Wine and cheese get better with age. I wish we could say the same for our skin and hair. Talk to any woman, at any age, and she’ll give anything to look younger. So we spoke to leading experts who’ve worked their magic on Bollywood’s finest for their expert tips on how to fake a younger appearance. Take that, gravity!
The main problem is that we all want to look young and opt for extreme treatments; the trick is to look younger, not young. This minor difference makes for the world. When you try to look younger than your current self, you look gracefully rejuvenated with some of the ageing elements, but in the pursuit to look young, you make your skin look fake and unnatural. Take it from all the botox surgeries gone.
Problem: Creased Base
There’s no magic formula to nix foundation settling into fine lines, but there are techniques to minimise creasing. Start with well-moisturised skin, then blot it off with a tissue because the “more cream on the face, the more likely the foundation will crease,” says Ojas Rajani (Celebrity Makeup Artist). If you have oily skin, ditch foundation altogether and just use a creamy concealer like Inglot Cream Concealer that won’t cake, she says. Meanwhile, Arshis Javeri can’t stop praising illuminators. “For a glow that looks like lit from within, apply the illuminator (Makeup Revolution Superdewy Liquid Highlighter - Gold Champagne) before dabbing on foundation so that your skin doesn’t look dull as the day goes by.”
Problem: Thin Brows
Over-arched, thin brows look clownish. Period. The trick to sporting a lush, bold brow is to use a brown – never black – brow pencil to fill in your brows. Rule of thumb: Use a pencil like Maybelline New York Define & Blend Brow Pencil in Natural Brown that’s a shade lighter than your hair colour. “Use feathery, gentle strokes to resemble the natural eyebrow hair. Add height to your brows by arching them, then drawing slightly above the shape created,” says Rajani. Finally, add a little highlighter to the brow bone for an uplifting effect.
Problem: Thin Face
Nothing perks up your face faster than a quick swipe of blush. Namrata Soni recommends gel and cream blushes because “they glide onto skin, look dewy and last all day.” Just dust on the apples of your cheeks for an instant face lift. She suggests coral hues for Indian skin tones. Try Maybelline New York New Fit Me Mono Blush in the shade Fierce. You can also use it to create contours and a chiselled jaw line.
Problem: Sallow Complexion
While it’s harder to regain the dewy, plump freshness of youth, fake it by using a creamy luminizer or highlighter on the bridge of your nose and the top of your cheekbones. Enter Strobing, the new, subtler way to accentuate your face without the fiddly, time-consuming application of heavy contour paired with highlighter. To learn how to strobe like a pro click here.
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Problem: Droopy Lids
“Fix the problem by recreating your socket line with good blending using a taupe shadow to create an illusion,” says Javeri. He says soft matte shades with hints of shimmer can light up your eyes. Try Maybelline New York The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette. “Simply apply a slightly deeper brown shade on and slightly above the socket line and blend away”, continues Javeri.
Problem: Thinning Lips
Your lips don’t have oil glands to hydrate them, and actually start shrinking as you age. Like blush lipstick can instantly lift up your face. Apply a colour three to four shades brighter than your natural lip colour. “Pink, rose, apricot and peach in semi-matte perk up lips in a flash,” says Rajani. We love Lakme 9to5 Hya Matte Liquid Lipstick in the shades – Monday Mocha, Afterhours Wine, Vacation Nude, Coffee Break. As a finishing touch, outline your lips with a tiny drop of foundation for a polished look.
Problem: Eyes look Small
The dark black kohl that worked in your early 20s somehow makes your eyes look smaller in your 30s. Instead, try a chocolate brown or plum eyeliner like Lakme Eyeconic Kajal – Brown or L'Oreal Paris Infallible Silkissime Eyeliner – Plum for instant warmth. “Keep the line thin and soft, and line only the outer three-quarters of your eyes to open them up. Then blend upwards and side to side into the lash line so that it looks naturally defined,” says Rajani.
Problem: Hair Colour Clashes With Your Complexion
Simple solution: Go lighter. When it comes to hair colour, lighter hues take years off your face. The darker your hair, the harsher the contrast with your skin, showing up wrinkles and lines near your face, eyes or jaw line. Either get highlights to lift your look or opt for warm browns in chestnut or mahogany to keep things looking natural. We love L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Hair Color in Light Brown, Mahogany Brown and Burgundy.
Problem: Yellow Teeth
“Nothing ages you more than stained, yellowing teeth,” says Dr. Shalini Mirchandani. Frankly, in this day and age, with so many whitening and brightening options, it’s almost inconceivable that you would want to walk around with a less-than-dazzling smile. Try using Closeup Diamond Attraction Visibly White Teeth In 1 Brush powered with Blue Light Technology and see your chompers light up!
Problem: Saggy Skin
As you age, your skin starts to sag, you start experiencing a double chin, and your face doesn’t look as firm and tight as it used to. A physical solution you can try is using a face sculpting tool such as gua sha. Using a gua sha on your chin, cheekbones, and forehead can help you improve skin elasticity. You can also keep metal gua sha in the fridge for a more cooling, icy effect.
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Parting Thoughts
In the pursuit of looking younger, stick to the basics, and work on your features that are making you look older. If your eyes are not droopy, don’t touch it; instead, work on your fine lines, dehydrated skin, or cracked lips. The best way to age gracefully is to keep taking baby steps consistently to maintain that youthful look for a long time. That said, the right makeup hacks and beauty tricks can also help you look younger.
FAQs
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Why does my skin look aged?
Your skin looks aged because of not moisturising it regularly and skipping on sun protection. Invest in your skin from your 20s to keep your skin away from early signs of ageing.
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What exercise can I do to look younger?
There are some facial and neck exercises you can do to look younger. If you are a mouth-breather, make sure to use something like a mouth-tape at night to aid breathing through your nose. It helps in keeping your skin firm and young. Use an ice roller or face sculpting tools to keep your skin tight.
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How can I look younger?
Start early. As you age, the speed at which new skin cells develop slows down. So, start with either collagen or any retinoids to increase the speed of cell regeneration. If you haven’t started it already, it’s never too late to do damage control. If you are in your 30s-40s, you don’t need to be aggressive. A gentler approach with potent ingredients, healthy food, and a comparatively stress-free diet is all you need.
