How to Use Makeup to Look Older

Co-authored by Daniel Vann

Last Updated: August 10, 2021 References

It’s great to have a youthful face, but sometimes you just want to look a little more mature. If you want to look a bit older or more your age, makeup is the perfect tool. With the right tricks, you can help define and strengthen your natural features to give you sharp, mature angles. With a bit of contouring and some subtle highlights, you can make your face seem older and more defined, even with the roundest of baby faces.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Contouring to Look Older

1
Start by filling in your eyebrows. Use a small, angled eyebrow brush and dark eyeshadow or brow powder to lightly fill in the top and bottom edges of your brow. Brush on the powder or shadow in the direction of the hair and make sure to stay inside of your natural brow shape. Define the arch and ends of your brow the most for a sharp, mature look.^{[1]
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- Choose the color that’s closest to your natural brow shade. You can also go a shade or two darker for a more defined look.
- Sharper, defined brows makes you look more put-together and mature.
2
Apply cover-up to any spots you want to blend in. Dot cover-up under your eyes and around any blemishes you want to conceal. Blend it with your finger, dabbing it and gently rubbing it into your skin until it’s on even layer.^{[2]
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- Use a pink-tinted concealer if your skin is lighter in tone. If you have darker skin, try a peachier shade.
- Besides making you look brighter and more awake, cover-up can conceal youthful-looking freckles or blemishes like acne.
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3
Put on foundation for a solid base. Use your fingers to swipe a thin layer of foundation over your forehead, temples, chin, jawline, cheeks, and the bridge of your nose. Then, use a wide, round brush to blend it into your skin in gentle, circular motions. Make sure to blend the foundation down to about the middle of your neck to keep your face and neck the same shade.^{[3]
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- Choose a foundation shade that matches your natural skin color as closely as possible.
- The foundation will be the base of your contouring, which will sharpen your cheekbones and help you look older.
4
Start your contouring by applying foundation to the angles of your face. Use a contouring kit, if you have one, and choose a foundation from it that’s 2-3 shades darker than your natural skin color. Then, use a small, round brush to apply it in soft lines around the angles of your face. Contouring will help strengthen and sharpen your features, making your face look older and less round.^{[4]
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Apply a streak of dark foundation to:

Your cheekbones
Your temples
Your forehead, just beneath your hairline
Your jawline
The arc of your chin, below your lips
Along the bridge of your nose
5
Apply highlighter to the highest points of your face. Choose a highlighter that’s a shade lighter than your skin color and brush it onto the “peaks” of your face in thin layers. Then, blend it together with your foundation, using a round brush and moving it in gentle, circular motions. Combined with your dark foundation, highlighting will make the sharp edges of your face pop, giving you a more mature look.^{[5]
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Apply highlighter to:

The area just below your eyes
The center of your forehead
The center of your chin
6
Blend 2-3 eyeshadows on your lids to define your eyes. Start by blending a lighter, more natural color, like gold, into the crease above your eyelid and up to your eyebrow. Layer a slightly darker shade onto the outside of the crease. If you want even more definition, brush on an even darker shade over that, working farther to the outside. Use a thin eyeshadow brush for the most accuracy.^{[6]
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- Avoid bright colors, like green or purple, which are often seen as childish.
- Apply a thin layer of a lighter shade to your lower lid to make your eyes pop even more.
- For a gold color scheme, you can layer with burnt orange or burgundy shades. Whatever scheme you choose, always keep your darker shades near the outsides of your eyes, getting lighter as you work inwards.
- Dramatic eye makeup makes your eyes pop and look darker and older.
7
Swipe on some mascara to fill in your lashes. Lightly run the mascara wand from the roots of your lashes to the tips, making sure to coat every lash on the top and bottom. Use a black color for the most pop, or a brown shade for a more natural look. If you want even more dramatic eyes, apply false lashes first, then use brush on the mascara to blend them into your real lashes.
- For false lashes, you’ll apply a thin layer of lash glue to the eyelash strip and carefully place it along your upper lashes, then let it dry in place.
- Long, dark eyelashes will put the finishing touch on your dramatic, mature eye makeup.
8
Finish with a dark lipstick shade for a mature look. For an older look that shows your confidence and maturity, opt for a lip color that enhances your natural shade, like a dark red or berry. First line the outsides of your lips with a matching lip liner, then carefully smooth on your lipstick, following the natural shape of your lips.^{[7]
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- You can use traditional lipstick from a tube or go for liquid lipstick, which you’ll apply with a small brush.
- Avoid overly bright colors like red or hot pink, which can come off as more immature.
EXPERT TIP

Daniel Vann
Licensed Aesthetician
Daniel Vann is the Creative Director for Daredevil Cosmetics, a makeup studio in the Seattle Area. He has been working in the cosmetics industry for over 15 years and is currently a licensed aesthetician and makeup educator.

