Lipstick is a makeup staple that can effortlessly elevate any look, highlighting one’s best features with ease. However, professionals caution that certain mistakes are commonly made by those over 40 when applying lipstick, resulting in an unintended aging effect.
To avoid this, we consulted expert makeup artists who shared valuable tips and tricks to avoid three typical errors that lead to a lackluster and dreary appearance. These suggestions will help create a more radiant, vivacious, and long-lasting look!
Read on for suggestions and insight from Natasha Moor, Global AAPI makeup artist and founder of Natasha Moor Cosmetics, Mandie Brice, professional makeup artist and beauty expert, Margina Dennis, celebrity makeup artist and aficionado and Madeline Hall, certified makeup artist, hair stylist and cosmetologist.
3 Common Lipstick Errors to Avoid over 40
1. Choosing a Matte over Hydrating Formula
For a night out, Dennis stresses that a hydrating lip color will not only last longer than a matte, but it will also help prevent chapped lips in the long run. In addition, choosing a matte lipstick (while definitely trendy and chic) can sometimes dry out your lips, and as we age, we lose moisture in this area, naturally.
To avoid additional flaking, chapping and dryness, she advises against not only a matte lipstick, but also a dark one. "Too dry of a formula of lipstick can emphasize wrinkles and dryness," she warns. She advises picking a "moisturizing and balm lipstick" in shades that "emulate a youthful flush."
2. Wearing the Wrong Shade for Your Skin Tone
According to Moor, the selection of a lipstick shade that is either too dark or too bright for your skin tone can have the undesirable effect of making you appear older and accentuating any signs of aging in the area surrounding your mouth She says thsi is true "especially reds that might have looked great 10 years ago, but now their complexion has changed."
She adds: "for example, it might be ruddier, which a dark lipstick will emphasize." She goes on to say that a color that is too dark for your skin tone will often "ensure that your lips are the first thing other people notice about you."
3 Not Moisturizing Your Pout Enough
Neglecting to moisturize, exfoliate, and nourish your lips on a daily basis can exacerbate dryness during the winter months, when cold weather and aging further contribute to this issue. Thus, it is essential to establish a thorough lip care regimen prior to any application of lip color or lipstick, as emphasized by Moor.
She warns that you should never apply lip color to "dry or flaky" lips. To properly care for your pout, Moor says you should "try using products with hyaluronic acid for extra plumping moisture." (We'll get more into that below!)
3 Pro Tips for a Stunning Lip Look This Winter
1. Grab a Hydrating Lipstick
Rather than a dry, matte color, Dennis recommends getting "a clear lip liner or one that matches" your desired hydrating lip color as this will "keep the color from feathering and look more natural."
As for super dark lipsticks that might be trendy this winter, Dennis notes that "as we get older, we lose the rosiness in our skin and lips, and a drab lip color will draw attention to it."
Rather than deep reds and violet shades, she says to opt for blue-toned lip colors that "make the teeth look whiter" this holiday season.
2. Match Your Lip Color to Your Skin Tone
Brice explains that the "best choice for a lip color" involves studying your skin tones to find a match. She says that most commonly, each of us falls under a general 'warm,' 'cool' or 'neutral' main tone. "If you're a 'warm,' choose a warm-toned lip color. If you're 'cool' or 'neutral,' pick one of those respectively," she advises. "You can find your undertone easily by looking at the veins on the inside of your forearm," she notes.
If they are blueish, she says that you have a "cooler undertone," and if they are "greenish, you can go for a warmer color." Another useful tip that she provides is if "silver jewelry looks better on you, you’re more suited to cooler tones," but if gold is better, "you have a warm undertone."
There’s also the possibility that you’re neutral, she points out, which is if "gold and silver are equally flattering." Sometimes, Brice says, lip colors will have a 'W,' 'C,' or 'N' in their color name. Ultimately, "identifying undertones is something that gets better with practice," Brice reassures.
3 Have a Daily Lip Care Routine
Removing dead skin every week is essential so that when you moisturize, your skin can fully absorb hydrating ingredients from your lip balm, Hall says. "Regularly exfoliating your lips can help to remove dead skin cells and make your lips appear more youthful," she points out.
She adds that "you can use a lip scrub or a soft toothbrush to gently exfoliate your lips" to prevent more chapping and cracking. Brice agrees, and notes that "keeping your lips hydrated" with a natural lip balm, and exfoliated with a scrub makes them "plumper and more youthful-looking." Good to know!
