Makeup is such a powerful tool; many women rely on it every day to accentuate their natural beauty, conceal unwanted blemishes, and maintain a youthful glow. Few products are as reliable as a good foundation, which can keep your complexion looking smooth, even, and spot-free. However, there are a few mistakes you should be wary of if you want to avoid aging; one wrong step and you could end up looking older rather than younger.
To learn more, we spoke to Kristen Fortier, Makeup Artist & Product Innovation Lead for Crunchi, and Celebrity Makeup Artist Lilly Keys of HIDE cosmetics. They pointed us towards two foundation mistakes you should avoid at all costs if you want to conceal signs of aging rather than accentuate them: using the wrong color and applying makeup to dry skin.
Using the wrong foundation color
We get it: finding the right foundation to match your skin can be a difficult process. Not only does it take a good deal of effort to begin with, but then there's the issue of your skin tone changing from season to season. And don't even get us started on oxidation! However, if you want to avoid looking older as much as possible, taking the time to find the right match—at every season—is well worth it. Using the wrong color will instantly age you.
"Going too light or too dark can cause the skin to appear aged. Always stick to a shade that is a close match to your skin and accurately reflects your undertones," Fortier warns.
In order to find the right color for your undertones, it's essential that you know what those undertones are. Luckily, there's a painless process to figure that out: just take a look at the veins on your arms, makeup expert Saffron Hughes of False Eyelashes says. "If they appear green, you have a warm undertone. If they are purple/blue, you have a cool undertone," she explains. Those with a mix are perhaps the luckiest when it comes to choosing makeup colors; they have a neutral undertone.
Applying foundation to dry skin
There's another major makeup faux-pas you should avoid at all costs if you want to maintain a youthful appearance. Keys says you should never apply foundation or concealer to dry skin, which is why moisturizing, hydrating, and priming is crucial.
“The primary reason that people can look older when applying foundation or concealer is that they apply too much on dry skin,” she says. “For example, with concealer—specifically under the eyes, you absolutely need to make sure that your under eye area is well hydrated and moisturized before adding concealer.”
Keys says the area around your eyes is one of the first places on your face that will start to develop fine lines and wrinkles as you age. For this reason, you should especially make sure this spot is properly moisturized. She also recommends going easy on the foundation and concealer when it comes to the corners of your eyes. “When you get fine lines and wrinkles, they usually show at the outer corners of the eyes first, so you definitely don’t want to be applying too much makeup there as it will only exaggerate these lines,” she explains. Got it!
Luckily, while these two mistakes can lead to unwanted results, the solutions seem pretty simple to follow. As long as you commit to finding a foundation shade that actually matches your skin and always remember to moisturize, you'll be well on your way to a more youthful appearance.
