Makeup Artists Say You Shouldn't Use This 1 Technique After 40 ...Saudi Arabia

There's a reason you might think your makeup suddenly stopped looking as good as it used to, and it's not that you've forgotten how to apply it. Your skin has changed—it's drier, thinner and has more texture than it did a decade ago. I know, life is not exactly fair!—but you're still using the same techniques and formulas that worked beautifully when your face was completely different. What once created a flawless finish now settles into lines you didn't know existed. What used to look polished might look heavy and flat now.The most frustrating part? Many women respond to these changes by adding more product—more coverage to hide uneven tone, more powder to set everything, more concealer under the eyes. But celebrity makeup artists who work with mature skin daily see this backfire constantly. The techniques trending on TikTok (think: full-coverage matte foundation, heavy contouring, dramatic eyeliner) are often designed for younger skin with different needs.Makeup after 40 isn't about doing more. It's simply about doing things differently. We talked to celebrity makeup artists who've worked with everyone from Jennifer Lopez to Quinta Brunson to find out which popular techniques actually age your face and what to do instead. Set those Beauty Blenders down for just a quick second and listen up for some new beauty tricks!Related:11 Best Skin-Tightening Moisturizers, According to Celebrity Derms

The Beauty Technique To Avoid Over 40, According to Makeup Artists

The experts were unanimous: heavy, full-coverage foundation is likely aging your face.

Molly R. Stern, who works with Chelsea Handler and Maya Rudolph, identifies this as one of two "major" mistakes, sharing, "Less is more. Use concealer or foundation only where you need it.”

She goes on to say that a face with foundation from hairline to chin is too heavy and will generally settle into fine lines and just generally makes the face look dull.

Scott Barnes—whose clients include Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion and Gwyneth Paltrow—explains exactly why those viral TikTok techniques don't translate to real life.

"Full-coverage matte formulas are fundamentally thicker and drier, this makes them great for covering blemishes and discolorations as well as offering long wear, especially those with oilier skin,” he says. But for mature skin that tends to be drier with deeper expression lines and wrinkles, these heavy matte formulas tend to look cakey and flat, aging the skin even more.

Related: A Celebrity Makeup Artist Reveals if You Should Use Concealer or Foundation First (You Might Be Surprised!)

But that doesn’t mean people with mature skin can or should avoid foundation entirely!

According to celebrity makeup artist Jenepher Reynolds, who's worked with Norah Jones and Harry Connick Jr., there’s updated formulas that make skin shine.

"Today's formulas are often sheer, hydrating and softly radiant,” she tells Parade. “A lightweight foundation, tinted primer or BB cream can even out redness and discoloration while still letting your skin look like skin.”

Barnes also recommends reaching "for medium coverage foundation with a satin or dewy finish, applying with a dual fiber foundation brush in outward, circular strokes to avoid trapping product in the peach fuzz on the face. For any areas that need additional coverage (such as melasma, broken capillaries or sunspots), layer on concealer."

Related: 16 Best Foundations for Dry Skin, According to Celebrity Dermatologists

Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images

Beyond heavy foundation, several other common makeup techniques are actually working against mature skin.

Renée Loiz, who works with Quinta Brunson and Uzo Aduba, warns against "heavy black eyeliner on the lid. Thick black liner can close up the eyes, make them look smaller and feel dated. Instead, I recommend using a dark brown or brown black liner and tightlining right into the lashes. It opens up the eyes and makes the lashes look fuller without looking harsh."

Reynolds agrees about ditching harsh liner.

"As the eyes naturally change with age, a thick line can take over and make the eyes appear smaller or more closed," she shares.

Instead, she says to focus on soft definition, echoing Loiz's recommendation: “Tightline between the lashes to subtly enhance the eyes without creating a harsh line. Then, add a soft shadow along the upper lash line to build shape."

Avital of Puzzle Makeup has a specific warning about under-eye liner.

"If you've been reaching for a dark pencil under your eyes, it's time to stop. On mature skin, dark liner creates shadow, heaviness and a drooping effect that no amount of concealer can fix," she says.

