1. Fix Those Flaws
The secret to showing off a glowing, younger-looking complexion is to address skin issues and imperfections like large pores, dark circles, rough dry skin, rosacea, and blemishes. Makeup isn’t a magic cure-all so treat large pores and remove dry flaky skin with exfoliation and hydrating hyaluronic acid serums and moisturizers. If you have redness, rosacea or breakouts use clean, gentle skincare products infused with soothing ingredients. Always apply eye cream to protect from fine lines and disguise dark circles.
2. Healthy Food Can Be Bad for Skin
Your diet influences the health and appearance of your skin and even some healthy foods can be bad. Citrus fruits like oranges, lemon, lime, mandarin, and grapefruit are rich in vitamin C but they are also highly acidic which can negatively impact your kidneys and gut health. Eating high quantities of citrus fruits can also make the skin more sensitive to sun damage which triggers aging. Too much red meat, dairy, carrots, and avocado can affect your skin.
3 . Not to Prime is a Crime
It’s important to prep your skin before makeup application so apply moisturizer followed by primer. Primer works to fill in fine lines, disguise open pores, and create a more even surface so makeup goes on smoother and lasts longer. As for your foundation, steer clear of heavy matte products as they can look dull, and cakey and settle into lines and wrinkles making them more noticeable.
4. Don’t Make This Mascara Mistake
Your eye area is the most susceptible to fine lines, crow’s feet, and a droopy brow so it’s important to master your mascara technique. Always apply a light coat of mascara to the bottom lashes to open up the eyes and make them pop. Only applying mascara to the top lashes creates an unbalanced look that can make your eyes look smaller and exaggerate signs of aging.
5. Matte Lipsticks Are Aging
Wearing a lipstick that flatters your face, coloring, and hair is everything. Lips lose moisture and fullness with age and dull matte lipsticks, especially in dark shades can make them look thinner and highlight fine lines and wrinkles. Switch out your matte lipstick for a hydrating satin formula in a color that enhances your skin tone.
6. Overlining Lips is Dated
Lip liner can be tricky to pull off as overlining your lips in a contrasting shade can look unnatural. To make your lips appear fuller without looking fake trace your lip pencil just outside your natural lip line and blend it well with a small brush.
7. Avoid Wellness and Self-Care Myths
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Don’t believe or jump on every wellness trend as this can be exhausting and anxiety-inducing. Subjecting yourself to alternative practices like extreme detox diets, sauna treatments, juice cleanses and ear candling can do your health and skin more harm than good. Instead, exercise regularly, get a good night’s sleep, eat a clean balanced diet, and drink 2.7 liters of water per day to flush out toxins and get your skin glowing.
8. Bad Blush Overload
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Too much blush, especially if it’s a bold shade or heavy powder will make you look overly made up, and older than you are. To create a more subtle, sexier well-blended flush use a cream or liquid formulation in a soft peach or pink shade or something close to your skin tone. Applying a liquid bronzer or a shimmery illuminator instead of blush to the apples of your cheeks also creates a natural glow.
9. Stop Over-Scheduling Self-Care
Indulging in self-care practices lowers anxiety and stress levels which has a positive impact on your health and skin. If you overpack your schedule even relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, and journaling can feel like a chore Be realistic about your time, and don’t add the pressure of a rigid schedule or you’ll increase your stress levels which can trigger premature aging.
10. Unflattering Hair Cuts
The right haircut will take years off your age, provided you go for a hairstyle and shade that complements your face shape and skin color. It should also work with your hair texture and suit your personal style. Get it wrong and your hairstyle can instantly make you look older and less attractive than you are. Some common offenders include short pixie crops, severe blunt bobs, heavy and choppy bangs, asymmetrical cuts, and in-between lengths.
11. Wrong Hair Shade
The wrong hair color will also age you fast. Proceed with caution when it comes to color as chemical treatments can damage the health and condition of your hair accelerating hair loss and graying. Over-bleaching damages the hair shaft turning strands dry, brittle, and straw-like. Dyeing your hair in a shade that is too dark or too light can create a harsh contrast emphasizing fine lines and wrinkles. Excessive or badly blended streaks are a dated, unattractive, and aging look.
12. Constant Stress
When you are constantly stressed, anxious, worried, or have a negative mindset this damages your physical and mental health and impacts the health and vitality of your skin and hair. Chronic stress can kill hair follicles leading to shedding and accelerating the graying process according to editors at Forbes. As for your skin, stress is enemy number one as it can trigger an inflammatory response in the body altering the DNA of skin cells breaking down collagen and elasticity causing wrinkles and sagging.
13. Heat Styling Damage
Hairdryers and heat styling tools like straighteners and curling irons dry out your hair and damage its condition, causing split ends, breakages, frizz and even triggering loss according to Women’s Health. For glossy, younger-looking hair let it dry naturally and apply heat protection products.
14. Good Dental Hygiene
A great smile will also take you places and make you look younger and more attractive so don’t neglect your teeth. Maintain good oral hygiene, eat a healthy diet, and avoid things that damage or discolor your teeth like smoking, drinking red wine, consuming too much coffee or spicy feeds, and even drinking lemon water which can damage the enamel of the teeth and turn them yellow.
15. Neglecting Your Feet
Women often give all the beauty ‘love’ to their faces and forget all about their feet. Our poor feet carry us around everywhere so keep them smooth, hydrated, and pedicured for a more youthful and polished appearance. When you neglect the health and appearance of your feet it can lead to unsightly imperfections like cracked heels, yellow ridged toenails, fungal infections, and foot odors.
16. Sun Bathing
In addition to stress and not getting enough sleep the sun’s UV rays are one of the biggest causes of premature aging. Exposure to the sun without wearing SPF damages the skin cells and alters their DNA leading to a breakdown in the skin’s collagen and elastin fibers. This makes skin less firm and radiant and results in wrinkles, pigmentation, age spots, and sagging. “To prevent premature aging and sun damage always apply SPF 30 every day whether you are in the sun or not,” says Dr. Hazan.