Clarifying shampoo
Product buildup makes hair dull—and the thing that makes hair look young? Shine. Get it back by washing with a clarifying shampoo, like Fekkai Apple Cider shampoo.
Warm eye makeup
Too much eye makeup is aging—but so is none. Add depth with neutral colors like bronze, copper, and cocoa that aren't overly matte (a light sheen adds radiance). Cover Girl Smoky Shadow Blast in Bronze Fire includes two pretty shades.
Touch-up hair color
Stray gray? You can cover it in about two seconds with instant liquid color like ColorMark. (It's like a Magic Marker for hair.)
A face scrub with round beads
They add pinkness to your cheeks with one brisk rub. One of our favorites is Clean & Clear Morning Burst In-Shower Facial.
Cream blush
Avoid the temptation to jack up the color of your blush to look younger. "Instead of using bright pigments to play up features, women are better off playing with texture as they age," says makeup artist Brigitte Reiss-Andersen. She suggests a rosy cream blush for the most youthful effect. We like Lancôme Color Design Blush, which comes in a variety of shades that fit the bill.
A foot scrub
If you can't get a professional pedicure, at least exfoliate with a product like Freeman Bare Foot Creamy Pumice Foot Scrub once a week. Keeping the skin on your heels soft and callus-free makes your feet look years younger. (And, yes, they count.)
Teeth-whitening strips
Yellow teeth are a sign you've enjoyed all the vices of adults—coffee, red wine, maybe a few cigarettes—for way too long. Use strips that show results quickly: We love Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips.
Navy eyeliner
We love Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes liner in 3L—the color "will brighten the whites of your eyes, which tend to yellow as you age," says ophthalmologist Marguerite McDonald. Easy as that.
Grapefruit fragrance
A study found that this citrus scent actually makes people think you're ten years younger. We like Jo Malone Grapefruit Cologne
An SPF hair product
"The side that you part your hair on sees the sun the most and gets gray faster," says dermatologist Jeannette Graf. Protecting all your hair from UV light will help preserve color. We like Rene Furterer Protective Summer Fluid spray.
Primers and serums with silicone
They're like spackle for fine lines. Smear one on before you apply foundation and be amazed. We like Revlon Beyond Natural Smoothing Primer.
Opaque foundation
To hide age spots here and there, use a color-saturated foundation and dab translucent powder on top. Once it's set, it won't budge. We love Dermablend Smooth Indulgence Foundation.
A lash curler
A great one—like Tweezerman ProCurl Lash Curler—will open up your eyes and make you look instantly more alive. For the ultimate curl, clamp at your lash line, then gradually pump it along the length of your lashes.
Lengthening and thickening mascaras
Swipe on a coat of each to make your lashes look thick yet natural. The best ones are Cover Girl Lash Blast Length Mascara (for lengthening) and Maybelline New York The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara (for thickening).
Illuminating foundation
"At 40, you really need to pay attention to your skin," says makeup artist Brigitte Reiss-Andersen. "By then, most people are over the acne problems of their youth, so unless you struggle with it, don't use thick foundations—you don't need that much coverage. Instead, you need luminosity. I like shades slightly warmer than the skin tone." We love Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation.
Texturizing spray
Think about it: Pull hair back tightly, and you're spotlighting every line on your face. For a beachy, relaxed look, spritz Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray on damp hair and air-dry, or blow-dry with a diffuser while tousling hair with your fingers.
Mousse
It's the secret to bouncy, thick hair. Formulas with panthenol, like Pantene Pro-V Volume Mousse, do an especially good job at bulking up fine hair without weighing it down.
Soft pink lip gloss
The way light reflects off pale, shiny colors, like Cover Girl Wetslicks Amazemint Lipgloss in Pink Positive, make your lips look plumper
Shimmery cream shadow
Fill out meager brows with cream shimmer shadow—makeup artist Dick Page swears it looks more like hair than powder or pencil. We like Bobbi Brown in Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Antique Gold (for blondes and redheads) and Brown Metal (for brunettes).
Lip liner
Used carefully, of course. "The lips tend to get thinner as you get older, so if you need to shore up your lip line, for heaven's sake, do," says makeup artist Brigitte Reiss-Andersen. "Just make sure you're using it as a discreet corrector, not drawing in a whole new shape. Stick with a neutral color or one that matches your lipstick." One good neutral is Smashbox The Nude Lip Liner, which comes in four shades for different skin tones. (Fair is shown here.)
