With the technology and medical research available to look beautiful, 40 might as well be the new 30. You may very well feel a little wiser, but don’t let your beauty carry an ounce over otherwise.

1. Less could never mean so much more. You definitely can’t wear as much makeup as you did when you were 25 or 30, but less is more anyway. As you transition into 40, you will notice that your skin is prone to be a lot drier. This means, less caking and less coverage. Since you have thinner skin, liquid eyeliner will not look as appealing and less precise. Instead, opt for little mascara and even less eyeliner. For occasions, you may use a slightly thicker eyeliner but never overdo it.
2. Contouring- spending extra time with the “T-zone”. It may seem a little bit awkward dabbling with a beauty fad that has made a real hit for the millennials, but you’ll find it quite useful in your own beauty routine. The “T-zone” consists of the area under your eyes and the bridge under your nose. For contouring, you can resume with your original makeup, however, you want to spend extra time hitting your under eye circles, and illuminating the bridge of your nose for a more polished and revitalized face. Unless you’ve been blessed genetically with bright eyes decades-round, you’re going to experience greater dark circles as you age. Your skin starts to lose elasticity, and your capillaries are more susceptible to break.
3. Defeating crow’s feet without going under the knife. Ah! The wisdom gained from years of smiling and laughing. While you transition from thrifty thirties to your fortified forties, fine lines are going to seem to creep on your skin overnight. The good news is the faster you catch them, the easier it is to slow their lifecycle. Collagen is the primary mechanism in your skin that wards away fine lines and keeps your skin tight and glowing. To increase the collagen in your skin, you can incorporate more Vitamin A in your diet. Vitamin A cannot only restore collagen to your skin, but it can also offset discoloration in skin tone. You can get over the counter vitamin A from your dermatologist, also known as retinol, or you can get more of a concentrated and powerful prescription version called tretinoin or tazarotene. To get more Vitamin A in your diet, consume more milk, eggs, leafy greens, tomatoes, and other fruits and vegetables that bear bright orange and yellow colors.

Whether you’re ready or not, your forties can be a very reflective time in your life. You’ve probably at this point have escaped the hustle bustle of everyday life, and that can be a relief. However, there are always ways to bring your beauty, style, and grace with you at whatever age you are.