Smooth Your Skin Out Using A Makeup Primer–  The only thing that can hide wrinkles and refine pores is primer. Foundation can make you appear younger, but only if it blends well.

Steer Clear Of Shimmery Formulations, which can sink into fine lines and creases and accentuate pores. Instead of using a sponge, switch to a foundation brush to create a thin layer of coverage where you need it.

Don’t Worry About Covering Every Spot With Foundation. If you do, your skin will look heavily made up and older.) Rely on concealer to camouflage dark spots, and use an all over powder foundation.

Accentuate Bone Structure– Add volume and definition with powder bronzer on your cheekbones, forehead, and chin, and blend color such as soft pink or apricot blush on your cheeks.

Avoid Metallic Shadows– Once lines begin to appear around your eyes, avoid metallic shadows that can sink into your wrinkles.  Instead, start by dabbing on lid primer, which will give you a smoother, younger appearance.

Stay Away From Dark Lip Shades- Stay away from darker lipsticks, which can age anyone. Work with rosy lighter pinks, apricots and lip stains.

Lift Your Eyes With A Liner-  Applying your eye pencil as close to your top lash lines as possible will help eyelashes appear fuller.  Try flipping up the outer edge of your liner with a Q-tip also gives a lifted appearance for droopy-looking lids.  Go with a liner on the top of your lid, and a soft white or pale liner for under your bottom lash.  Work with a softer pencil color, close to white in the corners of your eyes to make them appear larger.

Use Powder Formulas Over Creams- Powders work best as you age since they won’t get caught in fine lines the way creams do.  Stick to natural colors such as a taupe on your lids and warm browns in the creases for definition.

Blush Can Brighten A Dull Complexion– It is important that you blend properly, so invest in a decent blush brush.  Blush should appear to be a pop of color, as if we have been outside on a winter day.

Use Lash Boosters-  Prep thin lashes with lash boosters before you apply your mascara.  Stick with black or brown mascara for a natural appearance.  Use lash curlers to naturally lengthen your lashes.  Work with heated lash curlers, which allow you to use less mascara.

Avoid Overly-Complicated Hair Cuts-  Opt for a haircut that you can do at home.  If your haircut is time-consuming styling, you probably won’t do it most days.  Simple can be better.

Build Your Brows– Don’t over pluck your brows.  Brows thin as we age; but it’s more youthful to have a thicker, darker brow.  Filling in your brows is a crucial step in maintaining a youthful face. For the most natural effect, try working with brow shaping kit, which use powder and wax that won’t cause harsh lines. Improve thinning brows with balm from Green Touch Beauty.

Draw Attention To Your Lips– Consider lipsticks that will last and make your lips appear fuller.   Begin with lip pencils which can add volume and have the staying power of lipstick.  Subtly draw over the outer edge of your lips with a neutral-colored pencil.   Don’t match up your lip stick pencil with every shade of lipstick you own, but rather stick with a neutral liner no matter what shade you choose.  You don’t want your lip border to be too obvious.  Consider going with a warm light rosy color, rather than a nude, which sometimes can make the teeth appear yellow and make your lips appear thinner.

Moisturize Your Skin Before You Add Foundation- As we age, skin gets drier, and adding makeup over dead cells, can draw attention to the makeup instead of your skin.  To remove excess shine, use a little powder, then blot with a tissue.  Don’t use too much powder, which can often settle into lines and make you look older.

Take Royal Jelly – Royal jelly has been known to be very rich in vitamin B ( thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, inositol and folic acid). Royal Jelly also contains amino acids and acetylholine which aid in cell restructure. Royal jelly contains gelatine, a forerunner of collagen and powerful anti-aging element which keeps us youthful. Jennifer Aniston says her natural fix to keep her skin and hair healthy is royal jelly.

Consider A Hairstyle That Frames Your Face-   Often times we are told that when you get older, you should go shorter.  But instead, it is more important to keep the softness to your style, and have some length to frame the face.

A Facial Exfoliator Is A Must – A scrub three times a week removes dead cells, and reveals smoother skin under dead layers.

Stay Away From Ashy Hair Dyes- Ashy hair color has cooler undertones, which can look almost gray, and this can be a no-no, especially when you’re actually old enough to have gray hair. Plus, the cooler tones can make you look paler, so stick to the honey tones, and stay away from any colors that are labeled “ash”.  Golden undertones, warm reds or brunette shades work well.

Highlighted Hair Can Appear Softer And Younger– Lightening naturally dark hair makes your skin appear to have more pigment.  As we get older, our skin also can become more yellow or a pale brown.  Adding a few highlights to your hair, can do numbers for your skin tone.  Sally Field, 62, Carly Simon, 64, Katie Couric, 52, all have gone lighter. Natural-looking highlights tend to brighten up the face.  Experts say you should avoid hues that are too yellow or platinum and stick to sandy beige tones.

You Can Go Long With Layers- You can have longer hair as you get older, you just need to add layers and highlights.  Shorter sections around the face can give you a natural lift, so your hair doesn’t drag you down.

