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 At a young age most girls have an innate fascination
with makeup and beauty. Rummaging through your mother's
vanity to see what glorious treasures you'll find, is a
memorable experience for many, but beyond the
"dress-up," what cosmetics are appropriate for you to use
through the ages?
Skin Care for Various Ages
Skin requires
different care at different ages and for different skin conditions. A
teenager's skin doesn't need the same care as that of a mature adult,
and a baby's skin doesn't need the same care as that of a teen. But
chronological age is not the only factor to consider when determining
the age of skin and the care it needs. The real age of the skin that
determines the care it needs is based on other factors. For example,
a woman in her twenties who has skin that has suffered major sun
damage may very well see her skin wrinkling. She would benefit from
wrinkle-reducing skin care products that are usually marketed to
older people.
The first thing
that you need to know about the type of skin care products that you
need to use is the type skin that you have. Skin is classified into
several different groups according to the production of sebum:
Normal skin is neither dry nor
oily. Normal skin is clear, soft, and smooth with a healthy glow.
(Normal skin is what all of us are striving for.)
Oily skin is exactly what
the name implies. Oily skin is indicative of over-productive
sebaceous glands. Oily skin appears coarser because the pores are
usually enlarged, and oily skin is also more prone to clogged pores,
blackheads, and acne.
Dry skin is the opposite of
oily skin. The sebaceous glands do not produce enough oil and the
skin does not retain enough moisture. The skin appears to be dry and
flaky.
Combination
skin is skin that has both oily patches and dry patches.
Remember the day
you realized you were a bit too old for Bonne Bell Lip Smackers? I
know it was a sad day for me; it can be tough to acknowledge that
we're getting older. Along the same lines, sometimes we don't move on
to the right skin care products for our current age and needs. To help,
check out this guide for the right skin care products for whatever
age you currently are.
20s
The issues you're most likely facing are acne and some discoloration
from sun damage. The most important thing for you to do is to keep
your skin protected with sunscreen -- everyday. And "start
protecting your neck, chest and hands along with your face,".
30s
Discoloration caused by sun damage or melasma (aka the mask of
pregnancy that can also be caused by birth control) are two of your
biggest skin challenges. "At this point you need to start
exfoliating regularly, because skin only exfoliates naturally every
35 days as opposed to every 14 in your 20s,"
40s
In your 40s, the lines of movement between your brows and around your
eyes and mouth don't disappear like they did in your 30s. "Your
estrogen level is tapering so your skin will become dryer,".
Overall you'll need to add moisture and collagen-building ingredients
like peptides.
50s
"Moisture, moisture, moisture," should be your main concern
in your 50s. Loss of tone and sagging are your biggest issues and
creams and serums can only do so much. If you're looking for more
dramatic results, in addition to using powerful products that contain
peptides, retinoids or alpha hydroxy or amino acids, consider talking
to a specialist about laser treatments and other non-evasive or
evasive skin rejuvenation options if you haven't already.
Age-Appropriate Makeup
Just as it's
important to take your age into consideration when making skin care
and fashion choices, it's essential to wear makeup that's most
suitable for your stage in life.
If you're like most
women, applying makeup - even if it's just a dab of lipstick or a
coat or two of mascara - is a big part of your daily morning ritual.
Why do we wear makeup? As with the right clothes and accessories,
makeup helps many women look and feel confident - it lets us
literally put our best face forward. The right makeup can hide skin
blemishes and wrinkles and highlight your most desirable facial features.
Many cosmetics even contain SPF to help protect your skin from the
sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. These are all great reasons to stock
up on beauty products. But have you ever stopped to consider whether
your makeup is age-appropriate? If you're not careful, you could end
up making some unflattering choices - ones that could even leave you
looking years older.
Sure, certain
events and times of day call for different makeup looks (for example,
fire-engine-red lips and smoky eyes might not exactly be suitable for
a meeting with your boss), but in general, women should strive to
achieve a look that's both natural and right for their age.
It's worth noting
that when it comes to beauty there are certain things that apply to
every age bracket. These include having a good skincare regime;
wearing makeup that complements your skin tone and wardrobe; and
choosing cosmetics that work for the current condition of your skin.
In Your Teens
Teen girls can
achieve an easy, natural look that will help enhance their appearance
without over-powering their face with cosmetics. Unfortunately this
is a time when most girls suffer from acne and may feel the need to
cover blemishes. Also because of inexperience or their excitement to
start wearing cosmetics, some girls just get carried away with
make-up.
