Preserving your youthful looks

Famous writer Charles Dickens once said that cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers and are famous preservers of youthful looks. The few beauty tricks below will make you look younger with just a sweep of a blush brush or mascara wand.

* Keep your hair between your chin and your shoulders. Side-swept bangs and hair no longer than your shoulders will take off years.

* Wrong lipstick shades can make you look old. Steer clear of brown lipstick shades. Avoid matte lipstick as they tend to settle into your lip lines. Instead, try creamier lipsticks or glosses. Glosses are especially youthful and make your lips appear bee-stung.

* Stick to creamy blushes and shadows. Older skin usually means dry skin, so creamy blushes and shadows are your best bet. Also, powder blushes and shadows tend to settle into your fine lines and wrinkles, while creamier products 'plump' up your skin.

* Enhance your eyes; Curled lashes immediately make eyes 'pop.' You can curl your lashes after mascara application; just make sure the mascara has dried. Lining the eyes can make somewhat tiny eyes look 10 times bigger.

* Don't over-pluck eyebrows: Once you hit your 30s, brows are less apt to grow back if they are excessively plucked.

* Try teeth whitening because over time, teeth may yellow from coffee, tea or red wine stains. You can whiten teeth quickly with over-the-counter products.

* Stand up straight: Sexy women stand up straight and confidently. Not only will this make you look 10 pounds thinner in seconds, it will make you look five years younger as well.

* Get a good night's sleep: Lack of adequate night's sleep is a great contributor to ageing. The result of a poor night's sleep is manifested in puffy eyes, dull and sallow skin and a sagging face.