and splashing off any residue with the sudsy water.
Pro Pick: RMS Beauty Eye Makeup Remover ($18, rmsbeauty.com)
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Courtesy of brand20/20Application tip: Always use a lash curler.
Lashes should point upward and outward in order to make your eyes look more awake. Lashes that point straight out won't be as visible or look as long, and lashes that aren't curled and point downward can make you look more tired.
Pro Pick: Relevee Lash Curler from Surratt Beauty ($30 , barneys.com)
