If you’re like us, then you fondly remember sneaking into your mom’s makeup bag and swiping on the brightest blush or lipstick in order to look older. Now that we are older, though, we’re trying anything and everything to make ourselves look younger — pretty ironic, huh? While skincare can work wonders for evening tone and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, there’s nothing like a few makeup hacks to really knock it out of the park. Keep scrolling for five tips to avoid common makeup mistakes that can age you.
Although it may feel odd to start with something other than foundation, Alexa Chung’s go-to makeup artist Tamah Krinsky recommends beginning your makeup routine with your brows. By defining your arches first, you’re less likely to cake on products (since you’ll have to work around them), which is usually the cause of an older-looking complexion. “The shape of your brows are the frame to your face, so you want to make sure they are flattering for your [bone structure],” she explains. Once you have the shape down, it’s all about definition. “Giving brows a little structure will add lift to the eye area, ” explains Marc Reagan, the director of artistry and education for Hourglass Cosmetics, noting how that can help turn back that clock on your appearance. (Photo via I love Images/Getty)
While we already know that drinking water is important for healthy skin, a hydrating skincare routine is vital for a complexion that screams eternal youth. “In my opinion, the key [to younger looking skin] is exfoliation and hydration. A regimen of hyaluronic acid, a hydrating oil, moisturizer, and SPF are my go-tos for locking in moisture for the daytime,” explains Krinsky. Starting with a moisturized canvas prevents your concealer and foundation from clinging onto dry patches — a common culprit for an older-looking appearance. (Photo via Svetikd/Getty)
Knowing your undertones and finding a shade match is a solid start to perfecting a radiant, even-toned complexion, but there is much more to consider. Chanel Temple, an Hourglass global makeup artist, explains that it’s all about the finish. “The number one mistake I see people make is choosing the wrong foundation for their skin [goal],” she says. “If you feel like your makeup is aging you, try a foundation with a dewy or luminous finish.” (Photo via Svetikd/Getty)
Celebrity makeup artist Julie Cuomo, who works with Danielle Fishel, explains that being too heavy-handed with your makeup application can lead to older-looking skin. Instead, she recommends opting for the less is more approach. “Start by dampening a beautyblender ($20) with water. Use it when you’re applying foundation, either all-over the face or spot correcting,” she advises. “When [following up with] powder, only tap it into the areas you really need it, like where you get shiny.” By doing so, you’ll avoid caking product onto your skin and prevents the makeup from settling in fine lines and wrinkles (ultimately bringing more attention to them) as your makeup wears throughout the day. (Photo via PeopleImages/Getty)
RELATED: How to Master Eye Makeup When You Have Hooded Lids
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Things are heating up betweenSelena Gomez and Benny Blanco since late last year to the surprise of some, but it seems like the couple's romance is just getting started. They're not shy about PDA and posting each other on social media and pretty much telling anyone who doesn't like it to get lost. We love how fiercely supportive they are of each other, giving us so many good green flags! Here's everything we know about the lovely new couple so far.
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Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco first collaborated on the song "I Can't Get Enough" along with Tainy and J. Balvin in 2019. Though they were featured in a cute scene together, there weren't any rumors about them being romantically linked then.
They didn't work together again until late summer 2023 when he produced Selena's single "Single Soon" with Cashmere Cat.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Before 2023 ended, Selena started leaving comments on Instagram that suggested she and Benny Blanco were in fact together. One of the comments she left appear on this Instagram fan page and it reads, "He is my absolute everything in my heart."
Some fans weren't so thrilled to see the two together though and they weren't afraid to express their opinions. But, this only prompted Selena to leave more comments that defended her relationship with Benny.
People grabbed a screenshot of one of the comments Selena responded that revealed the couple had been together for a while. "Not mad. It’s been 6 months bb. I will always defend my friends, family and fans till the day I die," she wrote. They even shared another screenshot from Selena's Instagram Story that showed her wearing a "B" ring on one of her fingers.
Craig Barritt/Getty Images for TIME
Soon after that, Selena shared a photo carousel on Instagram that included some of her favorite moments in New York and Benny Blanco can be seen in BTS moments. The last picture of the carousel features them sharing a kiss in a black and white photo that basically confirms the responses the singer had for fans.
Before the new year began, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco spent some time at a cute art exhibit during a date. From the looks of things, it seemed like they discovered their love language of physical touch early on.
Presley Ann/Getty Images for GQ
Feeling the love of being with Selena, Benny Blanco took to Instagram Stories to officially signal that the two are dating. People grabbed a few more screenshots that Benny shared and all we can see is the happy glint that was in Selena's eyes.
