Does Your Makeup Age You?

When skin looks too dry, it enhances wrinkles, says celebrity makeup artist and founder of LORAC Cosmetics, Carol Shaw. If you are using a makeup that doesn't have enough moisture in it, or too much powder, it can age the appearance of your skin. And you should always start with a great moisturizer.

Carol recommends that you add a hydrating primer to your morning routine to battle the dryness problem. A primer can help fill in fine lines on your face and also gives a great base for any layers of product that you're going to add on later. In our opinion, there's nothing worse than seeing makeup settling into creases.

According to Carol, it's not your lipstick shade that's making you look older, it's the formulation. A lot of long-wearing lipsticks are extremely drying, she explains. The key to youthful-looking lips is finding a stick or gloss that is moist and has nourishing ingredients.

Once you've applied your primer, Carol recommends using an anti-aging foundation to give your skin a youthful, healthy appearance.

Another problem that can age women is wearing a lot of makeup that's not blended well, so it's thick, cakey and dark, Carol says. Her solution is to have the right tools and brushes to blend it with. Start with less, and you can always add on. This applies to the eyes, lips and the face.

When women apply too much eye shadow that's dark and not blended, it can look harsh and make them appear older, she says. Make sure to softly blend your shadow. And you can add a winged cat-eye effect with black liner to help the eyes appear larger, more open and lifted.

I've been using bronzer on everyone I work with — and on myself, says Carol. The right bronzer gives your skin a beautiful, luminous and warm glow, which is the very appearance of youth.