WITH shop shelves full to the brim with make-up and anti-ageing products all promising to give us that 'youthful glow', it can be hard to know what to buy and what advice to follow.
This means many of us – in a bid to look and feel younger – try out beauty trends that don't necessarily suit us, which can actually unfortunately have an opposite effect.
Here, beauty pro and editor of beauty blog Beauty Answers, Melissa Austin, reveals the common mistakes she regularly sees clients make that can actually add years on, instead of taking them off…
Lift those lashes
You wouldn’t necessarily think that your eyelashes could age your face – but they really can.
However, by giving them a little bit of the right TLC, you can ensure you reignite that twinkle in your eye – and the solution is a lot lower maintenance than you'd think.
Melissa says: "Flat and droopy lashes can drag your lids down and instantly age your appearance.
"Adding layers upon layers of any old mascara will only make them look worse.
"To fight this, an eyelash curler will be your best friend.
"Curling your lashes before applying mascara will open up the eye and minimise the look of drooping lids."
Less is more
Another key mistake Melissa sees is clients going O.T.T with their lashes.
She says: "I often have clients come to me wanting to wear mega-long, thick false lashes believing this will be the key to unlocking a more youthful appearance.
"My advice would be to put down the lash glue, and opt for a few coats of mascara instead.
"If you really want to wear lashes, look for a natural, wispy design."
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Heavy eyeshadow looks
Another way to really bog down your eyes is to wear too much eyeshadow.
Melissa says: "Heavy eyeshadow looks, especially smoky eyes which often feature a lot of dark coloured eyeshadow all over the lid, don’t work for everyone.
"If you have a small space between your lid and eyebrow, then I would recommend steering clear from using dark colours all over your lid.
"This will make your eyes look too heavy and weigh your lids down, ultimately aging your features. Instead opt for a light shade of brown to contour your crease.
"It’s important to remember less is sometimes more when it comes to make-up."
Eye error
Again, thinking carefully about eye make-up is also important when applying eyeliner too.
Melissa says: "Lining your lower lash line with a pencil liner is something I often see clients trying include in their daily makeup routine, and unless it’s done correctly it can massively age them.
"One customer insisted on having blue liner run along her lash line as this is how she’d always done her eye makeup, but she didn’t know that when your undereye becomes slightly looser this will only enhance any wrinkles you have.
"In this instance the client wasn’t correct, so I stayed away from the lower liner.
"Once her new look was complete the client loved it, and even referred to herself as looking more youthful."
Cracks in our foundation
Another real issue is using too much foundation, which can accentuate what many of us consider to be 'imperfections' , rather than conceal them.
Melissa says: "Heavy use of foundation is perhaps one of the most common makeup mishaps I see.
"Everybody seems to love full coverage, but the thick consistency that usually goes hand in hand with it can often highlight fine lines and creases you didn’t even know existed.
"I once had a client who was insistent on wearing full coverage makeup but had issues with fine lines around her eyes.
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"Once I had finished her makeup, she actually thought I had used some type of plumping or Botox product on her skin!
"Setting your under-eyes with powder is a must for combating fine lines when wearing foundation or concealer under the eyes."
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