Aging skin requires different care and attention compared to youthful skin. As we age, our skin changes, and so should our beauty routine. Here are 15 beauty swaps you can make to better care for mature skin, ensuring it stays radiant, smooth, and healthy.
1. Swap Heavy Foundation for Tinted Moisturizer
Heavy, full-coverage matte foundations can settle into fine lines and wrinkles, making them more noticeable as we age. To blur the appearance of your wrinkles and fine lines, try opting for a tinted moisturizer or a light hydrating foundation with buildable coverage that evens out your skin tone without emphasizing an aged texture.
2. Choose Cream Blush Over Powder
When the skin ages, it becomes more dry because it can’t hydrate itself like it once could. Because of this, powder blushes can become your worst enemy when it comes to makeup. It can accentuate dryness and texture on mature skin. Cream blushes, on the other hand, provide a dewy, youthful glow and blend seamlessly into the skin, giving you a natural flush.
3. Use a Hydrating Primer Instead of Matte
Matte primers can leave mature skin looking flat and dull. Mature skin needs all the moisturise it can get, because of this a hydrating primer is a subtle swap that will have a big effect on the way your makeup looks. Using a hydrating primer will create a smooth base, adding moisture and giving your skin a healthy, radiant finish.
4. Opt for a Dewy Setting Spray Over Powder
Setting powders are a great way to stop your makeup from moving around on your face, however, if you have mature skin, you may want to steer clear of powders. Setting powders can settle into fine lines, making them more prominent. Instead, use a dewy setting spray to set your makeup while keeping your skin looking fresh and hydrated. You can even put it in your handbag for a quick spritz to hydrate and lock in your makeup throughout the day.
5. Replace Dark Matte Lipsticks with Soft Glossy Shades
Dark, matte lipsticks can make lips appear thinner and emphasize lines around your mouth. This does not mean you must hide behind drab and boring colors; instead, try swapping darker hues for softer, more natural shades with a satin or gloss finish that can make your lips look fuller and more youthful.
6. Switch to a Lightweight Eye Cream
As our skin changes, our skincare needs change too. If you’re you’reng your skin maturing, then it might be time to revamp your skincare regime. For example, heavy eye creams can cause puffiness and don’t adon’t well into the skin. Opt for a lightweight eye cream that hydrates and smooths without leaving a greasy residue.
7. Choose a Creamy Concealer Over a Matte Formula
Matte concealers can settle into fine lines and make the under-eye area look dry. This is particularly true if you put too much concealer under your eyes. A creamy, lightweight concealer will blend better, keeping the area bright and hydrated. It also is less likely to settle into the fine lines around your eyes and draw unwanted attention.
8. Swap Scratchy Physical Exfoliants for Chemical Ones
Physical exfoliants like face scrubs can be too harsh for mature skin, leading to micro-tears and irritation. Your skin is already dealing with many new issues, so why add to it? Swap out harsh physical exfoliants for chemical exfoliants like glycolic acid or lactic acid, which provide gentle exfoliation and promote cell turnover without damaging the skin.
9. Use a Hydrating Serum Instead of Face Oils
Mature skin tends to be drier and needs much more hydration than younger skin. Because of this, skincare products that once worked in your favor may start to have little to no effect. Try swapping oily serums that settle on the skin and can clog pores for hydrating serums infused with anti-aging ingredients like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, or glycerin to keep your skin plump and moisturized.
10. Replace Matte Eyeshadows with Light Reflecting Ones
Just like other makeup powders, matte eyeshadows can make the eyes look sunken, tired, and wrinkly. Satin or shimmer shades reflect light, adding dimension and a more awake appearance to your eyes. Or, you could skip powders altogether and opt for an eyeshadow crayon or pomade that is much more forgiving on the eyelids than a traditional powder.
11. Apply a Nourishing Lip Balm Instead of Lipstick
Like the rest of your face, your lips experience increased dryness as you age. You might find that you’re suffering from chapped lips more commonly, and lip lines look pronounced. Using a nourishing lip balm with a hint of color can keep your lips hydrated while still adding a touch of glamour. They will also risk highlighting aging lined lips or your lipstick bleeding.
12. Swap Thick Eyebrow Pencils for Fine Brow Pens
When we get older, our eyebrows become more and more sparse. You may want to compensate by drawing on eyebrows, but thick eyebrow pencils can create an overly harsh look. This is the last thing you want to do. Brow pens allow for more precise application, and many are infused with hair fibers to give your brows a natural, fuller appearance without looking too harsh or heavy.
13. Use a Hydrating Toner Instead of Astringent Ones
When your skin begins to age, even your toner needs to change. If you’ve been using astringent or alcohol-based toner forever, it may strip the skin of its natural oils, which is not ideal for mature skin. Switch them out for hydrating toner with gentle ingredients like rosewater, aloe, or hyaluronic acid to balance your skin’s skin’sle adding much-needed moisture. Spray regularly throughout the day, too, to ward off a dull, dry complexion.
14. Choose a Lightweight SPF Instead of Heavy Sunscreen
SPF is essential for mature skin, which becomes even more susceptible to UV and environmental damage with age. However, heavy sunscreens can feel greasy and may clog pores, which can cause more skincare issues and speed up aging. A lightweight, broad-spectrum SPF (ideally organic or mineral) provides the same protection without feeling heavy on the skin.
15. Replace Liquid Eyeliner with Cream Eyeliner
Eyeliner is a great way to draw attention to the eyes and accentuate your face. However, it might be time to swap liquid liner for a crayon or kohl eyeliner. On mature skin, liquid eyeliner can bleed into fine lines and accentuate the look of eye sagging. Using a crayon or kohl eyeliner is easy to manage and is less likely to feather.