Hide your age

A few simple tips can conceal the signs of ageing and make you look younger and more attractive, says MINAL KHONA

As we age, patchy skin, crow’s feet, wrinkles and dull skin are dead giveaways to our age. But if you already have a good skin care routine, a few make up tricks can make you look years younger and leave people guessing your true age.
To retain younger looking skin for a long time, it is important to have a skin care routine from your twenties. A cleansing, toning, moisturising routine gradually incorporating a weekly facemask and exfoliating treatment, works for most people. The important thing is to choose products according to your skin type.
Once a woman hits her 40s and 50s, or is closer to or past menopause, the skin can get drier. Age spots and patchy skin are also some of the signs of ageing skin. Here is where modern day makeup comes in that hides flaws, highlight your best features and makes you look younger.
 
Lay it on thin
An important point to remember is not to cake on the foundation or concealer in thick layers, as that will only highlight your wrinkles and fine lines. Use a cream based foundation to cover any blotches or dark patches on your skin. Use a stick or a liquid foundation, both work fine, it should ideally be one that can be spread over your skin with the fingertips, without having to pull at your skin. If you don’t want it to look caked and thick, apply moisturiser before applying foundation, it will blend better.
Also, don’t forget the neck area as that is usually the most obvious sign of one’s age. Blend the foundation all over your neck and jawbone. First apply foundation in dots all around the area, then blend in an upward direction with the fingers.
 
Eye openers
With age, our eyelids begin to droop, not to mention crow’s feet for those of us who squint in the sun or smoke. What often happens is that one applies kohl or eyeliner to the lower lid and because the skin is not so firm anymore, it tends to smudge. Instead, apply liner and mascara on the top eyelid only. This solves two problems with one stroke, no smudging and the mascara opens up your eyes. If you absolutely must use liner on the lower lid, go for gel liners which are easy to apply and take off.
For fine lines and wrinkles around the eye region the concealer should work, but be sure it is in a shade that compliments your skin, or the attempt to hide dark circles will only make you look more tired.
An effective way to hide wrinkles in the upper eyelid is to wear eyeshadow. I know of a cosmetologist in her 50s who is never seen without it. Her own products keep her skin looking young, but the giveaway signs around the eyes are camouflaged to a large extent with eyeshadow. Go for shades of burnt orange or copper as they work best with Indian skin tones.
If you wear mascara daily and find taking it off every night is a chore, you can always consider professional eyelash tinting.
While dealing with the eyelashes, don’t forget your eyebrows. Make sure you have them in shape at all times, with the extra growth threaded off. Also, if, like me, you have a very thin growth at the start of your eyebrows, use a brow pencil to fill in the gaps and give the brows a shape. Only don’t make them too thick or dark as that looks artificial.
 
Luscious lips
Our mouth and the area around the lips can also reveal our age. I have noticed especially in Australia, that women who smoke have several vertical lines above their upper lip. To avoid these, besides obviously not smoking, one should consciously relax facial muscles regularly. As for the fine lines, the concealer should do the trick.
However, it is important to choose lipsticks carefully. I always go for the ones with extra moisture or those that have a very creamy texture. They are easy to apply and the moisture keeps the lips from looking dry.
Shades from the colour palette of brown, rose, nudes or berry work well. Go for the brighter shades as they can make your lips look larger and the full effect gives you a younger look. A coat of gloss also adds to the full look.
 
Cheek chic
The most problematic area can be the region of the cheeks as this is the largest portion of the face that is visible, so any blemishes there are immediately noticed. While the concealer and foundation may have taken care of the patchy skin and fine lines, you need to give them a touch of blush to look good and to complete your look. I prefer the powder blushes as one can apply a really thin coat and not look made up. The creamy ones can cake up as you already have the foundation layer below, which is cream based.
A layer of separation must be created between the foundation and the blush, with a coat of translucent powder. Then apply the blush, preferably in pale shades of peach, rose or nude on to the apples of your cheeks towards your hairline. This will make your face look younger. Blend it well so that the blush doesn’t look like two red blotches on your cheeks.
 
Body tips
This is something everyone knows but no one follows: go easy on the caffeine and drink 7-8 glasses of water a day. The water flushes out the toxins from the skin and helps to keep it firm and moisturised.
Also, avoid using very hot water while showering; it is better to shower in the morning than at night, as the daytime humidity hydrates the skin and the moisturiser you apply keeps it trapped in.
Other than that, meditative practices, exercises and yoga are all great contributors to younger looking skin.