Daniel Vann
Licensed Aesthetician

Red lipstick can be very versatile. Licensed aesthetician Daniel Vann says: "When you're wearing a red lip, you can go one of two ways. You either go with a really clean look by using minimal makeup everywhere else, or you go with really bold makeup everywhere, for a boudoir theatrical look. Either way, though, be sure to wear blush, or you'll end up looking very pale."

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Natural Makeup for a Mature Look

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Try a natural look for a mature, professional tone. Sometimes a less-is-more makeup routine can be the best option for an older, more professional look. Contouring is great if you’re going for a dramatic style, but with a natural look, you’ll be highlighting your features in a more subtle way to come across as confident and mature.^{[8]
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- Instead of using layers of foundation or highlighter to sharpen your features, like you would with contouring, a natural look will play up your angles in a softer way, using blush and powder.
2
Apply concealer over blemishes or dark circles. Use a pigment-matching concealer over any breakouts or dark undereye circles, dabbing on just a small amount with the applicator. Use as little as possible, since caking on cover-up just emphasizes problem areas.^{[9]
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- For blemishes, dab on a bit and blend it with your fingers. Build up thin layers if you need more coverage.
- For circles, swipe the applicator just under your eyes and pat it with your fingers to blend it in.
3
Blend in some powder if your face gets shiny. Face oils build up throughout the day, which can make your face seem shiny—not a great look if you’re trying to seem older or more mature. To prevent this, use a brush to swirl on a bit of oil-absorbing powder in the same shade as your skin. Blend it in a circular motion for a smooth, non-powdery look.^{[10]
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4
Use a warm blush to define your cheeks. On your cheeks, you want a natural, subtle flush that’s just enough to highlight your cheekbones but isn’t too bright or youthful. Swipe on your blush in a C-shape, from just below your cheekbones to your temples, to subtly define the angles of your face.^{[11]
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- Choose a warm peach or pink color and use a soft brush to apply it to your cheeks.
- To make it easier to find and shade in your cheekbones, suck your cheeks in and apply the blush.
5
Shade your eyelids with a color slightly darker than your skin. For your eyes, choose a soft, brownish shade that’s a little darker in hue than your natural skin tone. Use your eyeshadow brush to apply it into the creases and along your lower lashes. Make sure it’s fully blended, with no hard edges.^{[12]
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- If you want to make your eyes pop even more, apply the shadow to the middle of your eyelid, your brow bones, and the inner corner of your eye.
6
Define your lids with eyeliner and mascara. The more definition you have, especially around your eyes, the older and more mature you’ll look. Use a soft gray or brown eyeliner and dot it in between your top lashes for a subtle line that will really make your eyes pop. Then, apply 2 coats of mascara to your top lashes and one coat on just the roots of your bottom lashes.^{[13]
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- If your eyelashes are blonde, use brown mascara. If they’re dark, use a brown-black shade.
- Avoid coating your bottom lashes in mascara, which can look spidery and less professional.
- An eye pencil eyeliner, as opposed to a liquid eyeliner, typically works better for this approach.
7
Apply a berry lipstick for a mature look that’s still natural. Look for a lip shade that exactly matches your natural color, like a light berry color. Instead of applying it directly from the tube, which can be harder to control, swipe a fingertip across the stick and then press the color into your lips. Start in the center and blend outwards for an even, natural look.^{[14]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do I make an 11th grade boy like me, an eighth grader? Please help me, I really like him a lot.

Community Answer

Just remember to be yourself! Since you have a 2 year age difference, make sure to act calm and mature around him. Guys like to laugh, too, so it's great if you have a good sense of humor!