Many products and brands claim to help people age gracefully – or not at all but we all know that isn’t true. The real “secret” behind youthful appearance isn’t hidden behind a brand label or product but based on your habits.
Loreal Paris
Of course, the base of it all starts with good skincare which can be further built on with simple and quick tips and tricks. No, you do not need a 40 step night and morning routine to keep your skin plump and healthy.
Do’s: Basics
These are some basic things that everyone, despite their age, needs to start following and should be the building blocks of your daily routine. Think of these as timeless essentials which should never be skipped on.
Westend61
Drink water! Yes, keeping yourself hydrating will be the first step to good skincare and of course, getting enough sleep. If you don’t have these two things in your life, no cream, serum or gel will ever show you results.
Don’t: Basics
Once you make a routine out of drinking enough water and getting 8 hours of sleep, let’s start looking at the things you should stop doing. Your skin might have been “just fine” in your 20s with these habits but now is the time to stop them.
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Getting a suntan is a sure way to make your skin look worst and this is scientifically proven. If you want to keep that skin plump and healthy, get a bottle of suntan and follow the next step religiously.
Do’s: SPF
Open any magazine and you will see at least seven mentions of how important sunblock is and well, they aren’t wrong. SPF is essential for every person and some research suggests that you should start applying SPF as young as six months old.
Crystal Tomato
And while many might never have even heard about SPF, until recent years let alone applying it, there is no better time to start than now. Using SPF daily won’t just prevent signs of ageing but have other health benefits as well.
Don’t: SPF
The basic SPF on surface value doesn’t seem like it will have many “Don’t” but in fact, like with anything there is a right way to use it. For starters, skip the SPF 200 and other such gimmicks.
Medical News Today
A simple SPF 50 is all anyone needs and what does SPF 50 actually mean? It means that your skin will be protected 50 times more from UVA and UVB rays. Also, there is a common myth that those with darker skin tones do not need sunscreen and well, it is just that, a myth.
Do’s: Skin Care
Ahh. The much-advertised skincare routine! It seems that magazines and the world believe that mature skin must need a multitude of expensive creams to somehow reverse signs of ageing and well, that is just wrong.
Loreal Paris
Skincare for ageing skin should have four simple must-haves, a moisturizer, acid, serum and eye treatment. These should be your building blocks for skin care of any type and to be honest, of any age.
Don’t: Skin Care
What you should never do with skincare, especially with mature skin, is to follow untested trends. No 20 step skin care is needed to give yourself plump and healthy-looking skin, also don’t use high-potency peals and acids without first consulting a dermatologist.
North Florida Aesthetics
As skin ages, it naturally becomes thinner and while many online influencers might love a certain product, you are always better left choosing fragrance-free, mild and thick creams that are tried and tested.
Do’s: Foundation
As skin loses its elasticity, many people try to hide them by putting on layers and layers of foundation but in fact, you are supposed to do the exact opposite. Pick a light foundation, which matches your neck, yes not your face, your neck!
Dreamstime
Use a sponge or a foundation brush and carefully blend a light layer of foundation, if you have followed all our other steps already, this should be a breeze and the foundation should create a seamless finish.
Don’t: Foundation
Avoid going for thick foundations, in sticks or cremes, opt for liquid foundation and powder if you have particularly oily skin but even then learn to create light layers to build up coverage.
Loreal Paris
Another basic thing yet oft-forgotten is that you need to change your foundations based on seasons. Don’t use the same formula for summer months, as you would for winter, especially for ageing skin which is more susceptible to changes in weather.
Do’s: Eyes
Ahh. No article about makeup tips for mature skin can forget about the eyes. What is that age-old, rather cheesy saying, the eyes are the windows to the soul and well, we aren’t sure about that.
Exhale Lifestyle
But they might as well be a window to telling the world about your age! Pay special attention to your eyes when doing your make-up and less is always more with them, from concealer to eyeshadow.
Don’t: Eyes
The first step to ensuring a youthful appearance for mature skin is to ditch the eyeliner. Yes, bottom and top. The reasoning behind this is that the sharp lines of eyeliner close in the eyes and is a major don’t.
SixtyandMe
Especially since, as we age, our eyes naturally get smaller. Also, leave the dark smokey eyes behind and opt for warm neutrals which open the eyes or no eyeshadow at all. Finish it all off with a light concealer and that’s all you need.
Do’s: Brows
Remember the time when over-plucking your eyebrows were the best thing you could do? Well, the best thing you can do for your brows as you age is to leave them alone. Throw away your tweezer and you will be fine.
