MomSkoop
Turning 40 is a milestone worth celebrating, but it also means your skin has different needs than it did in your twenties and thirties.
Many makeup techniques that once worked beautifully can now emphasize lines, dryness, or texture changes. Professional makeup artists agree that updating your beauty routine is essential for looking fresh and radiant at any age.
Ready to discover which habits you should leave behind for a more youthful, glowing appearance?
1. Heavy, Full-Coverage Foundation
Slathering on thick foundation might seem like the best way to cover imperfections, but it actually does the opposite after 40. Heavy formulas settle into fine lines and creases, making them more noticeable rather than hiding them.
Your skin loses moisture and elasticity over time, which means dense products can look mask-like and unnatural. Professional makeup artists recommend switching to lightweight, hydrating foundations that let your natural skin peek through.
Think of it as enhancing rather than covering—a sheer to medium coverage formula blended well creates a more youthful, radiant finish. Your skin will look fresher and more alive when it can actually breathe.
2. Excessive Powder Application
Powder was once your best friend for keeping shine at bay, but mature skin tells a different story. Piling on powder, especially around dry zones like under the eyes and around the mouth, emphasizes every little line and makes skin look parched.
As we age, skin produces less oil naturally, so adding layers of powder creates a dusty, aged appearance. Makeup professionals suggest using powder sparingly—only where you genuinely need it, like the T-zone.
Better yet, try blotting papers or a light dusting of translucent powder just on oily spots. Your complexion will maintain that dewy, youthful glow instead of looking flat and lifeless throughout the day.
3. Skipping Primer Before Makeup
Think primer is just an extra step you can skip? Think again. After 40, primer becomes one of your most valuable beauty tools because it creates a smooth canvas for everything else.
Without it, foundation and color products can slide around, settle unevenly, or disappear entirely by midday. Primer fills in fine lines, minimizes pores, and helps makeup grip better to changing skin texture.
Makeup artists swear by hydrating or smoothing primers that address specific concerns like dryness or enlarged pores. Just a thin layer makes foundation glide on effortlessly and last significantly longer. Consider it insurance for your makeup investment—absolutely worth those extra thirty seconds each morning.
4. Dark Eyeliner on Lower Lash Line
Remember when lining your entire lower lash line with black or dark brown liner seemed glamorous? That technique can make eyes appear smaller and more tired once you hit 40.
Heavy liner underneath draws attention downward and emphasizes any drooping or dark circles that naturally come with age. Instead, makeup pros recommend keeping the lower lash line bare or using a soft, smudged neutral shade on the outer third only.
If you love definition, try a nude or white liner on the waterline to brighten and open up the eyes. This simple switch creates the illusion of wider, more awake eyes that look years younger instantly.
5. Ultra-Matte Lipstick Formulas
Matte lipsticks have had their moment, but they can be incredibly unforgiving on mature lips. These formulas tend to be drying, which accentuates vertical lip lines and makes lips look thinner and less plump.
Dark matte shades are especially problematic because they draw sharp attention to any imperfections or feathering. Your lips naturally lose volume and moisture as you age, so adding a drying product only magnifies the issue.
Makeup artists suggest switching to creamy, satin, or slightly glossy formulas that hydrate while adding color. These textures blur imperfections and create the illusion of fuller, more youthful lips that look healthy and vibrant rather than flat and parched.
6. Outdated Makeup Techniques
Still applying makeup the same way you did twenty years ago? Your skin has changed, so your techniques should too. Many women cling to methods learned in their youth without considering how skin texture evolves.
What worked on smooth, firm skin can look harsh or unflattering on mature skin with different needs. Contouring too heavily, using the same color placements, or applying products with outdated tools can all age you unnecessarily.
Professional artists recommend staying current with techniques designed specifically for mature skin—like strategic highlighting, softer blending, and placement that lifts rather than drags features down. Refreshing your approach keeps your look modern and flattering for your current beautiful self.
7. Shimmer and Glitter Eyeshadows
Sparkle might seem fun, but shimmer and glitter eyeshadows become tricky territory after 40. These reflective particles settle into creases and highlight any crepiness or texture on the eyelids you would rather downplay.
What once added glamorous dimension can now draw unwanted attention to aging skin. The more glitter or shimmer, the more pronounced those little lines become under any light.
Makeup professionals suggest switching to matte or satin finishes that create depth without emphasizing texture. If you crave some luminosity, use a subtle champagne shade only on the inner corner or brow bone where skin stays smoother. Strategic shimmer works; overdoing it does not.
8. Neglecting Eyebrow Grooming
Eyebrows frame your entire face, yet many women either ignore them completely or go too heavy-handed with the pencil. After 40, brows often become sparser, patchier, or change shape due to hormonal shifts.
Leaving them unkempt makes you look older and less polished, while overly harsh, blocky brows create an unnatural, severe appearance. Finding the sweet spot is essential for a youthful look.
Makeup artists recommend getting brows professionally shaped, then maintaining them with soft, feathery strokes using a pencil or powder that matches your hair color. Well-groomed brows that look natural can instantly lift your face and take years off your appearance without any drastic measures.
9. Inadequate Skincare Preparation
Jumping straight into makeup without proper skincare prep is a recipe for disappointing results after 40. Mature skin needs hydration and nourishment before any color products touch your face.
Skipping moisturizer, eye cream, or hydrating serums means makeup sits on dry, flaky skin that looks dull and uneven. Good lighting during application also matters—you need to see what you are actually doing to avoid mistakes.
Professional makeup artists always start with thoroughly cleansed, moisturized skin that has had a few minutes to absorb products. This creates the perfect base for makeup to glide on smoothly and look radiant all day. Skincare is not optional; it is the foundation of beautiful makeup.
10. Ignoring Sun Protection
Sun damage is the leading cause of premature aging, yet many women still skip SPF or use makeup formulas that dry out mature skin. Protection is not just about preventing future damage—it is about preserving the skin you have now.
Some makeup products marketed for mature skin contain ingredients that are too heavy or drying, defeating the purpose entirely. Your skin needs both protection and hydration working together.
Makeup professionals insist on daily broad-spectrum SPF under makeup, plus choosing formulas specifically designed for mature skin that balance coverage with nourishment. Look for products with hydrating ingredients alongside sun protection. Your future self will thank you for making this non-negotiable habit part of your routine.