For many of us, wearing a lipstick is a quick and easy way to add some pizzaz to a bare face and instantly kick your look up a notch. However, many women tend to start the process the wrong way which could end up hurting them rather than enhancing their look.

These are some common mistakes that I notice women do or don’t do that ultimately age you without even knowing it.

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1. Passing on Exfoliation

Exfoliating the lips before lipstick is an essential step in making your lipstick last longer and for your lips to look more youthful. Applying lipstick to dry and chapped lips is not only a recipe for disaster, but it instantly adds years to your face.

If you take the time to prep your lips with a good sugar lip scrub to remove all the extra dry skin your lips will look smooth, supple and younger looking.

2. Not Using A Lip Balm

After a good sugar scrub, another crucial step is to make sure that you use a very moisturizing lip balm. When all the dead skin is removed from your lips from the exfoliation, you want to add hydration and lock in moisture by using a moisture rich lip balm. This in effect will give you a fuller and plumper looking pout.

3. Wearing an Ultra Matte Lipstick

We all want lasting power when it comes to our lipsticks, but the truth is that that may not always be the best option for us. Ultra matte lipsticks are indeed very low maintenance and lasts a long time, but they also do an excellent job of sucking the life and moisture out of our lips. Dry formulas emphasize lines, cracks, any and every imperfection on our lips.

You would want to opt for a more hydrating lipstick like one of Bite Beauty’s Amuse Bouche lipstick. They have a decent wear time and provide the moisture and nourishment that the lips need.

Related: Best Hydrating Lipsticks for Chapped Lips

4. Choosing the Wrong Shade

It’s very easy to get confused with all the color options available to us at the beauty counter, and for that reason, many of us choose the wrongs shades that do us more of a disservice than anything else. This is more so common when it comes to picking out nude color lipsticks and darker lipsticks.

Related: 10 Best Nude Lipsticks That Won’t Make You Look Like A Corpse

If you pick out the wrong color of nude lipstick it can make you look ghostly and chalky and pretty much make you look like a corpse. It’s always best to test out nude color lipsticks first in direct sunlight before purchasing to see if it goes well with your skin tone.

Another problem is with the darker shade lipsticks. Darker hues of berries, oxblood and even black lipstick can age you if you’re not careful. Darker colors absorb light and can actually make your lips look thinner and unhealthy. Sticking to natural looking colors with a pink or peach undertone can make your lips appear fuller and younger.

5. Being Heavy Handed with Lip Liner

If done properly, using a lip liner can definitely create the illusion of full, younger looking lips. If you’re too heavy handed with it then it can emphasize the fine lines and wrinkles around your lips. Try using a creamy lip liner that closely matches or is a little darker than your natural lips. Avoid harsh lip liners that tug at your lips that actually help to create more wrinkles.

You can also opt for a lip crayon as it provides two jobs in one package. You can line your lips and then immediately fill it after. This way you don’t over line your lips or get too heavy handed.

Related: The Lip Pencils You won’t Get Enough Of