Makeup Tips Cheaper Than Plastic Surgery

Forget about shots of Botox, cosmetic laser surgery and other popular nonsurgical and surgical procedures to improve your face. A few makeup tips may be all the magic that is needed.

Julyne Derrick, the beauty guide for About.com, sees errors that mature women make, however, when putting on makeup.

"Don't wear dark or shimmery eye shadow on the brow bone. This highlights the wrinkles there," Derrick says. "Also, wearing a mask of foundation can be aging. Too much makeup is also aging. As you get older, less is more."

The less is more motto holds true when picking out a lipstick shade. She says a light moisturizing lipstick is best.

"Remember, adding any sort of moisture to lips or skin plumps them up, which is why gloss is good and not just for teenagers," she says.

A cheap gloss goes a long way because the alternative would be collagen injections.

While collagen injections are typically painless with a topical anesthetic, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery says the average fee for the procedure $397.

Skin Care Vital

Thinning hair can show one's age, but so can your skin.

"Skin care is more important than anything for a more youthful look," Derrick says, adding skin sags, loses collagen and elasticity.

To help with this, she says it is imperative to apply moisturizer before applying foundation.

She adds there are two secrets to great skin, "good genes and staying out of the sun."

Trying to maintain good skin is important because a facelift would cost $6,500 and take several days to recover, according to ASAPS.

Water And Skin

Derrick says that she does not believe that drinking more water will help one's skin.

"It's a myth that drinking more water will make your skin look better," she says. "Of course if you are dehydrated, it will show on your skin, but drinking more water than necessary is just going to cause you to visit the restroom more often."

Mickey Williams, a celebrity make-up artist, disagrees.

She says drinking water helps the skin look more youthful. She also suggests that during the holiday season women drink one glass of water for every cocktail.

In addition to skin, one's smile can give a more youthful appearance, says Williams, who is also StyleBakery.com's beauty editor.

Williams also believes that women should be more aware of the ingredients in the skin care products used.

She says it is important to use products that will not overly dry out skin. The product should also include an ingredient called Stay-C 50, a form of vitamin C that helps with aging skin.

Dark Circles, Crow's Feet

Derrick says that dark circles under eyes are usually hereditary.

"You can't get rid of them without going under a laser in a surgeon's office," she says.

This type of surgery costs about $845, according to the ASAPS.

A trick in the application of concealer may be all that is needed.

Williams says often women make a mistake of attempting to cover dark circles under and around the eyes with concealer that is too light. The concealer should not be oily either.

The key is to get a shade that is barely lighter or the exact color, Williams says.

Additionally, she says that if dark circles are your problem, buy a pair of eye glasses that "sparkle and ... give yourself a new look."

She says women should not fret over their crow's feet, either although fillers and anti-aging creams may help.

"Embrace crow's feet," she says. "It gives the face character."

If a woman chooses to cosmetically improve crow's feet and other age lines the average cost for Botox is about $417 and will last about six months with minimal recovery time, according to ASAPS.

Beauty Home Remedies

There are other issues that women get more concerned about as they age. This includes puffy eyes and jowls.

Derrick says a few home remedies and tips will help with these types of problems also.

"Get rid of puffy eyes by applying an ice-cold teaspoon to your eyes, applying cold teabags to eyes and even my personal favorite, applying coffee grounds under the eyes," she says. "Coffee is a great skin boost, who knew. Just make sure the coffee grounds are cool."

This may work better for many women who do not want to undergo cosmetic laser surgery.

According to Duke Aesthetics Center, healing from that treatment may take several months, but patients can typically return to work after 14 days.

Derrick offers a few other tips to look younger without surgery.

Downplay jowls with gorgeous earrings, but stay away from chokers, which bring eyes straight to your jaw line. Love necklaces? They should hit at the collarbone or lower.

Got a crinkly neck? Haircuts that hit just below the chin will draw attention away from your neck. Long cuts attract the eye downward.

Downplay wrinkles by highlighting your eyes. Great eye makeup will make eyes "pop" and attract eyes away from the wrinkles on your face. Keep brows groomed and filled in.