Here are some
simple makeup tips for teen girls:
1. First
start with foundation and concealer. If you suffer from dark circles
or other pigment problems you will want to start with concealer
before foundation. If you are trying to cover up acne, then you will
want to use concealer last. Carefully apply concealer specifically to
the acne, not just in the area itself. A concealer brush is ideal for
this. There are concealers on the market that also has medication in
it to heal the acne and cover at the same time.
2. If you are lucky,
and do not suffer from acne, try a tinted moisturiser and a pressed
powder.
3. Go easy on the
eyes; there is no reason for a teenager to wear a lot of eye makeup.
A couple of fun eye shadows will do wonders. Take a light shimmery
colour and apply all over the lid and add a thin line of eyeliner
along the top lashes. If you would like to spice it up a bit with some
fun colours, apply the shimmery colour to the brow bone and the
contour colour to the lid. Great colours for everyone are browns
& gold's. Apply a light layer of mascara to the top and bottom
lashes.
4. Most teen girls
have a natural pink tint to their cheeks so adding more pink to the
cheeks isn't necessary with blush. So try a bronzer, bronzers will
add a little more natural colour to the face.
5. Finish up with some
shimmery lip gloss and you are ready to go!
In Your 20s
At this age, oily
skin and breakouts lingering from adolescence may be your primary
skin concerns. So opting for a foundation or concealer with salicylic
acid or other acne-healing properties is a good idea. When applying
makeup, you want the look to be as sheer and natural as possible.
Youthful skin is often already pretty rosy, so use a light hand when
applying blush. That said, feel free to have fun with colors and
shimmery accents. Go ahead and try that electric blue eyeliner,
bubble-gum-pink lipstick, or glittery gold eye shadow - in your 20s,
almost anything goes!
In Your 30s
Women in their 30s
can still play with their makeup looks. This is a time when it's
acceptable to wear heavier makeup. Think cat eyes - à la Audrey
Hepburn or the more dramatic version worn by Sophia Loren. To achieve
the look, use liquid liner along the edge of your upper eyelids and
extend the line just past the outer corner of your eyes. Create
fuller, thicker lashes by affixing half strips of false eyelashes to
your outer lashes. Also, keep eyebrows nicely shaped, but avoid
overplucking! Take advantage of their fullness; hair growth tends to
slow in your 40s, so you don't want to be left with skimpy brows
years down the line. You may need to use a brightener to minimize
undereye shadows and give your cheeks an extra stroke of color if
you've lost that rosy glow. Add subtle color to your lips in the
daytime with a tinted lip balm. At night, go for the glamour -
experiment with reds, corals, and terracotta hues.
In Your 40s
When you hit 40,
you may need to add more warmth to your skin tone. Tinted
moisturizers and cream blushes will add a healthy glow. If you've got
fine lines, avoid heavy makeup, which tends to settle into creases.
Since you may start seeing sun spots, it'll be especially important
to wear sunblock every day (if you're not, start today!). Age also
changes the shape of your eyes, so concentrate on defining them.
Always use an eyelash curler and try a long-lasting liner in navy
(this color makes any eye color pop). Opt for a natural lip color,
and mix shimmery or frosted makeup, which will also settle into
lines. To help bring out any shadows on your face, use illuminating
concealers.
In Your 50s
At 50 the primary
goal is to use color wisely. Have beautiful honey-colored skin? Use a
tinted moisturizer with warm undertones to give it a nice overall
glow. If you've got great lips, accentuate them with a bright lip
color. But if you have many wrinkles around your mouth, don't go
there - or else you'll bring attention to those lines. Emphasize
beautiful brows by filling them in with a brow pencil. Before
applying foundation, fill in creases and smooth out skin with a serum
base moisturizer or foundation primer. Use a slanted brush to contour
spots that need extra attention, like the area along your cheekbones
and jawline. When you need a touch-up, use blotting papers instead of
adding more powder to avoid a cakey appearance.
In Your 60s and Beyond
If you're in this
age bracket, you'll want to use wrinkle fillers and plumping products
as much as possible (look for makeup containing hyaluronic acid).
Because your blood circulation changes later in life, you'll need
blush to help restore the flush you had when you were younger. Skin
also gets drier as you age, so stick with creamier products. If your
eyes need definition, use a long-lasting gel or liquid liner in a
soft brown or gray (black is too harsh) at your lash line. Fill in
sparse brows with a brow pencil in a taupe colour. To reduce redness
in and around the eyes, use an eye-brightening pencil, on the inner
rim of the eye. Before adding color to your lips, use a lip-smoothing
liner to give your lipstick staying power and prevent it from bleeding
into fine lines.
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