Makeup Tricks From Our MUA That Can Help You Look Younger

For many people, wearing makeup started as a way to look older, but these same people may want to do the opposite as they age. Luckily, looking younger is a goal that's completely attainable as long as you have a few tricks up your sleeve. As a makeup artist with over 15 years of experience in the industry who's in the same boat as many of you, I've made it my mission to uncover secrets that'll have you take years off of your face.

Some of these tricks are super simple, and you'll marvel at how easy they are to master. Others may take a bit of practice, especially if you're a makeup novice, but once you have the hang of things, you'll be a pro at looking youthful no matter your age. With just a few tools you may not have thought you needed and some tweaks to your application, your new routine will have you doing a double take every time you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror.

This may be one area that you're not so concerned with as you age, but full eyebrows play an important role in making you look younger. Just like the hair on our head, brows can thin over the years, and filling them in will give your face some life. Many make the mistake of matching their brow color to their hair, but too-light eyebrows will wash out your face, especially if your tresses are blond or red. Instead, you'll want a pencil or powder that's two to three shades darker than your hair.

For those with blond hair, avoid filling in your brows with any color that has a hint of red, or it'll read orange on your face. Look for shades like ash brown or taupe, such as the L'Oréal Paris Makeup Brow Stylist Definer Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil. If you have red hair, choose a color in medium brown or deep auburn, like NYX's Micro Brow Pencil, which I love for its precise application. Finally, if you have brunette hair, aim for a chocolate brown, while those with inky locks should stick with dark brown or black (and both of the aforementioned products have such shades).

If you carefully look at a youthful face, you'll notice that it has a natural glow, as if it has a slight sheen of highlighter on the skin. You can mimic that with makeup with a bit of liquid or cream highlighter, but note the differences between these beauty products before using them so you can choose the right one for you. Powder highlighters can do the job as well, but just note that the finish won't be as dewy-looking. Although you want an overall luminescence, you don't want to apply the highlighter to your whole face, but knowing which key areas to focus on will give you that radiant look.

After you've completed the bulk of your makeup routine — but before powder and setting spray — dab a bit of the highlighter onto the inner corners of your eyes and your brow bones. The Milani Conceal + Perfect Liquid Highlighter is an awesome option with a cushion tip for easy application, and it comes in four shades. Next, apply some to the highest points of your cheekbones, bringing it up just shy of the outer corners of your eyes. Finally, add the highlighter to the tip of your nose and your cupid's bow, making sure to blend it well so that the shimmer looks like a subtle gleam.

You may be used to just dabbing concealer on the areas that need it, but for a younger appearance, you'll need to rethink your application process. Under-eye circles are one of the main areas that can age you, but stop the outdated technique of applying your concealer in a circle or inverted triangle. Instead, a tip for getting rid of dark under-eye circles for a more youthful look is to apply concealer just under the inner corners of your eyes and then draw a line at an upward angle on the outer corners for a lifting effect. In this case, it's okay to use a shade one or two steps lighter than your skin tone to brighten up the area. Using a makeup sponge, gently pat the concealer to blend it into your skin.

Another area that be lifted with concealer is around your mouth. Using the same slightly lighter concealer, draw an upward line starting from the outer corners of your lower lips and the sides of your nose. Buff the concealer into your skin with your sponge, and then apply foundation as normal. Your face will instantly look younger.

If you're experiencing thinning lips as you age or if you were born with a slim mouth, you can give the illusion of a plump pout with the right tools and technique. The trend these days is to overdraw the outline with a much darker pencil, but that will only look garish and highlight thin lips. To naturally give the illusion of bigger lips, you'll want to create a three-dimensional effect with some contour. Using a concealer a couple of shades darker than your skin tone, lightly go over the perimeter of your lips with a small brush. Next, take a lip pencil that's similar to your lipstick shade and slightly overdraw your lips. Feather in the color only on the outer parts of your lips, leaving the center bare, and then fill in your lips with your lip color of choice.

For added dimension, you can take a slightly lighter lip shade and pat it on the center of your lips. That will act as a highlighter and draw them out for even more plumpness. A layer of shiny gloss will also do wonders. These days, I love lip oils, which are different than your other lip products. The e.l.f. Lip Plumping Gloss will give your pout an extra boost while also being easy on your wallet.