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Are you worried that your daily makeup routine will cause your skin to age more/faster?


Are you worried that your daily makeup routine will cause your skin to age more/faster? Have friends/family told you this? Do you believe it?

I don’t think I’ve had any friend or family member tell me this. I suspect that to some degree, sure – perhaps the most believable would be around the eyes because you may be pulling, tugging, or otherwise touching an area much more than you might if you never wore makeup. If you’re gentle, you know not to use a lot of pressure or pull and tug at your eyelid. Then again – maybe because you wear eyeshadow, you remember NOT to rub your eyes during the day!

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John 3D Avatar

Nope I’ve never heard this before! That’s interesting. But yeah, like Christine said, just be gentle. Another reason why I don’t like applying foundation with fingers because you have to rub that stuff around a lot, and that involves strething and tugging.

Miss J Avatar

I have heard this SOOOOO much! It’s usually from females who wear little to no makeup. As long as you are healthy, eating well, hydrated, cleansing your skin, moisturizing, wearing sunscreen, not tugging too much then you’ll be fine. I’m not worried about it.

SarahMGraves Avatar

I’d imagine if you’re sleeping in your makeup, it probably could age you. Also if you’re tugging at your face when you’re applying makeup, I’d guess it could age you as well. But generally if you take care, I would seriously doubt problems would arise.

stacey Avatar

Yep, you got it.  especially around the eye area.  That is why I stopped wearing contact lenses.  And I dont put eyeliner on the bottom eye.  Mother nature already does a job on the skin.  I dont want contribute to it as much as I can.  I do wear makeup…and alot of moisturizer and eye cream.

queen_frostine Avatar

No, not at all.  I came by my makeup mania by way of my mother who looks pretty damn good for being 57.   She’s worn a full face of makeup pretty much every day for the last 40 years, and if I age anywhere near as well as her I’ll be a happy camper.  Unless you’re using really harsh cleansers to take it off (and aren’t using an eye makeup remover with enough slip to it to easily dissolve your liner and mascara), I don’t think makeup negatively impacts your aging. Especially not since so many cosmetics items have SPF in them.  It seems to me that makeup wearers are more likely to consistently wear SPF on a daily basis than those who don’t wear any, which is a big deal considering how harmful UV rays can be for your skin.

Mostly Sunny Avatar

My mum keeps trying to scare me about makeup ruining my skin, but the only area I’m a little more worried about is my eye area. It is true that however gentle I can be, applying and removing makeup  probably causes more movement around a very delicate area that I wouldn’t have to otherwise. It’s true that I don’t rub my eyes during the day because of the eyeshadow/mascara, but when I get tired at night it’s a little harder to resist!

CatherineM Avatar

Not at all. As long as you are carefull not to tug on your skin, especially in the eye area, I don’t see any problems. I’m careful when applying makeup, and I’m using good cleansers, so I don’t have to rub in my face. Most products nowadays actually help you fight aging of the skin. Foundations today don’t work only as makeup, but also double as skin care: just think about SPF, which most of them have, as well as other good ingredients most of us wouldn’t bother with if we weren’t applying makeup… 

AbbeyWard Avatar

I would think if anything we remember to hydrate and cleanse more BECAUSE we wear makeup daily! My dry skin shows flakes easily so I always remember to exfoliate and use my toners, serums, and moisturizers before I apply my makeup. At night I always cleanse because I don’t want my makeup to clog my pores. Before I wore makeup daily I was much more lackadaisical about my cleansing and hydrating routines.

Yazmin Avatar

My cousins in my parents home country always tell me i wear far too much makeup and it will affect my skin. But i think its because the makeup in their country is not as good quality as they are in the uk. But i suppose no makeup is healthier than any amount of makeup

Kastehelmi Avatar

I have learned to not tug on my eyes while applying eyeliner, but there are still certain liners that you can get a better result from if you tug gently–would not repurchase these! Bobbi Brown longwear Gel Eyeliner Pencil I’m looking at you!(not to mention how it breaks if you press any firmer than a feather!) 
I rarely wear foundation, but have started using BB Cream half the time and I think it’s great since it has sunscreen and soothing ingredients. Moisturizing, putting vitamin e oil under my eyes and being sure to wash all makeup off every day I think will benefit my skin rather than aging it. I do worry about irritating (and aging) my eyes and possibly developing an allergy to eye makeup because I tightline and find that it’s very hard to completely remove eyeliner since it enters my lashline. Mascara also feels invasive and can be hard to remove without pressing/rubbing a bit too much so I wear no eye makeup a few days a week and wear mascara less than 50% of the time. Putting vitamin e oil on my eyelashes keeps them  healthy so crossing my fingers that I won’t have premature eye aging!

crystalka89 Avatar

 @Kastehelmi You should watch Lisa Eldridge’s video on how she removes makeup. There is an amazing tip for removing eye makeup, including mascara, without any pressing or rubbing. You just put a cotton pad on your eye, and wait a couple of seconds 🙂

bdncr Avatar

Nah, there’s no way make up can cause such things, as long as they are good quality and as long as they are rubbed off before bedtime.

