I’m guilty of an aging makeup mistake – swapping out a go-to product was hard but I realized it made my skin look crepey
THE older you get, the wiser you need to be about your more mature makeup routine.
It might take some getting used to, but reducing the signs of aging will be worth the skin-saving swaps.
FACE IT
Amanda McIntosh, Founder of Take My Face Off, knows it might be a struggle at first, but she feels the adjustments will help the anti-aging force to be more on your side.
“I see a lot of people who don’t switch up their makeup routines as their skin ages – I’m guilty of this!” she told The U.S. Sun.
She shared her turning-back time tricks that target problem areas for those in the 35 and older category.
If you’re not using a moisturizer, you better get a move on it.
“Especially if you have oily skin, it really helps your skin hold moisture – the watery kind, not the oily kind,” she said.
“Moisturizers and makeup work longer and look better when you start with a good toner because your skin hydration level stays more consistent throughout the day,” she continued.
If you find your makeup moving throughout the day, it’s most likely due to changes in your skin’s hydration level – but the right product can help keep things in place.
“Moisturizing toners trap good moisture and keep it there longer,” she said.
McIntosh herself is a fan of Haruharu Wonder’s Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner.
She also doesn’t want you getting too comfortable with your concealer routine.
SKIN-SAVING SWITCH
It’s not always easy to take the steps necessary to fool Father Time, but she was willing to make the skin-saving sacrifice.
“You have to switch foundation and concealers when you get older. Move away from matte-finish products, including powder,” she said.
“This was hard for me, since my skin is so oily and I have some texture issues I’m always trying to hide,” she continued.
“But I finally realized that it was better to show some texture than to have the matte-finish products make my skin look crepier and collect in my lines around my eyes.”
For even more eye-popping results, she recommends putting the brakes on powder around the eyes.
“Unless you’re an actual baby, it makes the skin crepey when you smile or talk,” she said.
Though she mostly avoids concealer, when she does opt for this kind of coverage, she applies it sparingly and with only one kind of brush.
Her easy steps include putting some product on the back of her hand and using a fluffy concealer brush with loose bristles.
You will then be able to brush those areas you want to target with “light strokes.”
There was a method to her makeup madness, after all.
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Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner, $22, Haruharu
Take My Face Off Mitty Makeup Remover Pad, $11.50, Take My Face Off
“This works because you’re applying less, and it sits lightly on the top of your skin. It’s less likely to settle into creases, where it just makes you look worse,” she said.
SUN’S OUT, SPF IS IN THE BAG
Her number one rule for rewinding the aging process is never to skip sunscreen.
Even if you work inside all day, you are not safe from the sun’s damaging effects.
While you might already have a stash of SPF in your bag, she shared a lesser-known trick.
“Here’s what some people don’t know – don’t wait until you have age spots to take care of your neck and the backs of your hands,” she said.
To prevent aging, it’s critical to cover the exposed parts of the body when wearing V-necks, particularly the back of the neck and the top of the chest.
“Moisturizer and sunscreen are critical. Retinol is also good if your skin can handle it,” she continued.
“Use at least as much moisturizer on your neck as you use on your face,” she added.
LESS IS MORE
McIntosh, who never leaves home without a sunscreen stick, also has a warning about going overboard with the product.
“I know a lot of people who overuse vitamin C, exfoliating acids like AHAs, and retinol – they use several of these chemical irritants instead of just choosing one,” she said.
“Home treatments shouldn’t leave your skin red and inflamed. Overuse of these products accelerates aging and makes your skin too sensitive to the sun,” she continued.
If she had to pick just one of these products, she would choose retinol because it has the most “clinical proof.”
“Find a concentration that doesn’t irritate your skin, and then use it consistently. And then double up on sunscreen,” she said.
McIntosh’s brand is known for its mitty’s, a soft and effective washcloth – and the ideal way to remove all of the makeup she advises using as we age.
Made to last for years, mitty’s are available in various sizes, colors, and shapes.
It even fits on a hand or finger, like a mitt, as it cleanses the skin.