As we grow older, our skin loses its natural elasticity and produces less oil. When it comes to mature or textured skin, experts in makeup advise against using powder foundation, which tends to settle into fine lines and wrinkles, emphasizing them. Instead, they recommend hydrating cream or serum foundation formulas to achieve a softer, more radiant, and healthier look.
We have consulted professional MUAs and makeup experts to delve deeper into these foundation types, as well as two other common foundation mistakes made by women over 40, and other useful hacks for achieving a dewy, hydrated makeup look.
Read on for suggestions and insight from professional makeup artists and beauty experts Lindsay Kastuk, Mary Winkenwerder and Jen Cayle Gaum, as well as tips from Alexis Chapman. pro MUA and expert at A1Artistry, and Natasha Moor, Global AAPI makeup artist and founder of Natasha Moor Cosmetics.
3 Common Foundation Errors That Can Emphasize Wrinkles Over 40
1. Using Heavy Powder Foundation
The first mistake mature beauties often make when it comes to makeup, 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.
While powder can make a great coverage choice for those of us with oily skin, it dries more as we age. This, Katsuk notes, means that anyone with dry skin won’t see the same results as those with oily skin who use powder.
Powder can dry out your skin even more, Katsuk points out, and this creates a "cakey," patchy and crusty look. "This can make anyone look older because it highlights fine lines and wrinkles," she says, recommending to "keep the powder to a minimum and only apply it where you really need it (any mobile part of the face)."
2. Adding Too Much Primer Beforehand
Before even adding foundation, if you're used to adding on primer with your fingers or a brush, Moor says that this could lead to an undesired foundation look later on.
She advises to "apply your primer and foundation with damp sponge in bouncing, pressing movements" for an optimal makeup look. Additionally, she explains, "applying your foundation with a wiping or rubbing motion can cause smearing."
Ultimately, Winkenwerder concludes that your primer is specially created to "fulfill a need in your makeup and sometimes your skincare routine."
Applying a lot of primer before makeup, she insists, "does not set the basis for good foundation or applied color." Too much primer saturates the skin's surface, "making it unfit for foundation application."
Winkenwerder instructs to use a "little bit of primer, applied as a sheer veil, as needed, and watch your makeup work better for you."
3. Choosing a Drying Foundation
As noted before, using a foundation that dries out your skin even more or highlights skin texture is a big no-no. To avoid this, Chapman says that you can look for a foundation with hydrating, skin-loving ingredients for a flawless finish (and no irritated or clogged pores!)
She suggests choosing a cream or serum foundation that contains vitamins. "The vitamins in general help in repairing the skin and improving elasticity, particularly, vitamin A (retinol) is a key ingredient in anti-aging products, and it’s great with fine lines and elasticity," she notes.
"B vitamins are great for hydration and smoothing, vitamin C is great for hydration and brightening, and vitamin E is great for repairing the skin from age spots and sun damage," she points out.
All of these ingredients "work together well in foundations and primers to provide that desired blurring effect to the skin," she adds. The more you know!