Sarah S Avatar

I’ve heard this and I believe it’s basically inevitable to damage the skin! I’m not really delicate while applying makeup or removing it (though, like you, I don’t rub my eyes throughout the day because of the makeup, too).  My dad has crazy-puffy, saggy eyes and he sure never wore makeup so I figure I could better spend my energy saving up for the blepharoplasty I’ll invariably wind up needing 😉

Katie Avatar

I’ve heard that from some women, but honestly I think as long as you are gentle and hygienic about applying makeup it won’t hurt.  I’ve actually noticed the same thing, when I started wearing makeup I had to remind myself not to touch my face or eyes and now it’s just a habit!  The only thing I know is bad for your skin is falling asleep in makeup, esp mascara.

xamyx Avatar

If anything, wearing makeup has actually forced me to take better care of my skin, because I am forced to look closely in a mirror on a regular basis. Also, as many others have stated, cosmetics nowadays have beneficial ingredients, such as SPF, which I feel is the most important thing. Besides, genetics and overall skincare play a much larger role in aging. I’m a stay-at-home-mom, but even on days I only venture outdoors to check the mail & wait for the school bus, I always make sure to wear sunscreen, or at the very least, sunglasses. I’m nearly 39, but I still get “carded” everywhere I go, so I must be doing something right.

Lauren13 Avatar

Nope!  In fact, I think the opposite.  I wear BB creams and foundations with SPF.  I HATE the way sunblock feels on my skin, so I wouldn’t really wear it otherwise.  Also, before I started wearing mascara a lot, I would rub my eyes a lot, which isn’t good for the skin.  I’m careful not to tug my eyes when removing eye makeup.  I also notice my skin more, so I now wear eye cream, which I didn’t do before.   I also don’t touch my skin and have found more products that don’t make me break out.  I think, overall, wearing makeup more has led me to take BETTER care of my skin.  I am 33.5 and I get carded all the time.

Angielove Avatar

 @Lauren13 I couldn’t agree more with what you said! We are lucky to be into makeup, as many of them have beneficial antioxidants and SPF protection. I can assure you that I keep sunblock in my car, desk, and all over the house. I am also approaching 34 and get carded all the time.
 
I highly recommend the book/ ebook “Makeup Wakeup” for other non-surgical makeup techs to make you look younger. Both authors are in their mid-fifties and basically spill the beans on continuing to look fantastic into your 60’s…. for a 10-15 dollar book it can easily take 5-15 years off a ladies suspected age! And, when the time comes when sagging, puffy, eyes start making me look my age I will not even blink twice at having eye surgery!

Angielove Avatar

@Lauren13
I couldn’t agree more with what you said! We are lucky to be into makeup, as many of them have beneficial antioxidants and SPF protection. I can assure you that I keep sunblock in my car, desk, and all over the house. I am also approaching 34 and get carded all the time.
 
I highly recommend the book/ ebook “Makeup Wakeup” for other non-surgical makeup techs to maintain a younger, youthful look. Both authors are in their mid-fifties and basically spill the beans on continuing to look fantastic into your 60’s…. for a 10-15 dollar book it can easily take 5-15 years off a ladies suspected age. And, when the time comes when sagging, puffy, eyes start making me look my age I will not even blink twice at having eye surgery.

Amy Harper Avatar

Makeup is so packed w humectants and moisturizing properties that it should do the opposit. And yet as a makeup artist I’m constantly asked if a makeup will make someone’s skin age. If your makeup makes you look old, it means you’re using the wrong formulation for your skin. Eg: if you’re using a super mattifying foundation on dry skin, yeah, you’ll look dried out. Bottom line, end of story.

Santacruz Celeste Avatar

Not at all! I do not wear makeup everyday for that reason. I only wear it for real special occasions like parties and Church. Mostly the weekends… I am almost 34 and so is my husband and everybody who doesn’t know us think that he robbed the cradle! Lol People think I’m like 24 especially because I have no wrinkles whatsoever…

Maureen Avatar

I DEFINITELY rub my eyes more on a day when I’m not wearing eyeliner, shadow or mascara.  Also, yes, there is definitely a part of my brain that’s seriously scared that when I’m 50-60 we’ll have the knowledge that the anti-aging products I use now actually *cause* wrinkles or something….

wendyclcl Avatar

In my hometown, people always think makeups contains too much harsh materials. My mother and some relatives/friends who wear no makeup always comment me that i put too much makeup on, and it will demage my skin in a long run, and of course they even said i look like wear a mask with my makeup on. But i find it makeup will not hurt my skin as long as i take it off gently, and wears the good quality makeup.  That is the reason i try not to buy makeup made by my own country.

nadine Avatar

I work with clients every day and let me tell you, it’ all about how you apply your products! even clients who just use an eye cream and a moisturizer can have terrible wrinkles around the eye area/whole face just because they have no clue how to properly apply the products! i also had people applying make up in a very strange manner, tugging their skin so much that it stretched several cm’s! and that’s how a lot of people do it. i have a hard time telling people how to apply eye creams, moisturizers, serums etc they just don’t want to listen -.- 

LilyM Avatar

This is an interesting question! It’s true I’m not exactly delicate around the eye area (really get in there with corrector and concealer as I have hideous dark circles) because I feel softly tapping only gets you so far when there’s limited time. In my head I separate skincare with makeup- for the first, I try to be gentle and with the latter it’s only the results I care about. Will try to be more conscientious in the future!

