What Older Women Should Look For In A Lipstick

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While it might seem obvious that there are benefits to updating your foundation and concealer as you — and your skin — age, lipstick can seem like an ageless product. But the truth is that even lips change with time. In fact, there are a few key lipstick blunders that might be making you look older. Switching up your go-to lip products, opting for formulas best suited to older lips, can refresh your entire beauty look.

The most noticeable change is that your lips are likely to lose volume with time, as collagen production decreases. "For the lips, this means we lose plumpness. In addition to this, the natural [vermillion] border can fade," makeup artist Caroline Hernandez tells Women exclusively. "Combined, they give the appearance of thinner lips." By making a few tweaks to your application technique and swapping in more moisturizing formulas, you can keep your makeup looking polished and lovely. As with the best foundations for mature skin, these lip products will downplay creasing, wrinkles, and dryness, while brightening your face.

Finally, just because you're getting older doesn't mean you need to feel resigned to muted nude shades. "If you've always been quirky and experimental, or bold and bright, don't let age make you smaller. Stick to your style, but work with your current biology," Hernandez explains. "This could mean all you really need to do is change some application techniques or switch the textures of your lipstick up a bit." Don't let age stop you from maintaining a creative, expressive style.

One of the best swaps you can make when looking for a new lipstick is looking for formulas that will be more moisturizing. Matte lip color is innately more likely to dry out your lips, even with these easy tips for mastering matte lipstick. "If you've always worn very matte lipsticks, but have noticed they now seem to make the lines more apparent than they used to, or your lips feel drier, it might be time to start looking at satin, cream or balmy textures now," suggests makeup artist Caroline Hernandez in an exclusive interview with Women.

You can also look for lip products that are specifically created to deliver extra moisture, along with color. "Some lipsticks have hyaluronic acid infused now too, which would also be a flattering and more comfortable option," explains Hernandez. In addition, you can find lip products that contain hydrating ingredients like squalene, shea butter, and jojoba or coconut oil.

Age doesn't mean you need to shy away from striking shades. In fact, the right color can do a lot to make you look refreshed. A little color theory can help. "If your go-tos were beige-toned nudes, cooler browns, bluer pinks or reds, even purplish colors, you might feel like these now wash out your entire complexion, making you look tired," says Hernandez. "Try shades with a bit more warmth, like soft berries, rosy corals, warmer tans, or a hint of watermelon. These shades can bring vibrancy and a youthful glow back to the face."

If you're selecting the right lipstick formula, then the next step is prep. Well-moisturized and exfoliated lips will appear plumper and less subject to flaking or creasing. In an exclusive interview with Women, makeup artist Caroline Hernandez advises avoiding relying too heavily on chapstick. "A lot of dermatologists actually recommend not using a lip balm regularly, as our skin gets into a 'dryness cycle' with certain ingredients actually stripping the moisture barrier, meaning we apply more, feel drier, apply more, and so on," she explains. Instead, look for moisturizing treatments and masks that nourish lips without drying them further. Hernandez recommends this Doctor Rogers Healing Balm. "[It] will repair the skin barrier, as well as hydrate it," she explains.

Another must-have for older women is lip liner. The vermilion border is the natural line between your skin and the darker pink of your lips. But it naturally fades with age, which can dramatically impact how your lipstick wears. Without that clearly defined border, lip color is more prone to smudging and bleeding. Fortunately, you can recreate that definition using something like this ICONIC LONDON Fuller Pout Lip Liner. "Swapping to a lip liner that matches your natural lip color allows you to rebuild that faded edge and structure, whilst also keeping your lipstick anchored in place," says Hernandez. Finally, adding a lip primer, like MAC Prep + Prime Lip, before you layer on the color will help to hydrate and smooth your skin.