Sarah Stier/Getty Images
The next day the couple were seen court side at one of the Los Angeles Lakers' game. Once again, their love language was on full display in the most intimate way. A source revealed to People that they understood why people had so many opinions about Selena's relationship with Benny. "Everyone was a fan of hers before Only Murders [in the Building], and now everyone is protective of her."
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Later that month, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco showed up to the Emmy Awards together. They were sitting side-by-side and weren't afraid to show affection with each other.
Jesse Grant/Getty Images for AFI
When Benny Blanco's birthday rolled around, Selena Gomez shared a sweet message to him on Instagram. She wrote, "Happy birthday baby! Your emotional endurance, positive disposition, unbelievable talent (that blows me away), undeniable humor and loving, kind heart absolutely kill me. I love you @itsbennyblanco 🎂🥹."
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Although we're only four months into the new year, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco's relationship is still going strong! The Only Murders in the Building star has been seen smiling in every pic she posts which indicates she's genuinely happy in her relationship. A source hinted to People that the two are doing well. "It’s a very serious relationship, and they’re making long distance work while she’s in New York for work commitments," they said.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Spotify
In an interview with WSJ, Benny Blanco gave his POV of how his relationship with Selena Gomez began and it was the cutest revelation. "It’s crazy how your partner could just be sitting there the whole time, right in front of your eyes...And then you have a Clueless moment where you're like, Wait, I'm in love," he says.
A man who compares his relationship to that moment in Clueless where Cher and Josh admit their feelings for each other gets brownie points from us!
It looks like Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco's relationship may be ready for the next step — that's if you ask Mr. Blanco. He appeared on The Howard Stern Show yesterday to chat about everything, including his relationship with Selena. When Howard Stern asked, "You want to have kids with Selena? Have you told her you want to have kids yet," Benny replied, "That’s my next goal, to check the box. I have a ton of godkids. I've got a ton of nephews. I love being around kids."
However, he's not in a rush and wants everything to happen naturally. All that matters is that the two of them are in each other's life. He said, "I just know that when I look at her, I just say, ‘I don’t know a world where it could be better than this.’ That’s what I always say to her.”
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Selena Gomez tells TIME just how much Benny Blanco means to her — no matter what anyone else says. "My own fans, who I adore and feel like have shaped who I am, will say the most hurtful things to me about how I live my life," she says. "But he has the strength in him that none of that noise fazes him. It’s really impressive, and I just cherish every moment with him. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that he’s not going anywhere any time soon.”
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco looked amazing in their Alice in Wonderland couple's Halloween costume. "Curiouser and curiouser," Selena wrote on the post, which is totally reminding us of Taylor Swift's 1989 (hello "Wonderland"!!!).
Selena wore a corset dress in what looks like slate blue with cap puffed sleeves and a tulle skirt, along with a blonde wig, black bow, and slingback shoes. Benny went all out as the Mad Hatter with face paint, a wig, a top hat, and a waistcoat. We'd follow them down the rabbit hole!
Benny Blanco's been featured in People's'Sexiest Man Alive' issue and we're kind of feeling it! What started off as an unlikely choice for Selena has turned into a deep understanding of why she loves him so much. The man is an excellent host, cook, and gentleman which makes him an off-the-charts lover. And when it comes to date night, he believes in making sure every time is special. "I [still] go all out for every date. It doesn't mean spending your entire bank account. It means being attentive and listening," he said.
His most memorable dates with Selena involve the times she "rented out a whole botanical garden" and he "got her Taco Bell" before proceeding to make her "movie-theater nachos" and deep-frying her "favorite pickles from Texas" for Valentine's Day.
He also gushed about his favorite time of the day. "I'm a real morning person. It's my favorite time to spend with Sel, because we both wake up really early. It's like our moment before the rest of the world wakes up." Not only that, but the music producer is thrilled he has "a true best friend" he gets to spend his life with.
What do you think about Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco's relationship?Follow us on Facebook for more celebrity news!
This post has been updated.
When it comes to bridal makeup, no one does it quite like celebrities — and their teams of fairy godmothers (AKA glam squads), of course. Just take Mandy Moore’s pink eyeshadow that matched her pink wedding dress for example; or Kaley Cuoco’s seriously dreamy highlight (more on that below). To help inspire your own wedding beauty, we chatted with the makeup artists behind four celeb bridal beauty looks. Keep reading for the exact products the pros used, plus their inside tips to achieving your most radiant #MOTD yet.
