Looking younger doesn’t happen overnight, but beauty experts have revealed some sneaky ways makeup can be used to fake a more youthful appearance.
It also doesn’t mean spending a fortune on expensive products, but rather making a few simple tweaks to your existing beauty routine to get “magical” results.
The first Cult Beauty tip is to invest in “sunshine tones” or yellow-toned products. The experts explained: “Mature skin tends to look faded or lackluster, so switch from pink-toned skin products (which can exaggerate high color) to products with a hint of lemon yellow.”
This unexpected shade gives warmth to even the dullest skin and leaves others wanting to “know the secret” to achieving a new glow.
Those looking for a new product with a warm undertone can choose from so many products on the high street, just look for the code ‘w’ in the shade range and avoid anything with ‘c’ (cool) or ‘n’ (neutral) undertones.
Cult Beauty experts recommended Jouer Cosmetics Luminizing Moisture Tint (£33) for “youth-boosting moisture” in a variety of shades.
Or try Stila’s Correct & Perfect All-in-One Correcting Palettes (£33), available from Marks and Spencer, which contains a yellow cream and powder to help even out uneven skin tone.
Makeup professionals also suggested that women looking for a fresh look should switch from powder products to cream-based ones. They explained: “Few things add years like a chalky, powdery skin finish. Not only does powder tend to transfer and settle into wrinkles, it ‘absorbs’ light and accentuates dry patches.”
“Cream, liquid or creme textures are infinitely more forgiving, supple and dewy, they look fresh and infinitely more youthful – and more durable.”
According to beauty gurus, a cream-based concealer is a must in every make-up bag. They explained: “Thinner skin and slow drainage means bags and shadows are a side effect of ageing, but the right camouflage can do wonders.
“Disguise dark circles under the eyes with a peach-toned eye cream that ‘melts’ with your fingertips to create a diffused, soft-focus look.”
The experts at Cult Beauty recommended using a contouring cream two or three shades darker than your skin tone to “stimulate the shadow” and redefine the cheekbones.
This should be applied to any ‘hollows’ such as under the cheeks and temples, as well as the chin for a ‘believable 3D effect’. According to experts, Kevyn Aucoin’s The Sculpting Duo (£22.50) “does the job, with a gray-toned ‘lowlight’ and shimmery ‘highlight’ to enhance features without looking too harsh”.
Finally, Cult Beauty’s makeup artist recommended that mature women use a damp sponge to apply their products. “The tide is always off limits, but never more so than when you’re old enough to know better,” they warned.
A dampened Beauty Blender erases all edges and creates a flawless, “airbrushed” finish that thinks about your skin, but better.
For women whose skin isn’t particularly shiny, experts recommended finishing by applying a couple of drops of facial oil to a damp sponge and ‘bouncing’ it all over the skin for a ‘youthful glow’.