Instead of liner, she says to try a soft glow or matte eyeshadow applied gently under the lower lash line with a mini brush. It creates the definition you want without the heaviness.

Related: 8 Best Eyeliners for Hooded Eyes, According to Celebrity Makeup Artists

2. Blush placement that could be dragging your face down

Loiz has strong opinions here.

"Avoid placing blush directly on the apples of the cheeks," she tells Parade. "That placement can make the face look rounder and less lifted. I prefer applying blush higher up toward the temples to give the face a more sculpted, lifted effect."

However, Barnes also warns against the opposite extreme—the trendy "blush blocking" technique.

"[It's] another avant-garde runway look where a wider block of blush is intensely applied high on the face, close to the temples. [It's] beautiful on the runway and I have seen some really fun editorial looks with this—but as we mature, guess what else is higher on the face and close to the temples? Wrinkles and textured skin around the eye area," he notes.

His preferred technique? Layer a cream blush with a powder blush for a natural, dimensional flushed look that stays all day without looking heavy or cakey—focusing on the apples of the cheeks, directly under the iris of your eye as you look forward.

Related: The Best Blush for Mature Skin, According to Professional Makeup Artists

While this trend looks editorial on runways and younger celebrities, Barnes doesn't recommend it for mature skin.

"Bleaching or lightening brows that are naturally sparser at this stage in your life is going to wash you out and potentially age you," he explains.

He recommends Anastasia Brow Wiz because "there is a color for everyone—I love the formula as it's not too waxy and the ultra-fine tip allows you to draw hair line strokes so you don't get that thick obvious brow pencil look."

Related: This Is the Best Eyebrow Color for Gray Hair, According to a Makeup Artist

4. Using the wrong technique to blend eyeshadow

"If you've been blending your eyeshadow in circles, this is why it never looks quite right," Avital tells Parade. "Blending with the head of the brush in circles directly on the skin is one of the most common techniques women are taught and it's aging your eyes without you even realizing it. It pulls color down, creates muddiness and works against mature skin every single time."

Instead? "Use the body of your brush, not the tip," she suggests. "Soft strokes from the outer corner inward—that's it. No circles, no back and forth."

Related: 12 Best Eyeshadow Palettes for Hooded Eyes, According to Makeup Artists

Avital points out a mistake almost everyone makes.

"Ever notice how lipstick looks perfect on your arm and then completely different on your lips? That's exactly why swatching on your inner wrist doesn't work. Lip color changes based on your natural lip tone and how light reflects off the pigment," she explains.

Instead, apply it directly to your lips and see how it actually looks on you.

Related: 5 Habits of French Women Over 50 Who Look Ageless

4 Best Makeup Tips for Mature Women

Small adjustments create dramatic improvements in how fresh and modern your makeup looks.

1. Update your routine regularly

Reynolds sees women stuck in ruts constantly.

"A lot of women find a routine that works and stick with it for years. The same shades, the same placement, the same products. The challenge is that skin tone, texture and facial structure naturally evolve over time. What once looked balanced can start to feel dated without you even realizing it," she says.

Instead, revisit your makeup every few years. Update your shades, try newer formulas and adjust placement slightly.

Stern identifies this as the second major mistake she sees.

"Women over 40 get scared of bold colors," she tells Parade. "A bright flush on the cheek can really spruce up anyone's look. Same with a bright lip.”

Related: The French-Inspired Lip Trend That’s Flattering at Any Age, According to a Celebrity Makeup Artist

3. Master the powder technique

While heavy powder can age skin, Loiz has an alternative technique that works.

"I like to lightly mist a powder brush with setting spray, tap it into loose powder and press it only into the areas that need setting,” she explains, adding that this gives more of an airbrushed finish and keeps the skin from looking cakey.

4. Think in layers and placement

Barnes locks everything in with "a light dusting of translucent loose powder," sharing, "Makeup Forever Translucent is my all-time go to."

He also finishes faces by taking the blush brush with whatever product remains and then bounces it across the bridge of the nose, explaining that this technique gives a beautiful, healthy look for mature skin.

Up Next:

Related: 7 Shimmer Eyeshadows Makeup Artists Swear By for Women Over 50

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