The Boy Meets World actress approached her big day with glowing skin, an understated dramatic lid, and the most flawless dusty rose lip. Celebrity makeup artist Julie Cuomo began by prepping with a hyaluronic acid and rose facial mist, layered with La Mer Créme De La Mer Moisturizing Cream ($175) to help lock the hydration in. (Photo via Julie Cuomo)
Cuomo used a damp beautyblender ($20) to prime Fishel’s skin with Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow ($55) topped with Chanel Vitalumière Foundation in 3.5 Bisque ($60). Prior to sealing the base makeup with a dusting of Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish in #2 ($45), Cuomo concealed and highlighted Fishel’s face (specifically under her eyes, along her cheekbones, across her brow bone, and at the center of her cupid’s bow) using Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer ($32).
To warm up the Girl Meets World star’s complexion, Cuomo used Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer Luminous Light ($52) and followed a three shape starting at her forehead, sweeping down towards her cheek, and ending along her jawline. As for the natural rosy flush, Cuomo dusted Jouer Cosmetics Blush Bouquet Dual Blush Palette ($30) across the apples of Fishel’s cheeks.
To define her lids, Cuomo traced MAC Prolongwear Fluidline Gel Liner in Black Track ($18) along the upper lash line, followed by Ardell Lashes in Demi Whispies ($12). Next, she popped open the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette ($42) to add depth to the bridal statement eye. “I applied concealer on the ball of the eyelid and set with a neutral powder, then I swept Orange Soda on the crease and intensified the outer corners of the crease with Rustic to add more drama,” Cuomo explains. Lastly, she traced over the eyeliner with Cyprus Umber and swiped on a coat of Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara ($29).
“Danielle wanted kissable luscious lips for her first kiss at the alter, so we prepped with Fresh Sugar Lip Balm ($26), then applied Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Cheat Lip Liner ($22) and Matte Revolution Lipstick ($34) and topped with Jouer Cosmetics Lipgloss ($17),” Cuomo explains.
For the final touch, Cuomo gently swept two colors from the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette ($80) on Fishel’s cheekbones, bridge of the nose, and collar bone. “I then tapped a little of the La Mer Moisture Cream with my fingertips over it to give a natural glowy finish,” she says.
The Twilight star’s wedding day beauty was all about barely-there makeup and a defined brow with an ethereal highlight that played into her fairytale theme. Makeup artist Emma Willis prepped Greene’s complexion with Murad Multi-Vitamin Infusion Oil ($72) and Becca Cosmetics Backlight Priming Filter ($39). “You only want to apply a few drops of the oil and I like to warm it on my fingertips and then press the residue over the entire face,” she notes. (photo via Emma Willis)
To create Green’s base, Willis used Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation ($46). “Apply the foundation with fingertips or a brush and then with a very wet (but slightly squeezed out) beautyblender, pat and buff into the skin,” Willis says. “For even more of a dewy glow, I also love to spritz my blender on top with Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist ($48).”
For bronzer and blush, Willis relied on Malibu Soleil from the Becca Cosmetics Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette ($46) to develop a warm contour. In addition to the hollows of the cheeks, she suggests applying bronzer to the forehead and temples too. “It will give structure to the face and balance it out,” she explains. Next, she applied Hibiscus Bloom (from the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Palette) to the apples of the cheeks and Beach Nectar to create a glowing highlight. “For added highlight, I used Becca Shimmer Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter in Opal ($41),” Willis says. “Add some water or mixing medium to apply wet. It will give an incredible glassy highlight.”
Greene’s subtle burgundy and rose lid look was mastered with Surratt Beauty Artistique Eyeshadow in Marron and Ingenue ($20 each), accentuated with lots of individual eyelashes.
On Greene’s lips, Willis got creative with Glossier Generation G Lipstick in Crush ($18) mixed with Tom Ford Blush Nude ($55), sealed with Laura Mercier Lip Glacé in Bare Pink ($27).
Willis completed the Greene’s glam with a light dusting of Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Finishing Powder ($48) and NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder in Translucent Crystal ($37).