SixtyandMe
But if the damage is already done, don’t lose hope. There are still ways you can help the situation and the first step is to buy a high-quality brow gel. A gel is an ideal product for mature women since it is the most natural.
Don’t: Brows
Like we already mentioned, plucking or waxing your brows is the worst thing you can do to them and after that, it is picking the wrong brow product. Avoid powders and pencils at all cost.
StartsAt60
This is because the finish of these two products is rather unforgiving for mature skin, which doesn’t have the same elasticity. Also, picking a darker shade than your natural hair is a big no no and something many young people can get away with but others can’t.
Do’s: Eyelashes
Popular to contrary belief, eyeshadow isn’t solely responsible for creating a striking look. In fact, eyelashes play a huge part in with, especially for mature woman. While we recommend keeping it simple in most steps, this is where you can have fun.
Best Life
Pile on the mascara as much as you want, to create dramatic and flirty lashes which will frame the eyes. If you have light colouring, try a softer shade of brown rather than black for everyday use.
Don’t: Eyelashes
Fake Eyelashes! Fake Eyelashes! And Fake Eyelashes! These once must have been a night-out essential for you in your teen years and using them nowadays will make you look the exact opposite of youthful.
Masterfile
If no amount of mascara seems to make your eyelashes pop and you have to resort to fake eyelashes, invest in a high-quality brand that usually has flexible bands which are a) easy to apply and b) natural-looking.
Do’s: Lips
No look is complete without a swipe of lipstick but as we age, so must how we apply this must-have evolve and change. For mature woman, we recommend picking softer shades, think light pinks and nudes.
The List
The finish also matters and the trendy matt lipsticks will only highlight every line and wrinkle around your mouth, so instead pick a glossy finish that might not be that long-lasting but is very forgiving.
Don’t: Lips
We already talked about the right finish for your lipsticks but with that, let’s talk about colour. We aren’t going to recommend the rather outdated suggestion that older woman shouldn’t wear bold lips instead, we have a middle ground in mind.
SixtyandMe
Experiment! Some colours that might have looked great on you now, won’t have aged well while others you might have hated once, can become your favourite must-haves. For lipsticks, don’t say no to any shade and colour and see what works best for you.
Do’s: Neck
We see so many put together mature woman who seems to never have a hair out of place but even those seem to put all their focus and entry on their face and forget about giving their neck and decolletage the same treatment.
FreePik
And sadly, neglecting these areas reveals the real age and condition of one’s skin. So, either it is skincare, foundation or special weekly treatment, always blend it well into your skin.
Don’t: Neck
Of course, the major sin here is to ignore your neck and decolletage completely. This seems like common sense but many women forget it. And while not blending foundation down your neck is still bearable, skincare must always be applied to your neck.
FreePik
This will ensure a cohesive base, with the most visible parts of your body all having the same texture and colour and will fully ensure that your youthful appearance looks natural and effortless.
Do’s: Set It
After all that work, it is essential that you finish off everything by setting it but even this step needs to be carefully evaluated. If you have followed all our steps till now, you will be left with a lightweight foundation which is completed by setting it.
StyleCraze
After you add blush, take a fluffy powder brush and tap away all the excess. Only then use the powder to lightly dust your face. This will do two things, blend in any harsh lines created from powder and ensure that your make up lasts longer.
Don’t: Set It
A common mistake that women of all ages make is to not powder your face throughout the day but take this advice with a pinch of salt. While setting your foundation is important, some people can overdo it and end up with a dry base.
PxHere
Anyone with dry skin, also should skip the powder in general and opt for setting sprays. They do all that powders are supposed to do while also ensuring that your face stays natural and dewy.
Do’s: Make-Up Removal
We get it that After a long day of work, no one wants to spend 20 minutes removing their make-up but it is essential and with such a wide variety of cleansing options, you are bound to find your favourite.
30Seconds
For newbies into skincare, we recommend that they keep things simple – no need to over complicate things and buy a drugstore cleanser that doesn’t have any fragrance in it. Nothing flashy to start with.
Don’t: Make-Up Removal
The worst thing to do with make-up removal is to well, not do it at all. Just overlooking a good nighttime cleansing routine can put all your other efforts in jeopardy. It doesn’t even matter if you wear make-up regularly, cleansing is still essential.
Today
A word for caution for all make-up wipe users, while it seems like an easy and convenient way to get the job done, in the long run, make-up wipes aren’t as effective at removing make-up and do more harm than good.