10 Beauty Mistakes That Add Years To Your Face

Allure did an article like this online.

Many of their items I agreed with whole heartedly,
but some I felt although worthy of mention,
weren't top 10.

So here are my personal top 10,
liberally borrowed from Allure,
and amended and added to by me.

Many of these pictures are from the original article.
They were way too beautiful to pass up!


Top 10 Beauty Mistakes That Add Years To Your Face

1. Not Exfoliating
Though shalt exfoliate regularly!
The older we get, the longer it takes dead skin cells to slough off.
If you're not helping the process along, your skin will look dull, and fine lines & wrinkles will look worse.
I am a huge fan of DermaSweep, Microdermabrasion and enzyme treatments.
Clarisonic? Every single night.
Facial scrubs? Not so much. I always think they scratch the new skin underneath.
image by Regan Cameron

2. Not Hydrating

Right behind keeping skin exfoliated is keeping it well hydrated.
The fast track to aging skin is letting it dry out.
Want gorgeous, vibrant, radiant skin?
Keep it hydrated.
Make sure you use a daily moisturizer that is strong enough to hydrate your skin type,
a nightly more intense moisturizer,
and back them up with hydrating serums and hydrating masks.
A high powered eye cream is crucial too.
3. Not Using Sunscreen EVERY Day

I am all for moisturizers that have a little SPF in them,
but that is nowhere near enough.No matter where you live
you need to apply a free standing facial SPF of 30 or above
over your moisturizer
Every. Single. Day.
No ifs.
No buts.
No maybes.Let your moisturizer soak in, then liberally apply SPF 30 or above
all over your face, throat and decolletage.


4. Not taking Care Of Hands, Throat, Chest

Like a neon sign above your head,
pointing out your age and adding 15 years to it
not taking care of your hands, throat and chestwill make you look drastically older than you really are.

When using your Clarisonic each night,
make sure you also get your throat, chest and the backs of your hands.
Use a strong handcream with SPF all day long.
If you have brown spots on the backs of your hands use 2% hydroquinone.
And I'm a big advocate of Retinol for the backs of hands, throat and upper chest.

image by Patrick Demarchelier
5. Foundation Choice and Application.

This is a biggie.
Too many women of all ages are using the wrong foundation.
Don't get caught up in the "oil free" drama - that normally translates to "dried out & aged"
Instead look for a silicone based product.
Silicone based foundations reflect light beautifully, which minimizes the look of fine lines and wrinkles. It also makes skin look alive.
The particles are larger than a human pore, so sit on top of, rather than inside of them.
That means no pore clogging.
When applying your foundation, blend, blend, blend it in.Don't leave mounds of product on the surface of your skin.
Blend it into a sheer veil of beauty.
I adore Face Atelier's Ultra Foundation.
As their motto so truthfully says:
"because looking good is the best revenge!"


6. Frosty Eyeshadow

Frosted eyeshadows are too harsh and tend to highlight fine lines and wrinkles.
Opt instead for a shadow with a subtle sheen to it.
image by Roger Cabello


7. Not Wearing Eyeliner

As we age our eyes start drooping at the outer corners.
Liner and mascara can open and lift the eye, making you look more awake, alert, and ultimately youthful!
Trace liner along the lashline, slightly lifting it at the outer corner. Smudge the line a little with either a taklon liner brush or a smudger brush, then curl the lashes, and add liberal coats of mascara, paying extra attention to the outer corners.


8. Choosing The Wrong Lipstick

Metallics and iridescents tend to not look so flattering on anyone over 40.
Deep dark colors make an already thinning lip look cold and hard.
Choose a soft textured lipstick with a slight sheen to it, not a shimmer.
Or go for a colored gloss.
Keep your lips looking soft, and keep your teeth looking white.



9. Too Much Bronzer/Way Too Tanned

A face that is too tanned or too bronzed looks so much older!
Firstly, there is so much damage and so many health risks associated with tanning,
that we shouldn't even be thinking about getting a tan.
If you feel you need warmth and color added to your look,
and I love warm color,
use a bronzer lightly and sparingly.
It's job is not to color your face in,
but instead to give it a sun kissed look.
Don't brush it all over your face.
Just dust it lightly where the sun would hit -
forehead, cheekbones and bridge of nose, and across the chin.
Lightly.
The yellows and browns in bronzer can make your skin look dull if not applied correctly.

image by Michael Thompson

10. Avoid Blunt Haircuts

Most celebrities over 40 have layered haircuts.
And that's not by fluke.
Soft layers framing the face enhance cheekbones,
soften the appearance of lines, and draw the eye away from the drooping skin that
starts appearing as you age.
Blunt cuts, and hair that is all the same length draw the eye down
making the face look like its sagging, and making the eyes looked more downturned.
Any lines and wrinkles that are forming look bolder,
and lips look harsher and thinner.

Avoid harsh colors too, especially flat black or dark tones.
While charming in your youth, these shades now soak the life out of your skin,
leaving you looking tired and, well, old.



image by Regan Cameron