These tips on cosmetics can help take years off you

YOUR make-up bag might be groaning with cosmetics and you may invest time and money on your skincare regime – but are you using the right products, or are they making you look older?

Here’s our guide to which staples of your beauty routine that might be working against you – and what to replace them with.

DITCH… medium or full coverage foundation Why?

Wearing a heavy foundation stops the skin’s natural radiance from shining through and can deaden the complexion.

SWITCH TO… light-medium or serum foundation Why?

Because the new wave of lighter foundations do a great job of subtly enhancing the skin without masking it. Look out for moisturising foundations, and foundations which include serums – Bourjois Healthy (£9.99) Mix Foundation contains a blend of vitamins which help to make the skin look fresher, while Dior Capture Totale Radiance Restoring Serum (£62), Foundation uses stem cell research to help firm the skin while boosting radiance.

If fine lines are a concern, go for Benefit’s brand new Hello Happy Soft Blur Foundation (£25.50),

which boasts optical blurring spheres to produce a flattering soft focus effect. DITCH … the eyebrow tweezers Why? Because over-plucked eyebrows scream “over-the-hill”! SWITCH TO … regular eyebrow tints or eyebrow boosters Why? Beefing up your brows, either by having them tinted (Benefit offer tinting and waxing services) or by brushing on a coloured brow gel – Benefit Gimme Brow + Volumizing (£20.50) Eyebrow Gel is a great choice – will make them look younger and healthier. If the gel alone isn’t enough, further bulk can be achieved by using Benefit’s Ka-Brow! (£20), which will help fill in gaps. DITCH … the lip liner Why? Heavily lining the lips can produce too severe a look, which is less flattering as you age. If you feel you can’t leave the house without lip liner, feather it on, rather than drawing it in a line and use a liner which matches your lipstick. SWITCH TO … a lip gloss, lacquer or a glossy lipstick Why? A softly glossy lipstick or a lip gloss can help create the illusion of fuller, younger lips and can soften the colour for a more flattering look. If you like your lipstick buttery soft, check out (£28.50 Dior Addict Lacquer Sticks each) or one of the gorgeous Bourjois (£7.99 Lip Duo Sculpts each), which have a built-in liner in a different shade to create a sculpting effect.

Lip glosses and lacquers have come a long way and there are plenty around now which offer a depth of colour that wasn’t previously possible. Try Chanel (£28) Rouge Coco Gloss or L’Oreal Infallible Lip Paint (£6.99). Lacquer

DITCH … the powder Why?

Powders can cake on skin and clog up fine lines and wrinkles, so they are best avoided. Apart from covering shine, their main role is to set makeup and make it last longer – but there are more flattering ways to do this. SWITCH TO … a primer Why? Primers can take care of a multitude of tasks, notably smoothing out fine lines, boosting radiance, ensuring that foundation stays in place and that skin doesn’t get shiny. Find a primer – the perfect one is Chanel Hydra Beauty Flash Instantly (£45) Perfecting Balm but e.l.f. Mineral Infused Face (£7.50) Primer is good if you’re on a budget. And Charlotte Tilbury (£38.50) Wonderglow is also impressive if you’re feeling washed out. Let it do the work that your old foundation and powder might have done.

DITCH … black eyeliner

Why? Black eyeliner can be a little harsh on older skins unless you’re going for a dramatic, retro look.

SWITCH TO … a brown crayon or brushed-on shadow Why?

For a day-to-day make-up look, a softer line is much more flattering on older skins. Choose a crayon, such as Clarins Crayon Kohl (£17.50),

or use the dark shade in an eyeshadow palette and apply with a brush for a subtle, soft line which can easily be incorporated into a smoky eye look. Bourjois’s Smoky (£7.99) Stories quads of colour – the Good Nude and Over Rose colourways are ideal – each contain a dark shade that is perfect for lining the eye, while the exquisite Dior Backstage Studio Warm Eye Palette (£38,

Debenhams Glasgow & Silverburn and online), which was used on Meghan Markle on her wedding day, has a couple of excellent eyeliner options.

We all have our favourite make-up but what works best for us changes as we get older. Instead of sticking to the same old, same old, take some tips from the experts on what switches to make