The Makeup Techniques That Instantly Age You (And What to Do Instead)

It’s not necessarily your makeup products that are bad or aging you…it’s your technique. Skin changes, and makeup that looked great at 25 can start looking a bit harsh, heavy, or separate from the skin at 40+. I know it’s annoying to hear but the truth is that the rules change when you head into your 40s.

What I’ve noticed (both on myself and on clients) is that aging makeup usually comes down to a few repeat habits. They’re easy to fall into because they feel logical, like more coverage will smooth things out, more powder will make it last, sharper lines will define the face. But in reality, those are the exact things that can make skin look more textured, more tired, and more mature.

So here are the techniques that instantly age you…and what to do instead.

Using too much foundation everywhere

Why it ages you:
When foundation is applied heavily all over the face, it starts to sit on top of the skin rather than blend into it. It clings to texture, exaggerates pores, and makes the face look flatter. The more product you have on the skin, the more obvious it becomes when skin naturally moves…especially the areas that move a lot, like around the mouth, under the eyes, between the brows. These are the areas that we have the most expression.

What to do instead:
Focus on applying foundation where you actually need it and not just automatically applying it everywhere. Focus on the center of the face, around the nose, cheeks, chin, and forehead. Blend outward with less product…so basically, whatever is left on the brush. You want the perimeter of the face to have the lightest amount so it looks natural and lifted.

And if you need more coverage, build it in tiny amounts where needed rather than layering another full face.