From instant-makeover makeup tips to long-term habit changes to prevent wrinkles, here are some of our favorite lesser-known tips to keep you looking great:
1. When it comes to skin creams, less is more
Unless you have a special condition that makes your skin particularly finicky about products, you should be able to get away without all those high-end, complex skin creams. Most women don't need more than a mildly exfoliating cleanser, an unscented moisturizer, a gentle toner, and a sun screen -- and some dermatologists even recommend skipping the toner.
2. To open up tired eyes, use false lashes and nude shadow
Use a lash curler to maximize your lashes and minimize the droopy effect of tired lids, and instead of piling on the mascara and eyeliner, try placing at each upper lid the shorter, false lashes designed for the lower lids. Complete the look with a nude tone eyeshadow, accented by a darker, peach-tinted natural color placed at the outer lid crease and swept subtly upward toward the brow.
3. Update the "invisible" wardrobe items, too
Good posture makes a big impact on how self-confident you look, and just a little "boost" in this area can have an impressive effect on how self-confident you feel. Never underestimate the value of getting professionally sized every time you purchase a new bra, and take the time to find well-crafted shoes with adequate support.
4. Don't get stuck on just one fragrance
Scents have strong psychological effects, and switching up your style in this area can often kick your look up another notch. Getting beyond a one-fragrance-only rut can help you feel fresh and daring, kicking your attitude and your look up an extra notch.
5. Forego the foundation
A tinted moisturizer or sunscreen tends to leave skin looking dewy-fresh and much healthier, without clogging pores the way foundation does. The best part: moisturizers and sunscreens tend to lock in moisture in ways foundations can't, helping to preserve skin health and keep you looking young.
6. Laugh
We all replace our outdated accessories, but it can be much more difficult to toss out the habits that cause ourselves and the people around us to feel negative and "old." Laughing frequently, genuinely listening to others, and simply avoiding negative-focused people can all help foster the kind of positivity that, studies show, helps prolong health and stave off the negative effects of aging.
7. Don't outline
Sharp, dark liners on the lips or eyes make them look harsher and smaller. Blending is always better, and when you're tempted to line darkly, try a light liner instead. A bit of gold or bronze tone applied along the upper lip and blended well tends to make it appear fuller, and peach or gold tones at the lower lid make eyes appear larger and more alert. The one exception to this rule: smooth black liquid liner at the upper lid – but even here, keep the look dramatic by choosing a pale-peach or gold tone for the lower lid.
8. Always avoid "bruise hues"
Regardless of your skin color, blue eyeshadows tend to lend skin a grayish tone and draw attention to the blue-hued "tear troughs" of the eyes. For smoky eyes, try a deep brown or warmer reddish-purple instead.
9. Pay your hands the same attention you do your face
The thin tissues on your hands tend to age more quickly even than the tissues of your face, and can make you look aged and unhealthy. For fresh, baby-smooth hands, exfoliate them periodically, use sunscreen, and above all, moisturize!
10. Consult an expert before you have to
Talking with a dermatologist while you're still in your 20s-40s can give you incredible insights into your skin type and skin care habits. This single step can not only simplify your beauty product choices, but also help prevent the problems that require expensive treatment years later.
1. When it comes to skin creams, less is more
Unless you have a special condition that makes your skin particularly finicky about products, you should be able to get away without all those high-end, complex skin creams. Most women don't need more than a mildly exfoliating cleanser, an unscented moisturizer, a gentle toner, and a sun screen -- and some dermatologists even recommend skipping the toner.
2. To open up tired eyes, use false lashes and nude shadow
Use a lash curler to maximize your lashes and minimize the droopy effect of tired lids, and instead of piling on the mascara and eyeliner, try placing at each upper lid the shorter, false lashes designed for the lower lids. Complete the look with a nude tone eyeshadow, accented by a darker, peach-tinted natural color placed at the outer lid crease and swept subtly upward toward the brow.
3. Update the "invisible" wardrobe items, too
Good posture makes a big impact on how self-confident you look, and just a little "boost" in this area can have an impressive effect on how self-confident you feel. Never underestimate the value of getting professionally sized every time you purchase a new bra, and take the time to find well-crafted shoes with adequate support.
4. Don't get stuck on just one fragrance
Scents have strong psychological effects, and switching up your style in this area can often kick your look up another notch. Getting beyond a one-fragrance-only rut can help you feel fresh and daring, kicking your attitude and your look up an extra notch.
5. Forego the foundation
A tinted moisturizer or sunscreen tends to leave skin looking dewy-fresh and much healthier, without clogging pores the way foundation does. The best part: moisturizers and sunscreens tend to lock in moisture in ways foundations can't, helping to preserve skin health and keep you looking young.
6. Laugh
We all replace our outdated accessories, but it can be much more difficult to toss out the habits that cause ourselves and the people around us to feel negative and "old." Laughing frequently, genuinely listening to others, and simply avoiding negative-focused people can all help foster the kind of positivity that, studies show, helps prolong health and stave off the negative effects of aging.
7. Don't outline
Sharp, dark liners on the lips or eyes make them look harsher and smaller. Blending is always better, and when you're tempted to line darkly, try a light liner instead. A bit of gold or bronze tone applied along the upper lip and blended well tends to make it appear fuller, and peach or gold tones at the lower lid make eyes appear larger and more alert. The one exception to this rule: smooth black liquid liner at the upper lid – but even here, keep the look dramatic by choosing a pale-peach or gold tone for the lower lid.
8. Always avoid "bruise hues"
Regardless of your skin color, blue eyeshadows tend to lend skin a grayish tone and draw attention to the blue-hued "tear troughs" of the eyes. For smoky eyes, try a deep brown or warmer reddish-purple instead.
9. Pay your hands the same attention you do your face
The thin tissues on your hands tend to age more quickly even than the tissues of your face, and can make you look aged and unhealthy. For fresh, baby-smooth hands, exfoliate them periodically, use sunscreen, and above all, moisturize!
10. Consult an expert before you have to
Talking with a dermatologist while you're still in your 20s-40s can give you incredible insights into your skin type and skin care habits. This single step can not only simplify your beauty product choices, but also help prevent the problems that require expensive treatment years later.
