Choose a lighter shade of lipstick

DARK SHADES can be unflattering on mature skin because lips get thinner with age. To keep lipstick from looking too severe, choose rosy reds or flesh-colored shades and stay away from peaches and oranges, which can make teeth appear yellow. Try MAC Semi Precious Lipstick in Lush Amber, P1,000. It’s from MAC’s new Mineralize lipstick collection.

Brush blush above the apples

For an instant cheek lift, place your blush brush at the highest point of your cheekbones and apply color in a circular motion. Go for warm pinks, apricots or bronzes since they create less contrast to make you look younger. A great option is Majolica Majolica Puff de Cheek from the Sugary Trap collection, P795. Also try The Body Shop’s new moisturizing Honey Bronze makeup range, to give your skin a matte, natural-looking glow. You’ll love the compact bronzer with four shades available; P1,095.

Lift your eyes with pencil

Use an eye pencil. It softens and enlarges the eyes more than liquid liners do. To reverse droopy-looking lids, blend liner at the outer corner with a Q-tip. Try using the Wet n’ Wild Eye/Brow Liner pencil to intensify your eyes. Its rich, creamy color glides on smoothly without tugging. It’s incredibly versatile and, for only P99, you’ll be fabulous as ever!

Invest in a concealer

Cover-up can be tricky to apply; many formulas sink into crevices, emphasizing every fine line. So try to find a concealer that camouflages and disappears when applied to your skin.

Super-size your sunglasses

By now you know how damaging the sun can be, so besides coating on sunscreen, shield yourself with chic accessories. Swap your thinly rimmed aviators for oversized frames and you’ll get more protection around your eyes, which wrinkles first.

Stock up on olive oil

Extra-virgin olive oil contains fatty acids similar to those found in your skin and is an incredibly gentle moisturizer. If you have skin that’s dry and sensitive from overloading on harsh face and eye anti-agers, bring your skincare regimen to a halt and slather on a thin layer of unflavored olive oil at night instead.

Baby your hand. Treat your feet

Dermatologists agree that hands are a dead giveaway. To keep them young, leaving your hands gloved in lotion overnight helps keep moisture locked in. Skin looks suppler, and cuticles will benefit, too. Rough dry feet also make you look older even in the sexiest shoes. Before working out, apply lotion to areas where your skin is thick or scaly, then put on socks. The combo keeps calluses and blisters at bay for instantly prettier, younger-looking feet, and rinse off in the shower. Try The Body Shop’s Body Butter Duo; P595. You simply use one product with two different formulations to take care of dry skin and normal skin.

Remove makeup before bed

This is painfully obvious. Aside from avoiding clogged pores, it’s extremely important to rid your skin of the environmental pollution you’ve been exposed to throughout the day and wash away free radicals to avoid the breakdown of collagen and elastic tissue. Try Shu Uemura’s pore clarifying cleansing oil (P5,200). It instantly removes long-lasting and waterproof makeup, and easily rinses off with water.

Beef up your brows

Thick brows are a sign of youth, so filling them in correctly is crucial. Draw in hairs with a ticking motion from bottom to top using a neutral shade.

Refrigerate skincare products after opening them.

You’ll get more of a lifting effect from your products if they are cold. A room-temperature depuffing cream can take up to two hours to work versus only 10 minutes when it’s been in the fridge. Plus, this technique keeps the product fresher, longer.

Tips from Celebrities:
I went to the SM Mall of Asia at the Marionnaud Beautiful MOMents event to talk to some women who shared their secrets to looking beautiful and feeling young. Here are their skin confessions:

“I use cleansing oils or cold creams to remove my makeup. I make sure to use sunblock, and moisturize day and night. I make sure to drink lots of water. I prefer pandan water and lemongrass. I make sure to exercise regularly and sleep early, but my best beauty secret is lifting up every area of my life to God. Knowing he is in charge of my life doesn’t give me reason to worry.” —Jackielou Blanco, actress

“I keep my skin looking young by moisturizing regularly using a milk scrub.” —Pauline Prieto, model

“I use sunblock and a good eye cream. I also try to get lots of sleep and lots of water” —Issa Litton, events host

“My best beauty secret is to drink lots of water, wear sunblock everyday and never sleep with makeup.” —Maritoni Fernandez, actress

“I like to keep my routine simple: an oil-free makeup remover to take off my makeup, then my regular foaming cleanser, my toner, eye cream (which I also use on my lips to soften and minimize the lines), day and night cream, sunblock (which I never leave home without). Also during the summer, I always carry in my bag a bottle of hydrating mist for my face. I exercise at least three times a week, visit my derma regularly, my hair dresser and my trips to the spa for massage and body scrub. The nail salon is also a must. Not to forget, daily vitamins to keep my system clean and give me energy. Eat healthy and right, which doesn’t necessarily mean staying away from happy food like sweets and junk food. I give in to each and every craving, too! That way I don’t deprive myself of enjoying all the good stuff out there. Loving one’s self is the biggest beauty secret.” —Angel Jacob, TV host