Mandy Moore turned to makeup artist and longtime BFF Jenn Streicher to perfect her pretty-in-pink bridal beauty. “I knew I wanted the makeup to be timeless yet not boring, and her to literally look like a blushing bride,” says the co-owner of Beverly Hills beauty studio STRIIIKE. “We had been obsessing over this Tom Ford single eye shadow called Fuchsia Foil ($36) and [were] waiting for the right time to use it and thought this was the perfect time.” She applied the color sparingly with her finger to add the lightest dusting of shimmer and color across the This Is Us actress’ lids. For a monochromatic effect, Streicher dusted Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush ($40) on her cheeks and Dior Lip Glow in Raspberry ($34) on her lips. (Photo via Jenn Streicher)
Bold brows and an inner eye highlight were the standout stars of The Big Bang Theory actress’ bridal beauty. But before those accents were applied, celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg began with Cuoco’s complexion. Greenberg started with Skyn ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels ($30) and La Mer Créme De La Mer Moisturizing Cream, then focused on Cuoco’s arches, using Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer ($23). (Photo via Jamie Greenberg)
“We wanted the lids to be a little bit natural so I took these Shimmer Veils ($28) from Cover FX in Celestial and Magic, because that’s what the night was all about,” Greenberg notes in a post on YouTube. While Magic was reserved for the lid, to add an extra touch of sparkle to Cuoco’s glam, Greenberg dotted Celestial in the corner of each eye and made it all pop using 24K from the Cover FX Gold Bar Highlighting Palette ($39). “I went over the corner where Celestial was and just buffed it out and did a little bit of this on the whole eye,” details Greenberg. “What it does is it kind of fuses the two textures so you have no beginning and no end to the textures — it’s just kind of a wash on the eye.”
To fill in Cuoco’s lash line and give her flutter a little extra oomph, Greenberg reached for Burt’s Bees Nourishing Eyeliner in Soft Black ($10) and Burt’s Bees Nourishing Mascara in Classic Black ($10). “Kaley wanted [to look very] natural so instead of doing eyeliner on the top, we did it underneath in the lash line,” Greenberg explains. “We filled in the lash line, made it really dark, and that just defined her eye area.” For additional flair, Greenberg cut Ardell Eyelash Demi Wispies ($7) into three sections for more control, then fused them with her natural lashes with another coat of mascara.
Once Cuoco’s eye makeup was complete, Greenberg applied Cover FX Blurring Primer ($38) to her complexion, followed by the Cover FX Power Play Foundation ($44). “We used three different colors. We did the darker colors on the outside and then the lighter colors on the inside,” Greenberg points out. “This is something you can do when you want things to be a little bit more 4D in your pictures. It’s like contouring but not as obvious because she has to look just as good in person as she does in the pictures so it’s a very faint play on [the shadowing technique].” To blur any lines, Greenberg blotted a damp beautyblender across Cuoco’s complexion. Next, she went in with Cover FX Power Play Concealer ($30) under the eyes and over any imperfections.
On Cuoco’s cheeks, Greenberg blended Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops in Rose Gold ($42). She followed up with the 24K and Rose Gold shades from the Cover FX Gold Bar Highlighting Palette and finished off Cuoco’s face with Cover FX Perfect Setting Powder in Translucent Light ($35), as well as a spritz of Cover FX Mattifying Spray ($31).
To seal her statement beauty look with a kiss, Greenberg layered Burt’s Bees Matte Lip Crayon in Sedona Sands ($9) and Burt’s Bees Moisturizing Liquid Lipstick in Niagra Nude ($10) across Cuoco’s pout.
RELATED: Mandy Moore’s Romantic Wedding Style Includes a Pink Dress and a Floral Hairstyle
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Major Outer Banks season 4 spoilers ahead!
ICYMI, Outer Banks season 4 dropped its second half on November 7, and fans have a lot of very strong feelings about it. Despite the fact JJ's entire character arc is about defiance, hope, and being the ultimate Pogue, Outer Banks season 4 ended with his biological dad, a kook named Chandler Groff, killing him in cold blood.
It's an absolutely devastating ending for everyone's favorite character, and fans are having a hard time coping with the loss. The fact we only got 10 episodes of JJ and Kiara together (a relationship written into the show after viewers picked up on the chemistry between Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey) makes it even worse — and a lot of fans are saying they won't watch the show again.
"I can’t even watch the previous seasons anymore knowing how it all ends," viewer Jordyn Bruder says in an email. "JJ was the literal heart of OBX and he was the glue that held the Pogues together. There is no OBX without JJ."
Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix
JJ dies at the end of Outer Banks season 4 episode 10, "The Blue Crown" after rescuing Kiara from his father Chandler Groff. "I feel mad, betrayed, disappointed and heartbroken to say the least," Bruder adds. "JJ went through a lot of crap through the show and he was the one character who deserved his happy ending the most. When the series first came out, people fell in love with JJ and [Kiara]."
While the cast obviously found out about the ending while filming, fans are frustrated with how they chose to promote the show. "Obviously the cast can’t spoil a character death, but to blatantly lie and mislead fans by saying that Jiara was 'evergrowing' and fans would be happy with how the season plays out?" Bruder says. "Jiara fans deserved so much better than what we got, ESPECIALLY when they knew they were killing JJ off."
Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix
The show is the kind of phenomenon that made instant stars out of its cast, but it also made waves because of how the first season portrayed issues like classism, substance abuse, and domestic abuse. "As someone who has been around domestic abuse, I think the handling of the character JJ was detrimental culturally," another fan (who would like to remain anonymous) says. "The character suffered abuse at the hands of a man who was not even his biological father, and the writers almost framed it as if that was okay because in the beginning, his father loved him. Instead of telling a story to victims of abuse about hope and making it through trials, the writers went the opposite way. I also find it interesting that they stated this was a planned death. I think writing a character who is suffering from anxiety and clear mental health issues as well as abuse who is very young like JJ only to let him fall in love and kill him right when he starts to feel happiness doesn’t necessarily make a lot of sense narratively."
Another viewer adds that ending JJ's story that way felt "disrespectful...especially when in an interview following the episode, one of the creators literally referred to his death as pointless." She even says "it feels almost like the show died along with him."
Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix
Actress Madelyn Cline (Sarah Cameron) called JJ the "heart of Outer Banks"and for a lot of fans, JJ also became a beacon of hope, a reminder that you can endure, persevere, and come out stronger on the other side. Since the first season of the show dropped during April 2020, it's been one consistent, fun thing for TV fans since the COVID-19 pandemic began, which makes the loss feel even greater.
"Seeing him die at the hands of another abusive father was honestly kind of sickening," the viewer adds. "It’s also unfortunate that his death didn’t seem to mean anything. A character death like this would be one thing if it meant something. If he had died protecting his friends or actively protecting Kiara, rather than having already saved her and then getting killed afterward, it might’ve be easier to get past."
"It’s like a connection to something good and steady was just broken," X user @onlykiep4l says. "Killing a character that has literally gone trough so much trauma and was finally happy just doesn’t make sense. It’s not just the character that’s gone — it feels like a part of the show has ended too."
Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix
Rumors have been circulating for years about behind-the-scenes drama between actors Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey, which has fans believing Rudy asked to be written off the show(for the record, Outer Banks creators Josh & Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke have said it was the plan from the beginning). With Rudy's exit, the writers had a difficult choice in front of them. JJ isn't the kind of guy to abandon his friends, meaning the writers obviously felt like killing him was the only option. But according to an additional viewer, "Outer Banks hasn't been that type of show."
"To attempt to turn this fun, summer, boat show into some dark, depressing story where the heart of the show is gone destroys everything that the show started out as," she says.
Another anonymous fan calls the choice "a character assassination," adding other moments from the season that feel like a different character than the one fans have come to love: barely reacting to John B. and Sarah's pregnancy announcement, or to the fact Rafe had come to talk to Kiara — especially after his reaction to Rafe catcalling Kie in the first season is a moment that led fans to ship them in the first place.
The fan continues by calling JJ's treatment a "lack of respect" toward the character. "The fact that the writers tried to make us dislike him, to soften the blow of him dying. It didn’t work. It has everyone distraught because many people’s favorite character ended up dying after 'finding happiness' for about 10 minutes in Episode 10."
Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix
But JJ's death isn't the only moment that has fans reeling. In addition to the fact viewers are saying the Pogues barely reacted to the death of their lifelong best friend, Pope is now a murderer and Kiara makes an absolutely chilling vow to get revenge on Groff — a far cry from the characters we fell in love with in season 1.
"Outside of the JJ of it all, a lot of plot lines/dynamics in part 2 felt off," one of our anonymous fans continues. "Sarah’s pregnancy plot line, especially when coupled with the quote from a creator about ‘giving her a baby specifically because she wasn’t ready’ feels incredibly tone deaf given the current state of things here in the US. The fact that there wasn’t even a conversation of if she wanted to continue with the pregnancy felt very icky. Overall, episodes 1-4 of this season did feel like Outer Banks, but everything after that felt like it was from an entirely different piece of media."
However, some fans are excited to see where the show goes from here. "JJ was such a strong character and his presence will obviously be missed, [but] I am excited to see how the Pogues react and what they do to get revenge on Groff," Virginia McGrew says in an email. "I also think that the scene of JJ dying with Kiara was extremely well done and emotional, making his passing even sadder. I ultimately believe that JJ’s passing serves as a reminder of the themes the show."
"JJ made the group even more aware of friendship, the importance of chosen family, and loyalty, which was seen throughout the season and especially in the finale," she continues. "Now that he is gone, the other Pogues will have to step up even more, creating a shift in their dynamic. While many believe that Outer Banks might not be worth watching after this finale, I truly think that it is only going to get even deeper and more interesting."
Let us know your thoughts on the Outer Banks season 4 ending on TikTok. And check out why This Heartbreaking Outer Banks 5 Theory Makes THAT Death Even More Emotional.
