These 7 mistakes are ruining your make-up and making you look older, here’s the fix according to a make-up artist

DO you ever look in the mirror and wonder why your make-up doesn’t look as good as you’d like it to? You might be committing one of these mistakes. If so, make-up brand founder Aimee Connolly has the simple fix to get you glowing. Aimee Connolly is a make-up artist and founder of beauty brand Sculpted By Aimee Credit: Sculpted By Aimee Too much powder “A lot of people are over-powdering, or not choosing a modern enough formula, because they think: ‘This is the product I’ve used for 10 years, and it keeps my make-up in place,’ so they stick with it. Sign up for the Fabulous newsletter Thank you! “There’s a difference between setting products in place and keeping oil at bay, and completely dulling the skin. “When you dull the skin or dehydrate it, it creates texture and flakiness, which makes skin look drier and less bouncy.” Modern setting powders don’t make skin look dull or chalky Credit: Lancôme Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Skin Refining Setting Powder, £40 Try Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Skin Refining Setting Powder, £40, to control shine without completely mattifying skin. Skipping blush “I totally understand why someone who’s conscious of redness or pigmentation on their cheeks might shy away from blusher – but you don’t need to. “You can neutralise the colour with your foundation, and then use a blush that’s peach-toned, rather than pink, such as Sculpted By Aimee Cream Luxe Blush in Peach Pop, £19. Most read in Fabulous “This way, you won’t emphasise the redness. A peach hue is perfect for blush beginners Credit: Sculpted By Aimee Sculpted By Aimee Cream Luxe Blush in Peach Pop, £19 “I can guarantee that when someone who doesn’t usually wear blush applies it, they will get complimented on how great they look, because it injects a freshness and youthful glow that people can’t quite pinpoint.” Product overload “Too much coverage can erase your features and the life from your skin, but that’s not even the biggest problem. “The worst issue is people over-applying product. “It has nowhere to go, so ends up gathering in expression lines and dry patches, which in turn look like deep-set wrinkles and uneven texture. “If you like a fuller coverage, you don’t need to ditch a heavier foundation entirely. “Instead, use less of it and spread it a little bit further across the skin so it’s fully blended in.” OTT eyeliner “This no-no is not as common any more, but I think it’s worth referencing because it’s such an offender, especially in older generations – using a liquid liner or pencil underneath the lower lash line. “Those kinds of harsh lines dominate the face and draw attention to the eye area, which is one of the biggest areas of concern as we age, and it can immediately make us look more tired. “If you want the definition around the eyes, then blending a soft pencil or eyeshadow out for a diffused line will help to make the eyes pop in the right way.” Try Maybelline Sculpting Stix Eyeliner, £8.99, which has a precise tip on one end and a slanted brush on the other. This 2-in-1 product makes easy work of subtle eyeliner Credit: Maybelline Maybelline Sculpting Stix Eyeliner, £8.99 Neglecting skincare “If your make-up isn’t sitting right, you will probably blame the specific concealer or foundation, but there’s actually a step before that: exfoliation – especially on problem areas like the nose, because the skin is so fine. “People tend to either not exfoliate at all, in which case the nose has a lot of dead skin cells and make-up goes patchy, or they over-exfoliate, so there’s nothing for it to cling on to and it slides around. “I would recommend gentle exfoliation once a week in that area and any other problem zones. “Then tap the concealer with your finger to blend it in for a seamless finish.” Bad brows “The natural shape comes from the bottom of the brow, but nowadays there’s too much emphasis placed on filling the arch. “Adding to the arch will make brows look bigger and thicker, but it can often look fake, highlighting the lack of hair there – which a lot of older millennials, Gen-Xers, and boomers struggle with after over-plucking in their teens and 20s. “If you want your brows to look naturally fuller, follow the bottom of the brow instead. “Use a pencil in a shade that matches your brow hairs to create light strokes that add a shadow to the area. “Using a pencil rather than a felt-tip pen gives a softer finish that quickly cheats fullness, without the need for loads of layers or precise lines.” ELF Micro-Fine Brow Pencil, £8, has an ultra-skinny tip for defined strokes, as well as a built-in spoolie to blend the colour out after application. A micro-fine pencil is the quickest and easiest way to cheat full brows Credit: ELF ELF Micro-Fine Brow Pencil, £8 Harsh lipliner “Nineties lipliner has come back around, but it’s not the most flattering way to make lips look fuller, which is often something we strive for as they naturally become thinner with age. “Instead, use a shade close to your lip colour and follow the faint line just outside the natural shape of your mouth. “Then, bring the liner into the lip, rather than just outside. “Balms and glosses aren’t going anywhere, and the shine is great for adding fullness, so when you apply one on top of the liner, they’ll bleed together to create a natural-looking plump pout. “Whereas, if you only do the outline with a liner and you’re over-lining the lip, balmy products are likely to highlight the separation between the two, so it looks drawn on.” For a naturally full looking pout, look for a lipliner you can blend Credit: Mac Cosmetics Mac Lipglazer Glossy Liner, £20 Mac Lipglazer Glossy Liner, £20, has a creamy formula that glides without tugging and won’t dry lips out. Top with No7 Peptide Glow Lip Gloss Balm, £10.95, for added shine to smooth out fine lines and reflect light, making lips look even fuller. Comment now