Erase 10 years: Balance color with neutrals on your face
Before
Too much of anything is never good -- especially with bright makeup like red lipstick, rosy blush and jewel-toned eyes, which tend to look old, says New York makeup pro Nick Barose.
After
Color is necessary, but keep it sheer and strategic -- don't wear it all over. Example? If you go with a translucent punchy red or petal pink on your cheeks and lips, keep your eyes neutral to balance it out, Kashuk says. The same rule applies if you want to wear a dramatic eye; keep lips and cheeks neutral. Barose advises avoiding pale nude tones on your lips because it can make your skin look grayish. Use pink neutrals and berries instead.
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Erase 10 years: Lighten up on foundation and concealer
Before
It's tempting to spackle coverage on to even skin tone and hide dark circles or problem spots, but cakey makeup can seep into wrinkles and make them look deeper, Barose says. Yet too little coverage can make you look tired.
After
"Always prep with a moisturizer before applying foundation. The extra bit of moisture helps makeup slide on smoothly and evenly," says Barbie Laurino, a global makeup artist for Laura Mercier.
Ideally, your makeup should allow your natural skin to show through, not blanket it. "To get the lightest, most sheer layer of coverage, use a damp sponge or synthetic brush instead of using your fingers," Kashuk says. These tools control the product so it's not applied too thick. Then, dot concealer on the spots that need extra coverage: under your eyes, around your nose and on any pimples. If you have dark circles under your eyes, avoid yellow-based concealer, which makes skin look green and ashy, Laurino says.
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Erase 10 years: Define your eyes with a little liner and fill in your brows
Before
Know how your eyes look when you wake up? Squinty and slightly lower at the corners? While we'd all like to think going natural on our eyes looks fresh and clean, aging eyes will look too tired. A thick streak of liquid liner can make eyes dark and droopy too, Barose explains.
After
If you must ditch a product, let it be foundation; eyeliner is low-maintenance and high impact.
Liner makes eyes look full and wide open, de-emphasizing any signs of aging. "But dark black liners and mascara make eyes look hard, so consider switching to a subtle brown or brown-black," Surratt says. Use powder eyeliner instead of liquid -- it's a challenge to get a fine line with the liquid and too much can look retro, Barose warns. "Using an angled brush, work the powder liner into your lash line, getting in between all the lashes," Laurino says. It should be visible when your eyes are open.
Next, fill in sparse brows to make them more defined -- it sets off your eyes, Surratt says. It also creates the illusion of lifting by drawing attention up instead of down. Choose a powder color similar to your brows and apply with a small angled brush. Don't make them too drawn on, Barose says -- follow their line, focusing on filling in any gaps, not crafting a new look.
Also, never skip curling your lashes. This allows more light to get to your eyes, making them look brighter and less droopy, Surratt says.
Remember when you were a little girl and you couldn't wait to start wearing makeup?
How you'd pocket your mom's lipstick and wait until you got to the bathroom at school to put it on? And, how you logged countless hours in front of the bathroom mirror experimenting with different colors and ways to draw on eyeliner until you hit on just the right combo?
Makeup is transcendent. With it, our possibilities are infinite. A mere sweep of a brush or pat with a sponge can cover our flaws, accentuate our best features and add a little whimsy to any occasion. And, perhaps best of all (especially when you reach a certain age) properly — and strategically — placed shades and formulations can impart the illusion of youth. It's true.
Simply swapping a harsh dark color for a subtler one or trading your powder products for creamier versions can make a world of difference in how your (formerly youthful) face appears in the mirror — and to the world. Plus, certain application techniques and tricks of the trade can work to magically give the appearance of lift in the areas where aging faces need it most.
To find out the best ways to use makeup to turn back time (if only until you wash your face at night) we talked to several noted makeup artists, including Nick Barose and Sonia Kashuk, who were only too happy to share their expertise. So, if you're curious to see how some small switches in your regimen can make a big difference, see the makeup tips that erase 10 years now.
