Not all beauty products are created equal, and not all of them work for us at every stage of our lives. While there are many beauty products such as skincare, makeup, and even beauty tools that we swear by for various different reasons, there are others that simply don’t make the cut and should therefore never make it into the shopping cart. Virtual or physical!
Mature beauties have to select their beauty products very carefully, and a lot of research needs to go into getting it just right. The right products can make skin look plumper and more radiant, instantly shaving off years if not decades. The wrong products, conversely, can unfortunately have the opposite effect, and actually make skin look (and sometimes even feel!) worse. And nobody wants that!
Luckily, we’ve done the hard work so that you don’t have to; and as well as doing our own extensive research, have also spoken to some beauty and skincare experts for their advice on a few things too. From skincare to makeup to beauty tools, we’ve selected 12 of the worst beauty products mature beauties should stay away from if they don’t want to look older than their years.
1. Soaps And Cleansers That Lather
When your facial soap or cleanser creates lather and bubbles, it can feel very satisfying. We've been taught to associate lather with cleanliness, as if the soapiness of it all is removing more dirt and oil. But these products often contain harsh sulfates that are responsible for that lather. And these sulfates can dry out your skin and strip it of natural oils.
When it comes to your daily cleanser, Dr. Amir Karam. M.D., double board-certified plastic surgeon and skincare expert, recommends avoiding "foaming" kinds, or ones that are "abrasive to the skin, making it damaged and dry." Prolonged use of these can lead to "dryness, more oil production," more pronounced fine lines and wrinkles, and cracking, peeling skin.
Instead, he says to opt for "gentle, non-foaming cleansers," and he also points out that some "gel-based cleansers can take some getting used to at first," but this is the "only type of cleanser you need."
2. Abrasive Scrubs And Exfoliators
If your impulse when you see a dry patch of skin is to remedy the problem with an exfoliant — with ANY exfoliant — you're missing a key component of the problem.
Exfoliating may be just the thing you need to slough away dry, dead skin, but there's a big difference between using an abrasive scrub with large crystals that can irritate your skin and cause damage and relying on a gentle chemical exfoliant that uses ingredients like glycolic acid.
3. Alcohol-Based Toners
Alcohol has been shown to irritate sensitive skin and make it even drier, Dr. Anna Chacon, MD, board-certified dermatologist and writer at My Psoriasis Team, notes. Often found in toners, it can "also cause flaky patches on your face if you have dry skin."
If your skin is naturally on the drier side, it's imperative to "avoid products that contain alcohol as an ingredient," she stresses. Chacon adds that "dry and aging skin can be extremely sensitive," and will suffer most when using this kind of product. This is because "alcohol-based products make the skin prone to irritations, rashes, and even eczema." Alcohol in skincare products may have a more serious effect if you have more textured skin, she warns, possibly "disrupting your skin's barrier."
A damaged skin barrier is at risk of "excessive drying since moisture escapes skin," and this results to an "entry of irritants causing skin to inflame" and develop redness." (No thanks!) Instead, you can pick up an alcohol-free toner anytime, she says.
4. Luxury Moisturizers
The first common mistake that Karam includes is buying luxury or expensive moisturizers regarding anti-aging skincare. He notes that sometimes, we can be misguided by "beautiful bottles" with "elaborate messages" when shopping in department stores, and these products can actually have "no active ingredients" that are beneficial to our skin.
He warns that many labeled "anti-aging creams" do "nothing other than fundamentally moisturize your skin" and you "really do not need an expensive, high-end, luxury moisturizer" if the goal is just to "moisturize your skin."
Rather than "falling for the expensive-looking packaging," he stresses "looking at the ingredients." If it doesn't have "active anti-aging ingredients," Karam says that you are "overspending." The ingredients to look out for include "retinol and vitamin C."
5. Scented Moisturizer Or Face Cream
One of the most important steps to caring for your skin is to moisturize daily. Keeping your skin hydrated is essential to fighting against signs of aging, like fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin. The right moisturizers can help the skin to nourish, repair and protect itself against damage. But if you use the wrong face cream, you may risk damaging your skin without realizing.
Experts have suggested that we should never use a scented moisturizer or face cream. Face creams with added fragrances may not seem like a big deal – most people believe that the scents simply add a nice aroma – but the truth is that they can add unwanted side effects.
We often react poorly with fragrances because the chemicals that provide the scents can aggravate, damage or sensitize the skin. This damage typically happens over time, so most people won't even realize that their face creams are causing harm.
“Fragrance in skin care means that a smell is added to the product—it can be either synthetic or natural, and is usually a blend of chemicals to impart a particular scent,” Dr. Purvisha Patel told Well + Good. “Whether natural or synthetic, fragrances can be sensitizers to the skin. Some, if used in higher doses, can cause rashes and irritation, especially in those with sensitive skin.”
