16 Small Things That Make Women Appear Older, Even If They Spend Loads of Money

One of the most important functions of makeup and clothes is to hide flaws and highlight strengths. But very often, when girls don some bad makeup or put on a suit that doesn’t look good on them, they achieve the opposite effect and turn themselves into old ladies. In other words, they look much older than they actually are.

We at Bright Side decided to find out what parts of our looks make us appear older than we are. After reading this article, you can check to see if your clothes or makeup are working for you or against you.

1. Too many beauty products

Having too many beauty products always makes the overall look seem older and heavier. Even when you want to look cool, it’s better not to do smokey eyes, red lips, and highlight the cheekbones. When the makeup is too bright or unnatural, it looks kind of messy. It’s important to highlight certain areas but it should never be an “either or” situation.

2. Burgundy clothes

This is simple: burgundy is a dark color and makes women look older — bright shades make you look younger. This is why burgundy should always be far from the face. A classic mix would be a burgundy skirt or pants with a light blouse or sweater on top. This outfit will stretch the figure and add some lightness thanks to the right color distribution. If you have burgundy tops, it’s better to add something brighter closer to your face, like a light-colored shirt, scarf, or collar.

3. Classic clothes made of certain fabrics

Clothes made of tweed and tapestry will always make a woman look older than she is. Such clothes are always associated with being antique, so you have to be extra careful. It’s better to wear smooth materials without a lot of patterns, which by the way, can make the body look bigger.

4. A solid business suit

People wearing uniforms and business suits look older. Such clothes were designed to make one appear wiser and more experienced. If you can’t avoid a standard suit, it’s better to choose casual models. Little details like rolled-up sleeves and different colored pants and a jacket will make the look less put together and way fresher.

5. Letting the chin down

Because the head is always tiled down, the muscles of the face and neck become atrophied, so the skin “slips” down, forming a second chin and wrinkles. In addition to this, the face starts to look sad, which also adds extra years. This is why when you’re walking, working at a computer, or using your phone, try to hold your head upward. Over time, you will form a habit and won’t have to control it.

6. Dark powder or rouges under the cheekbones

Many girls put on rouge and dark powder too far under their cheekbones, making the cheeks look too low. This subtle detail makes you look older. In order to achieve the opposite effect, you can try to use lighter shades and put them up higher.

7. Mother-of-pearl lipstick

The older a woman is, the more wrinkles she has, and the corners of the lips start to go down. And such lipsticks only highlight all these age-related changes. Besides, pearl lipsticks often make one’s overall look appear cheaper.

8. Makeup on the lower eyelashes

Too much mascara on the eyes always looks unnatural and messy. This is especially true for the lower eyelashes. Too much mascara makes the look seem heavy and highlights the wrinkles under the eyes. Besides, the mascara might get on the lower eyelid, and create the illusion of dark circles. In most cases, you don’t need to put mascara on the lower eyelashes — the look will be more open.

9. Dark lipstick

Dark colors increase the contrast with the skin and make the lips look thinner than they actually are. Besides, with age, our lips lose their puffiness and their lines become paler, and as a result, the lipstick spreads past the outlines. Nothing makes you look as old as dark lipstick all over the place does.

10. Thin microbladed eyebrows

Thin eyebrows were especially popular at the beginning of the 2000s. But even now, some women are still following this trend. And they don’t just remove hairs but actually get microblading done in this shape. But such eyebrows inevitably make the face look older and the eyes lose their expression, especially if you don’t have any additional makeup on.

When you get permanent eyebrow makeup, your artist should draw the most natural outline possible. Eyebrow fashion changes every year. And if you still have a natural shape, you can always change something. Besides, your hair can hide any faded microblading that might become blue, grey, or pink.

• “My eyebrows turned blue from dark brown. I’ve already had 3 removal procedures but they’re still blueish.”

11. A very clear outline of the lips

Very often, outlining the lips with a pencil is associated with old age. It also makes the lips look small. In order to look younger, make sure you don’t have a clean outline — it will make the lips look more natural. Another mistake is to cover the lips with a pencil and leave them like that. This makes the lips dry out and people will see every wrinkle and crack. So it’s better to just add some lip gloss.

12. Felt hats

Felt hats look old-fashioned and make you look older. This is especially true for dark hats. However, there are exceptions — if a hat is light or even bright, it might be a great choice. What you wear with it matters a lot too.

13. A huge handbag

A giant handbag to put all of your house stuff in quickly turns a trendy girl into an old lady, revealing how far the girl has fallen behind the trends. Most of the time, you just need a medium-sized bag for all your stuff. It’s way more elegant.

14. Poofy hair

Poofy hair doesn’t always look good, even on very young girls. Such a styling method highlights the flaws of the skin, distorts the shape of the face, and makes us look older. For a more modern look, you can add a bit of messiness — it will make the face look softer and younger.

15. Massive jewelry

Hands with rings that have huge gems on them look massive. The biggest danger is that such jewelry takes us back to the times of kings. In the modern world, such jewelry looks outdated and adds 10-15 years to whoever’s wearing it.

16. A huge collar

In autumn and winter, many women prefer such collars, but they make them look old. It’s too clunky and it’s hard to keep the proportions of your outfit right. Besides, the overall look of it reminds us of something old. It’s better to just show the neck.

What pieces of clothing will you still keep in your wardrobe no matter what?