Contouring Makeup On Amazon

Contouring Makeup Can Take Ages Off Your Face- Using a powder that is two to three shades darker than your skin tone, and others which are lighter in shade  in all the right areas can take years off your face.  Color used along the jawline, in the creases in your upper eye lids, and under the cheek bones can add depth to the face. You don’t need surgery to restore a more youthful look.  Contouring can bring out the best in facial features.

Don’t Neglect Your Neck-  The neck area starts to to show signs of aging when we reach our 40’s.  It is important to start moisturizing down to the neck area.  Work with serums with hyaluronic acid or sodium hyaluronate, and moisturizers with peptides.

A Conditioning Mask For Your Hair Can Do Wonders–  For curly, or longer hair, consider a hydrating avocado and olive oil mask at home. Wrap your hair in plastic to really seal in the conditioner, and leave it in as long as you want and then rinse really well.  Mayo, applied to the hair works just as good.

Estee Lauder Stay-in-Place Lip Pencil- $29- $35 On Amazon

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder, Dark Brown/Brown, $5.99 On Amazon

NYX Eye Brow Shaper Wax $8 On Amazon

Make Up Setting Spray, Matte Finish $12 Amazon

Perfect Primer, Clear,$11 On Amazon

Highlight & Contour Powder $9 On Amazon

Nude On Nude Natural Look Kit $13 On Amazon

NYX Slim Lip Pencil – Tangerine 6 Pack $26 Amazon

Retractable Lip Liner 4 Piece Set $9 On Amazon

See all the color choices for lip pencil colors on google images

Makeup artist Virginia Linzee picks creamy products for MacDowell’s skin. “For 40+ women, I like a really creamy foundation that also soaks into the skin rather than sitting on top of it. Cream foundations don’t sink into wrinkles or catch on rough bits, so your makeup looks more natural and fresh,” she says. Linzee’s favorites include MAC Face and Body ($35, amazon.com), Mary Kay CC Cream ($20, marykay.com), and Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua ($45, chanel.com).

“I love a cream blush too—it looks dewy and fresh. I use peaches, pinks, or rose colors to brighten the complexion and make it appear more youthful.” Try Josie Maran Argan Cream Blush ($22, josiemarancosmetics.com) or Make Up For Ev

Mineral Makeup Seen In Real Simple Magazine August 2009

Everyday Minerals On Amazon, Jane Iredale On Amazon,

Neutrogena Mineral On Amazon,  Laura Mercier Mineral On Amazon

Everyday Minerals On Amazon

Tool School InStyle Magazine Oct 2007

InStyle Sept 2008

The Best Makeup Tips From Lauren Curtis

 

-Set The Foundation Under Your Eyes With The Right Powder – Mineralize Skinfinish Natural – By MAC Cosmetics allows you to set your foundation under your eyes without adding any bulk powder to your skin.

– Avoid Using Bronzing Powder That Has Any Shimmer To It– Always go with a matte bronzer such as the Benefit Hoola Bronzer.   Shiny face powders will draw attention to your pores and wrinkles.  A matte product evens out the skin, and makes it appear flawless.

– Pay Attention To Your Skin Tone When Choosing Foundation- Lauren says one of the biggest mistakes is choosing a foundation where the under-tones don’t match with your natural tones on your neck.  If your neck is along the yellow tones, pink toned foundation will be noticeable.

– Choosing Foundation Based On Your Neck- Match your foundation to your neck, not your cheek.  Your neck isn’t exposed to the sun as much as your face, so it will always be slightly lighter than your face.

– Before You Set Your Foundation With A Powder, Fill In Your Eyebrows– The reason for this, is your base is a little bit damp, and your powder does a great job of latching on to a damp base.

 

– Use A Larger Brush To Blend Out Your Eyeshadow- Using a larger brush will do the blending for you without any effort.  Look through the Sigma Blending Brushes which Lauren uses.

– Instead Of Applying Your Mascara Outwards, Do The Opposite– Brushing your mascara inwards towards the nose pulls your lashes straight up instead of to the side.  Apply the mascara to the back and the front of your lashes.  This will give your lashes a fuller appearance.

More Great Make-Up Tips

-Use Pearl Eye Shadow As A Highlighter– Color your eyelid with white eyeliner as an eyeshadow base. Your eyeshadow color on top will POP and look so much brighter! Use creamy pearl eye shadow in the inner corners of the eye, the middle of the eye, and just under your brow bone. Apply your lightest colors first, and then move on to your darker shades.  This will open up your eye, and make you appear more youthful.

-Create The Look Of False Lashes – Here are a few ways to get the look of false lashes without the pain.  Apply two coats of mascara to the bottom and TOP side of your lashes.  The trick is to wait a few minutes between  each coat to avoid clumping.  Also when applying mascara, move the wand back and forth in a zig-zag motion while going up, as this will add volume.

-Create Your Own Tinted Moisturizer– Simply mix your favorite facial moisturizer with a little bit of concealer. This way you can customize it with just the right amount of coverage.