6. Makeup Remover Wipes
While taking your makeup off at the end of a long day with a wipe feels convenient, Chacon warns that this action can lead to faster, more visible wrinkling. "I'd recommend avoiding makeup removing wipes for skincare over 40 due to the harshness of the alcohol contents in the wipes," she advises.
Alcohol makes for a great anti-bacterial agent, she acknowledges, but it also can lead to "stripping of the natural essential oils needed for healthy skin and a complexion," she stresses. The dryness and irritation can "perpetuate and accentuate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles," she adds, and "give the skin a lack-luster appearance."
Instead, opt for cotton balls or pads. Using cotton balls dipped in a mild face wash to take off your makeup is a much healthier way to take care of your skin in the long run, Chacon says. "I'd recommend using cotton balls or a soft face towel and a mild face wash instead." While she notes that it "may take more than one wash to get the cotton ball without signs of makeup," you at least know that you've been "gentle on your skin." Chacon adds that she does prefer cotton balls "over a towel" as they are "single-use, which decreases the chance of build-up of makeup and bacteria in subsequent washes."
7. Glittery Eyeshadows
And now onto makeup! Glittery eyeshadows may be fun to play with and incorporate into some looks, but they do tend to settle into wrinkles on your eyelids, which is why we sadly have to recommend avoiding them as we get older.
“The skin around our eyes is very delicate. And as we age there can be some sagging and crepe-looking skin texture," celebrity makeup artist Lynn Simpson says, adding: "Glittery and shimmery eyeshadows can over accentuate that, so it's best to stick with matte or satin eyeshadows."
8. Matte Liquids
If you have oily skin, matte liquids and powders can help to avoid product slipping and sliding on your face throughout the day. But as you age, your skin produces less oil, meaning you don't need products with those properties as much.
"Matte liquids and powder foundation can accentuate dry skin, so look for other formulas like cream or lightweight liquids," Simpson explains. "Also a good foundation primer will help fill in wrinkles and pores so you have a more seamless finish to your makeup."
9. Liquid Lipstick
Liquid lipstick had a moment a few years ago, and they are often celebrated for their durability and smudge proof qualities. But, liquid formulas tend to settle in fine lines and wrinkles on the skin.
Simpson says: "If fine lines around your lips are a problem, stay away from thick glosses and liquid lipsticks that will bleed into the fine lines." She also recommends using a lip primer, as it will set an even foundation on your skin and minimize any smudging or creasing you may be prone to if you have wrinkles and fine lines.
10. Lightening Or Highlighting Concealer
If you're aiming to cover up dark spots or under-eye circles, Vivi Mintara, makeup artist and founder of Eye Makeup Lab, stresses avoiding super light concealers as they can inadvertently draw attention to wrinkles—and not even provide enough coverage as it is.
"If you are putting concealer on dark spots and areas you want to cover up, you should avoid using concealers that have lightening or highlighting effects," she says. This, she adds, is because these types of products are "designed to draw attention to specific areas of your face, which you may not want if you have dark spots."
Additionally, Mintara notes that applying too much concealer or coats that are too thick can emphasize wrinkles. "When it comes to applying the concealer, start with a thin layer. If this doesn't fully cover the dark spots, then apply another layer, and keep building the color up," she recommends. "Don't immediately put a very thick layer of concealer on your face, because you may not need as much as you think, and also this will cause the makeup to ‘crack' after a few hours," she points out.
11. Powder Foundation
The first mistake maure beauties often make when it comes to makeup, beauty expert and makeup artist Jen Cayle Gaum says, is wearing a foundation. Most notably, a powder one that is too heavy and cakey.
"A heavy foundation will settle into fine lines, making them more noticeable and exaggerated and will only emphasize wrinkles," she warns. And it's not just powder foundation – powder in general can have a negative effect!
A little bit of translucent powder seals the deal after you've applied concealer or foundation. It helps set your makeup so that it stays in place for hours without cracking or streaking. But too much powder, in the wrong formulation (read: thick) or wrong shade (read: anything that is not translucent and is in the wrong tone) can highlight fine lines and wrinkles. Keep powder in your routine, but change its formulation and go in with a light hand.
12. Foundation Brushes
No offense to makeup brushes (or your fingers,) but applying foundation with either can cause it to seep into lines and wrinkles.
"Apply your foundation with a damp sponge in bouncing, pressing movements will press it ON to the skin, as opposed to IN to lines and wrinkles," Natasha Moor, Global AAPI makeup artist and founder of Natasha Moor Cosmetics, says. This will help ensure that your foundation works FOR you and your skin — and not against it.
