Makeup Swaps To Make In Your 40s

Your 20s are all about learning lessons, your 30s are dedicated to editing your beauty stash—and your 40s are when you truly refine your look. This is the decade for making only minor tweaks to your makeup routine and knowing which ones make a huge difference. From youth-boosting foundation to flattering lip shades, these are the updates your beauty routine is missing. Below, the swaps to make now.

Forever 40

Swap A Regular Primer For A Blurring One

In your 40s, expression lines around your eyes, forehead and mouth don't diminish overnight like they did in your 30s. Unlike regular primers, blurring primers soften and hide fine lines for a more youthful-looking base.

Swap Powder For Cream

In your 40s, your estrogen levels decrease, making your skin dryer. Powder makeup can dehydrate the skin and settle into fine lines, which only accentuates them. Instead, use cream products that keep skin looking dewy and hydrated.

Swap Dark Lipstick For A Pretty Pink

As we age, our lips can get thinner. A deep shade of lipstick can give the illusion of even smaller lips and this, in turn, ages you. Choose lipsticks in shades of mauve and pink to help define while adding a youthful rosiness. If you choose to wear a dark shade for an evening out, pick one in a glossy finish to make lips appear more plump.

Swap Brow Pencils For Fiber-Building Gels

In your 40s, changes in hormones can cause hair to thin, and this almost always include your brows. Instead of filling in your arches with a dark brow pencil, use a fiber gel to build the illusion of more individual hairs. Not only does it appear more youthful, it makes for a much more natural result.

Swap Black Eyeliner For Navy

A stark black eyeliner can actually age you around the eyes—instead, swap your sooty shade for an on-trend navy. It won't look much different, but it will subtly make the whites of your eyes pop without highlighting crow's feet. In other words: Others will know you look more youthful, but they won't be able to put their finger on why.