Safyre Avatar

I have heard it but I don’t buy it – my mom and grandma would always point out to me when I was younger “oh look at so and so without makeup, she looks awful’ and while it’s true that makeup enhances one’s features, I don’t think it has a major role to play in the aging process of one’s skin. In fact I think that because face and eye products are being “boosted” with all kinds of vitamins, beneficial oils, and sunscreens that they’re doing more good than harm unless, like you said, someone is harsh with their application. I’ve always been very gentle because I’m sensitive to touch and even people who I apply makeup to said I have a very light hand with product application. Better to be safe than sorry 😛

Adrienne Avatar

I agree with the tugging on the eye area from removal.  But I always wonder about those ingredients near my eyes and on my face all day!  I wonder how my eyelashes have held up from daily mascara

Wendy Ervin Avatar

My Grandmother used Johnson & Johnson Baby Cream to take off her Maybeline everynight. Died at 73 from lung cancer, nary a wrinkle on her face. Bottom line…it’s genetics.

beachgal Avatar

No. I am very careful on how I apply my skin care/makeup. I also only use products that where possible, have anti-aging ingredients in them. I will use a ton of eye make up remover on a new area of my tissue if needed vs rubbing and tugging with the same first application of eye makeup remover on a tissue. I use brushes for almost all my makeup application. Where appropriate I apply in upward motions (power much be brushed on downward WITH the hair on your face however). I use no mascara or ONLY soft mascaras like Tarte Lights Camera Action vs. anything that is drying and makes my lashes brittle. I have so few lashes left from chemo that mascara barely picks up my lashes as it is. It’s years and the MD says my lashes won’t be growing back anymore than what I have now. I don’t want to use Latise to see if they will increase as I don’t want the risk my iris’s will turn brown when I have bright green eyes now.

hwendy Avatar

many people who don’t wear makeup tell me so.  I understand their concern but frankly, those who never really use makeup actually don’t look any younger at all compare to people who wear makeup everyday…
I even think it is quite opposite, people who wear makeup normally are more concern and take better care of their apperence and get better result at the end but people who never really wear makeup are general quite laid back and don’t pay that much attention on their look.
even for my own experience, I didn’t need to wear makeup for work before and i didn’t even bother to wash my face sometimes if i was too tired but now I have to wear full makeup for work so  I spend lot more times and money on better products and my skin is in better condition then ever.  

Arielle Avatar

No, on the contrary. While it’s true that tugging and pulling can create wrinkles, and products not suitable for your skin type (or just bad products) can technically ‘harm’ (big word for it) your skin, I think it all depends on the application / removal technique and a careful choice of what you put on your face. Besides, most products have additional antioxidants, sunscreen etc…these offer some benefits as well.

Kerry Avatar

Putting on makeup actually makes me take better care of my skin. I have combination-oily/sensitive skin, I used to neglect skincare as it would make me even oilier. After I got into makeup, I was convinced that the perfect makeup starts with healthy skin. I start paying attention to and research about skincare products that suits me(instead of using whatever my mom buys me). I look much healthier compared to before, and am genuinely proud of the fact that I use makeup to wake me up instead of masking me. You’re also much more aware of the little pet peeves you do after putting on makeup, for example rubbing your eyes, touching your face (BIG mistake), neglecting sunscreen…I always tell myself I don’t want to look yellow and ugly when I’m older, and that there are no ugly ladies, only lazy ones.

Semira Dallali Avatar

Joan Collins once claimed that what makes her – and friends of hers who have the same habit – have still good skin from their fifties on is exactly that: (good) makeup. It protects and shields the skin, she believes. Certainly much modern cosmetics seek to do so. Collins felt women who don’t wear any actually end up with the worst skin. Not necessarily true. Personally, I think life style, diet and sun protection form the bulk of what determines how your skin ages, rather than makeup…

Semira Dallali Avatar

Joan Collins once claimed that what makes her – and friends of hers who have the same habit – have still good skin from their fifties on is exactly that: (good) makeup. It protects and shields the skin, she believes. Certainly much modern cosmetics seek to do so. Collins felt women who don’t wear any actually end up with the worst skin. Not necessarily true. Personally, I think life style, diet and sun protection form the bulk of what determines how your skin ages, rather than makeup…

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