While ageing is a gift and something to be proud of, there's nothing wrong with wanting to look younger than your years.
For long-lasting results, experts suggest that excellent skin care, a healthy diet, and exercise work wonders. But for a quick fix, strategic makeup application may be the way to go.
According to Pat Lockhart, a makeup enthusiast and wellness coach for over 60s, lip liner and lipstick can age you in seconds or take years off - it all depends on placement.
Taking to TikTok, @misspatlockhart shared her "best tip for younger-looking lips" in your 50s and beyond.
When applying lip liner or lipstick, 'stay away from the corners'
TikTok/@misspatlockhart
She advised mature ladies: "Stay away from the corners." It's a simple mistake to make, but applying your lip products as far as the outer corners could highlight your age.
Pat continued: "[As you age] the corners tend to droop downward, and if you line all the way into the corners and put your lipstick all the way into the corners, you are going to get messy and droopy."
Warning women that it's "not a good look", she advised women instead to use a lip liner to define their cupid's bow, then follow this down until "about an eighth of an inch away from the outer corners".
The result? According to Pat, this technique makes your lips appear more "plump and defined". She added that "it gives you a more youthful look".
After applying lip liner, the makeup enthusiasts advised mature ladies to reach for their favourite lip cream, stick, or gloss.
"Use whatever you like," she said, "but make sure you stay away from those outer corners".
The Cosmetic Skin Clinic confirmed that a mouth that turns downward is relatively common as the skin matures.
They stated: "Sadly, as we age, we tend to lose volume around our mouth, especially in the lower corners. This creates the appearance of a downturned mouth.
"These drooping mouth corners can age the face, giving some patients a perpetual look of sadness or anger even if they do not feel this way."
A "downturned mouth" can be attributed to several factors, including cheek volume loss, natural gravitational pull, facial muscle expressions, general shrinkage of the jaw area, depressor anguli oris of the mouth and jaw, collagen loss, and repetitive facial muscle action such as frowning.
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For 'plump and defined' lips, focus on your cupid's bow
GETTY IMAGESTo improve this in the long term, the experts advised enlisting the help of a professional.
While makeup hacks such as Pat's lipliner and lipstick trick can provide instantaneous results, they only last as long as the products are on your face.
The experts said: "With so many possible factors at play, we normally recommend a combination of treatments to lift the mouth corners back up.
"We would consider a clever placement of Botox and Dermal Filler to address volume loss and the wrinkles and lines, and overactive muscle stimulation that is causing the downturned mouth appearance."
In other makeup news, a celebrity guru warned that you're using your foundation "wrong".