More From Lauren Curtis:

• – My Foundation Routine – See it on Youtube
• – How to get massive eyelashes, perfectly defined brows and a flawless foundation Youtube
• – All About My Hair- See it Youtube
• – Smokey Eye For Beginners- See it on Youtube
• – Drugstore Everyday Makeup Tutorial – See It On Youtube

Bobbi Brown Blush Nectar On Amazon

Sigma Brow Powder On Amazon

Hyaluronic Acid For Lines, Wrinkles Acne Pits- Is It Effective?

Hyaluronic Acid– What is it?   Hyaluronic acid is a gooey substance that’s a key component in connective tissue, it functions by lubricating the joints.  It is a naturally occurring  substance in the body, and therefore, it has become the go-to substance for temporary filler for facial augmentation.  Hyaluronic Acid has been since used in cosmetics, skin care creams, serums because of it’s ability to plump the skin.

In this interview by LA Times, Dr. Nowell Solish, a cosmetic dermatologist, dermatological surgeon and director of Dermatologic Surgery at the University of Toronto, says that the substance’s features is that it draws moisture from the air and is said to hold up to 1, 000 times its weight in water.

He reveals that hyaluronic acid won’t enter into the skin, but rather it forms a barrier on the skin’s surface, and gives the skin a smoother effect.

So what does that mean?

Hyaluronic Acid, won’t eliminate wrinkles, but it does a good job of hiding them.  If you want to smooth out wrinkles, acne marks, lines- this serum may work well for you.

“When you apply it topically, the molecule is too big to get hyaluronic acid through the skin. So when we inject it to fill a wrinkle or line it works well. [But] when you put it on topically it’s a misconception that it’s all going into the skin,” Solish says.

He further reveals that Retin A and peptides stimulate collagen, and can be more effective topical wrinkle treatment than topical hyaluronic acid.  Retin A doesn’t moisturize, so a moisturizer should be applied on top.

“My personal opinion is that [beauty companies] are using [hyaluronic acid] because the name is so popular with things like Restylane and Juvéderm,” Solish says. “You can’t get [collagen] through the skin either, but people knew collagen and they knew that it helped wrinkles and lines so companies used that to their advantage.” Dr. Nowell Solish LA Times

According to How TO, Skin looses the plumpness over time:

“Over time, and through the effects of UV radiation and environmental pollutants, the ability of the skin to produce hyaluronic acid, at a high in adolescence and early adulthood, declines. As a result, the skin becomes dehydrated – there’s less of the water-retaining gel in our sponge example – and the collagen/elastin structure loses it’s integrity. The result? Thinning of the dermis, a loss of skin radiance, and the formation of lines and wrinkles”

They reveal two things about Hyaluronic Acid:

– When Used in High Concentrations, It Can Draw Moisture Out Of The Skin “When used as a moisturiser for the surface of the skin (as opposed to dermal replenishment) it has been suggested that hyaluronic acid’s great affinity for water may, if it is used in high concentrations and in very dry climates, actually back-fire on the user by pulling moisture out of the skin – the exact opposite of what the product is intended to do”- How TO

– Hyaluronic Acid Cannot Enter Into The Skin, Unless The Molecule Is Chopped Up, So It Sits On Top Of The Skin- “Hyaluronic acid molecules vary in size. As large molecules (those with a molecular weight over, say, 20,000 Daltons) cannot effectively penetrate the skin, a product that uses large molecule hyaluronic acid may be of limited value in replenishing dermal hyaluronic acid. In order for hyaluronic acid to penetrate the skin the molecule must be micronised, or chopped into fragments” How TO

–Hyaluronic Acid Needs To Be Used In Combination With A Moisturizer – “To properly use a hyaluronic acid serum, it needs to be applied onto damp skin and then “sealed” in with a layer of a good moisturizer on top. If applying the hyaluronic acid in this manner still makes your skin feel a bit dry or taut, the hyaluronic acid is probably pulling moisture out of your skin instead of pulling moisture from the air and into your skin.” skinacea.com

Featured, Oz Naturals $18.95 on Amazon,Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Cosmedica Skincare, $11 on Amazon

Oz Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum For Skin $18.95 on Amazon

“HA serum can be applied in the morning and again at night time. However, the serum is potent and you may want to begin using this once per day or every other day, working up to twice per day. Only apply a thin layer (less is more) and be sure to use a good moisturizer immediately afterward. The Hyaluronic Acid will pull the moisturizer deeply into your skin. 2. You should expect to see results on the first day, but give the product at least 30 days to see the most optimal results. 3. This product is safe for all skin types and conditions including dry or irritated skin, wrinkles, fine lines, dull complexion, acne, and eczema, etc. 4. Will not clog pores, does not contain parabens or alcohol. 5. Main function: to provide intense anti aging effects, to plump and give skin a more luminous, youthful appearance. Smooths fine lines and fills wrinkles.”

• By Hilette Hill