Want to Look Younger? Ditch This Common Lipstick Faux Pas: Dark, Matte Lipstick
It's no secret that the right lipstick shade has the power to instantly draw eyes to your lips, promote facial symmetry and make your other features like your cheekbones and eyes pop. Dennis explains that wearing "too dark of a lipstick" can "make your teeth look yellow," which can also make you look "older," which might not be your intention.
In addition, choosing a matte lipstick (while definitely trendy and long-lasting) 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.
Jackson concurs, and says that "the trend of dark lipstick comes and goes with much regularity these days." This fad, she stresses, will "never help anyone look younger, and this is due to simple principles of light." Black or dark red shades "absorb more light than lighter and brighter shades," she notes.
What that means, Jackson says, is that "these lipstick shades actually make your lips appear thinner than they are, and this results in aging your face." The best way to avoid this "aging illusion," she continues, is by "avoiding dark lipstick shades altogether."
Brighter And More Moisturizing Alternatives
As for dark lipstick colors, Dennis reiterates, "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."
Instead of a matte lipstick, Dennis advises picking a "moisturizing and balm lipstick" in shades that "emulate a youthful flush." She also suggests "a clear lip liner or one that matches the lip color that will keep the color from feathering and look more natural." The more you know!