Achieving that perfect, totally symmetrical cat-eye flick is almost a prerequisite for donning today’s makeup trends. But, if you have a tendency to “pull” your eye when applying eyeliner, you might be signing up for a whole slew of aging-around-the-eye-area issues—including lines and wrinkles.
“Applying eyeliner can cause wrinkles over time—just as any repeated movement does,” says Greenwich, CT, dermatologist Kim Nichols, MD. “If you are pulling on the eye, day after day, you will end up with wrinkles developing earlier than normal. I recommend eyeliners with a slanted tip so you don’t have to pull your eye so much to get that desired look.” Adds Miami dermatologist Janice Lima-Maribona, “Like anything else, pulling constantly on your eyelids may affect the elasticity of the skin, and cause wrinkles to worsen.”
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And one other ever-so-common makeup mistake that can cause lines and wrinkles? Putting on too much! “Heavy makeup application can cause the texture of your skin to roughen over time and pores to open, which ages the skin terribly,” suggests Dr. Nichols. “I like BB creams and tinted moisturizers because they are one-step and lighter, and prevent you from piling them on.”
