Updated March 12, 2021 27.4K votes 9.1K voters 1.8M views
Over 9.1K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of These Simple Makeup Mistakes Are Aging You And You Don't Even Realize It
Voting Rules
Vote up the most surprising ways makeup can make you look older.
Though you probably never intentionally tried to master makeup mistakes that age you, they happen. There are so many makeup techniques that make you look older, and not in a high school kid trying to get into the club kind of way. The most common makeup mistakes can accidentally bring out your fine lines, highlight your wrinkles, and bring an unflattering focus to everything else that properly used makeup is supposed to hide.
Is your makeup aging you? Don't worry – even if you've accidentally made one of these mistakes, there are simple fixes. Whether you've occasionally overly lined your lips or mismatched your foundation, these tricks and tips will help you avoid those missteps in the future. In the end, a simple change in approach may be just the thing to give you a younger, more vibrant appearance.
The Mistake: Tugging or stretching out your eyes in the attempt to get your wings even while applying eyeliner can actually have the opposite effect. That motion stresses and crinkles your skin, resulting in uneven, jagged lines.
The Fix: Try looking down instead or closing your eyes one at a time. Apply your liner in gentle swipes as you move across the lid, which will give you the chance to fill in any gaps and give you a smoother line all the way across.
The Mistake:Overly heavy lining on your lower lids might've made you look like a rock star in high school. But as you get older, that dash of pigment gives your eyes a smaller, heavier look and can even give the impression of dragging your face down.
The Fix: If you're going to line your bottom eyelid, keep it light. Rather than using eyeliner around your whole eye, try applying it only on the top lid and instead using a thin line of brown eyeshadow on the lower one.
The Mistake: When it comes to blush, placement can be everything. Blushing too low pulls down the look of your face, and overdoing it on the apples of your checks can look cartoonish.
The Fix: Ideally, blush should look as natural as possible. Try swirling the brush gently over the upper parts of your cheekbones, in an upward motion that pulls your face back instead of down.
The Mistake: Though you might assume iridescent eyeshadow looks youthful, the opposite may actually be true. Many light-reflecting shadows end up highlighting eye creases.
The Fix: If you do want to rock a bit of glitter, first cover your lids in a matte shadow and then add a little bit of shimmer to the inner corners.
The Mistake: Though you may want to apply mascara to your lower lashes, especially if you've got lighter ones, be careful. Heavy mascara on your lower lids can cast shadows or even create smears that can mimic dark circles.
The Fix: Apply a very light layer of mascara to the lower lashes, or skip it entirely. At the least, shoot for a waterproof mascara that really does stay in place all day to prevent smearing.
The Mistake: Using heavy lipstick that's either too bright or dark may not do you any favors when it comes to accentuating laugh lines.
The Fix: If you're looking for a more youthful look, go for a soft lip liner that's close to your natural shade and then follow it up with a soft colored gloss. It should give you a more youthful appearance, with the added bonus of keeping your lips moisturized.
