Create a fresh-faced look with lightweight powders and blushes. (Photo by Jeffrey Westbrook/Studio D)

The GH Beauty Lab’s got fast and painless fixes that’ll take years off your skin in no time.

1. The Wrong Makeup

All shades and formulas are not created equal when it comes to looking youthful. “Powdery or thick textures are most aging on skin and can accentuate wrinkles,” explained Chanel makeup artist Fulvia Farolfi. “And matte finishes, including on eyes and lips, can also emphasize creases and appear flat.”

Lab lowdown: Choose creamy, lightweight foundations, blushes and concealers for a dewy, hydrated finish that looks fresh. On eyes, try shadows with a hint of iridescence or shimmer to reflect light, lending a soft-focus effect; on lips, opt for sheer colors and balmy formulas, which will make them look plump. When applying cream makeup, use your fingers to blend the product; their warmth will help meld the color with skin so it reads as more natural.

2. Blotchy Redness

“Inflammation from factors like rosacea, acne, sun exposure and allergies can amplify signs of aging,” said Shasa Hu, M.D., a dermatologist and Dr. Brandt Skincare Advisory Board member in Miami. “Redness, flaking and peeling can make lines appear deeper and tone seem uneven.”

Lab lowdown: Avoid known redness triggers or irritants, and protect skin from UV rays by applying broad-spectrum SPF 30+ facial sunscreen daily (mineral sunscreens like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide often are gentler). Calm reactivity with a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free moisturizer like GH Seal star Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture Sensitive Skin ($12, drugstores), which is proven suitable for sensitive skin and hydrates for up to 24 hours.

3. Dry Hands

“They’re often ignored, but the hands are constantly exposed to wear and tear, including UV light and repeated washing,” Dr. Hu explained. “Hands also have thinner skin and fewer oil glands that provide natural moisture, all of which make them more susceptible to issues like crepiness and dark spots.”

Lab lowdown: Make hand protection and moisturization part of your routine by applying your facial sunscreen to the backs of your hands each morning and slathering on a rich anti-aging hand or body cream before bed, as you would a night cream. Try Fresh Sugar Acai Age-Delay Body Cream ($67, Sephora), which won the Beauty Lab’s anti-aging body moisturizer test for firming and reducing lines after four weeks of use.

4. Over- (or Under-) Cleansing

Either can leave your face looking older than it is. “Not thoroughly washing and incompletely removing makeup can lead to clogged pores and skin sensitivity, which can be aging,” Dr. Hu said.

But don’t overdo it: Stay away from harsh astringents, like alcohol, in cleansers and toners, and avoid excess scrubbing, which can strip skin’s natural oils and dry it out, exacerbating lines and wrinkles.

Lab lowdown: Try an oil-based cleanser, which gently but effectively removes impurities without dehydrating skin.

Beauty Lab pick: Burt’s Bees Facial Cleansing Oil with Coconut & Argan Oils ($16, drugstores).

5. The Skin Below Your Chin

Lots of age-fighting attention is paid to the face, but “the neck is one of the worst surprise aging areas,” said Ellen Marmur, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. “The thin skin texture quickly loses elasticity.”

Lab lowdown: Start extending daily application of anti-aging skincare — serums, moisturizers, SPF — down to your neck and decolletage to prevent and repair damage. Try GH Seal star L’Oreal Paris Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition Golden Balm for Face, Neck & Chest ($20, drugstores), which targets all three regions with ingredients like skin-strengthening calcium. Evaluations showed that it made skin look firmer and more toned after four weeks of use.

ON ANOTHER MATTER …

Best of the Test: Body Lotions

Well-moisturized skin can look years younger, studies show. These smooth operators guarantee lasting hydration for even the driest skin.

Hero Hydrator
Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair Unscented Lotion ($5, drugstores): This glycerin-based Vaseline product set the bar for best body moisturizer, hitting one of the highest hydration levels the GH Beauty Lab has ever seen.

Tester Notes: Despite seriously softening skin, 100 percent of testers said the unscented lotion was absorbed quickly. It also “didn’t leave skin feeling tacky.”

Lab lowdown: It increased moisturization by a massive 60 percent, according to measurements with the Lab’s Corneometer device, which gauges skin’s moisture content.

Stellar Scent
Infused with shea butter and vitamins B3 and E, Olay Quench Ultra Moisture Body Lotion ($5, drugstores) scored above the rest for its slightly sweet fragrance.

Testing notes: “The scent lingered in a pleasantly subtle way,” one tester reported. It also rated first in having a non-greasy feel.

Lab lowdown: Our scientists tallied a 52 percent improvement in skin hydration.

Recalls Alert

The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC’s toll-free hotline, (800) 638-2772. Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do.

PRODUCT/VEHICLE PROBLEM

Comfort Research bean-bag chair covers, sold at Kroger, Meijer and Shopko from April 2017 through August 2017 for between $30 and $40.

The zippers on the bean-bag chair covers can be opened by children, who can then crawl inside, become entrapped, suffocate or choke on the bean-bag chair’s foam beads. Consumers should immediately take bean-bag chairs with the recalled covers away from children and contact Comfort Research for a full refund. Consumers can contact Comfort Research toll-free at (844) 578-8933 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or online at www.comfortresearch.com. Click on the “Safety Recall Notices” link for more information. 

2017 Honda Civic Sedan and Coupe
The right halfshaft may have been improperly heat treated, reducing its strength. The improper heat treatment can result in the halfshaft breaking, preventing the engine from moving the vehicle, and can allow a possible roll-away situation if the parking brake is not engaged. This can increase the risk of a crash. Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the halfshaft’s serial number, replacing it as necessary and aligning the front wheels, for free. Owners may contact Honda customer service at (888) 234-2138. Honda’s number for this recall is K0E.

© Hearst Communications Inc. Distributed by King Features Syndicate

—GOOD HOUSEKEEPING REPORTS: Your skin: Sneaky culprits that make you look older–