10 Useful Anti-Aging Tips for Women

Do people think you look older than you really are?

Well first of all, aging isn’t a bad thing. With age, as we all know, comes perspective, knowledge, temperance, confidence, taste, and wisdom that’s infinitely useful in one’s daily life. But with age, as we also all know, come some perhaps less desirable changes including an overall “frumpiness” that makes women feel less attractive and less powerful.

Everyone wants wisdom, but no one wants to look frumpy. So the question we’d like to answer is: How does a woman get the best of both worlds? How can we enjoy the fantastic blessings age brings, without looking antique? We take a look at the culprits – ten big mistakes women make that cause them to look older than they have to. And we examine exactly what steps to take to look the best we can, at whatever age we are.

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#1

Don’t Overdo Your Eye Makeup

It’s a great tool for emphasizing your best features and can help anyone look fresh, polished and professional, but a general rule for any woman as she ages is “less is more.” That includes the use of eyeliner and dates eyeshadow contouring, which can add years to our look. Experts still recommend that all women use eyeliner and mascara, as this serves to open up the eyes, but go for lighter-colored eyeliner like dark brown instead of the usual black. Wearing it too dark looks too harsh and old.

There’s also the danger of eyeshadow seeping into wrinkles around the eyes, it’s best to avoid applying eyeliner underneath the eyes, as it can cake around them and make you look tired and old. And remember: what goes on must come off. Applying a lot of makeup requires removing it, and all the constant wiping action stretches the skin over time.

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#2

Don’t Neglect Your Lips

A telltale sign of aging is dry, unmoisturized lips. They are exposed to sunlight, pollution and the elements daily, and can suffer a significant amount of stress over the years. To compound matters, the lips have a very thin outer protective layer. As we age, this already thin layer becomes even thinner, and less able to defend itself against dryness. Without care, they can age faster than other parts of the skin. Putting on lipstick may emphasize the wrinkles that form on mature lips, and the color can edge its way into fine lines around the mouth.

To avoid this problem, take the time to moisturize and condition the lips daily, and properly prep them before applying lipstick. An expert recommends regularly exfoliating our lips to get rid of any dull and dry skin (you can try gently brushing your lips with a soft bristle toothbrush) and to make sure to apply a moisturizing balm at night. It’s also a good idea to use a lip primer underneath your lipstick – this will help your lipstick adhere better, and prevent it from spreading past the lips.

Ever wonder why older women seem to have thinner lips?

It’s because lips tend to shrink as we age, so choose a product that add plumpness to the lips.

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#3

Don’t Overpluck Your Eyebrows

Eyebrows naturally thin out as you age, so keeping them thin past your mid-thirties will only serve to accelerate aging your look. As women grow older, eyebrows play an increasingly important role in framing the face. Thin brows tend to mimic the lines that emerge as a woman ages. An expert suggest to keep your brows full, as they tend to lift the eyes, and are easier to maintain. But be careful not to go to the extreme and fill in your brows with black; it’s just as aging as pencil thin arches.

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#4

Don’t Pouf Your Hair Too Much

Short, bouffant do’s were all the rage in the 80s and 90s, but hair trends have evolved, and these days, that “fresh from the parlor mushroom blowdried” styles are out. Tone down the volume on short hair as this can really age you. Keep your style sleek instead. At the same time, hair that’s too long can drag your features down and age you, especially if you’ve had the same cut for years. A quick age subtractor: bangs. Not only do they hide any worry lines, but the look itself is youthful and fresh. It’s important that you sit down and speak to your stylist first before getting bangs. The length and texture of your hair should determine what kind of bangs will work for you.

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#5

Don’t Choose The Wrong Hair Color

Graying hair is one of the most obvious signs of aging, and for most women, hair color is standard procedure. But it’s important to choose a shade that’s right for your skin tone. Unless you’re going for a stylized look, you don’t want to call attention to the fact that you’re dyeing your hair.

The most obvious path would be to choose a hair color as close as possible to your natural color. You don’t, however, have to be limited to this – there are numerous shades available on the market that are likely to suit your particular coloring. Warm shades like red, copper or gold look great on women with warm skin tones, while hair colors like ash, violet and black suit cool skin tones. If you’re in doubt about your skin tone, check what kind of jewelry suits you better. If you look better wearing gold jewelry, you probably have a warm skin tone. And if you look better in silver, then your skin tone is probably cool.

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#6

Don’t Choose The Wrong Perfume

Choosing a scent is a very personal decision, and all women have a particular kind of perfume that they like. We should, however, take care to regulate the intensity of the perfume we use, and opt for fresh, modern scents. Nothing screams old and outdated like a too-powerful scent applied too liberally – it can give the impression you’re trying too hard to impress or be attractive, or just have really bad taste.

Women who want to feel younger should avoid heavier scents and try out fruity and citrusy perfumes, particularly in the daytime. Using lighter-scented eau de toilette for day, and limiting eau de parfum to later hours. Eau de parfum has a higher alcohol concentration, lasts longer and smells stronger than eau de toilette, and is more appropriate for evening.

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#7

Don’t Overlook SPF

As we age, we develop fine lines and wrinkles, and find that the skin on our face is drier and duller, looks uneven and blotchy, shows pores and feels rough. Thank goodness for scientific breakthroughs in the beauty industry for finding effective ways of preventing and minimizing these signs, so that we continue to look youthful past our perfect-skin twenties.

What many women all over the world don’t realize is that most of the signs of skin aging are caused by the sun. In skin care terms, the sun is your worst enemy. The first thing to do is to stay out of the sun. He also places emphasis on using at least an SPF 15 sunscreen daily, underlining the fact that sun damage adds up over time – a woman staying outdoors just 15 minutes a day can sustain as much damage to her skin over one month as a woman spending a whole day at the beach.

Also important is keeping skin moisturized. Even women with oily skin need to apply moisturizer daily if they wish to stay youthful-looking. Scientifically speaking, the regimen for women aiming to take care of their skin is: cleansing, moisturizing and applying sunscreen. These steps are essential.

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#8

Don’t Over Pile Yourself With Powder

Our skin evolves as we mature, and so should our makeup habits. When wearing foundation, the solution is not to cover up the entire face with heavy powder foundation, as this can look chalky and dated (think the 60’s pancake makeup look). Instead, use a light-reflective cream or liquid foundation, which helps give your skin a vibrant glow. Concentrate on areas like the corners of your nose, the sides of your mouth, and other uneven patches, then blend accordingly. If you’re worried about oiliness, use a face brush to apply loose powder on your forehead, nose, and chin.

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#9

Don’t Satisfy Yourself With Long Fingernails

…or worse, long toenails! Dragon Lady vermilion nails may have been the “in” thing twenty years ago, but in the past two decades, keeping them short has been the way to go. Inch-long talons not only make you look matronly, they’re more difficult to maintain. Short nails don’t have to look stubby. If you must grow them, keep them at a quarter-inch past the tips of your fingers, otherwise you’ll reach the length where they’ll break or chip more easily.

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#10

Don’t Get Used To Harmful Habits

Looking and feeling young isn’t just about the makeup we put on or the clothes we wear, but is also largely about how we go about our daily business. Not getting enough sleep, practicing poor eating habits, making unhealthy food choices, not working out which contributes to tiredness, moodiness and lack of energy that adds years to our overall appearance, and last but not the least, probably the most common of all harmful habits – excessive smoking and drinking alcohol.

One important aspect women often overlook is their posture. Poor posture can make you appear older and more lethargic. Good posture, a positive attitude and a smile can do wonders to make you look and feel younger.