Ah, dating. That exhausting, utterly overwhelmingly, painfully difficult and just-so-beautiful moment in life we all try to avoid (for the most part) but, paradoxically enough, rush into experiencing. The emotional drama that comes with virtually every dating scenario is just something no one can stop or predict, but a thing we all know is coming – and yet – we’re happy to do it.

Recently, the dating scene has been shifting; these days the primary discussions our dating dilemmas revolve around are pretty much reduced to two main categories – dating younger and/or older guys. And while everyone’s got an opinion on anything and everything when it comes to pros and cons of dating someone older or younger, we like to stay mute on the topic. Ha, just kidding – of course we have an opinion ourselves but unlike those debating which of the two is better, we’ll be talking about the benefits of both. Yes, we’re cool and positive like that.

Ok, so – this is where we stand on dating both older and younger guys:

Brighter, Wiser, Smarter

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Contrary to popular belief, dating older men doesn’t necessarily have to mean you’ve got daddy issues – maybe you just love guys who are wise, confident and know what they want. We get it.

Forming a solid, healthy relationship with guys/men who have already had their share of relationship affairs under the belt is way easier and more appealing than jumping into a relationship with someone who still isn’t sure what they want in love and life. Older guys know what they want, how they want it and why they want it – and they are not afraid to go and get it. They understand the importance of having a partner in life and they’ll spare you the BS of “emotional distance” and “inability to commit”. You will rarely feel insecure with an older guy or be afraid of being manipulated. Maturity, self-respect, a more balanced perspective, wisdom and confidence are just a few benefits of dating older men and they always play out wonderfully for the relationship itself.

We are lead to believe relationships should be a fair game, with both parties having an equal say in things, and we partially agree. However, the actuality of relationship dynamics favors something a little bit different – having a dominant persona, and the other one that follows. In dating someone older (and wiser!) following their lead isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When things are respectful and come from a good place, why not let someone teach you things they’ve learned by their own example? Older guys do tend to be very powerful in their own right – emotionally, mentally, financially, professionally – which makes them a fantastic opportunity to learn from, count on and look up to. Nothing beats having rational, intellectual and emotional support on daily basis, does it? Yes, youth is an unparalleled advantage; but age – age is a work of art. When they are healthy, relationships make for a fantastic support system: dating an older guy is definitely beneficial in more ways than one.

Young is fun and exciting

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As Aristotle observed it, “Good habits formed at youth make all the difference” – and they do. Not every young individual is haste, abrupt and intolerant to stability but most of them are, and – for some, that’s what’s getting their juices flowing.

Younger men are chill, fun and always up for a challenge; they love to experiment, try new things and push the envelope. They’ll probably have you in bed for hours and be up for satisfying you at any moment in a day (who’s complaining?). When dating someone younger than you, you’ll feel like you are of that age again – only you’ll be having all the life’s wisdom to back it up.

Although not many young men know what they want, they do know their destination is out there and they are willing to pursue it. There’s something just too exciting about a young, ambitious guys chasing their dreams with an unmatched focus and commitment, isn’t there? With a younger guy, you are given the opportunity to directly or indirectly shape them into the best version of themselves, help them understand themselves and experience life in ways unimaginable to them.

Younger guys have a very Millennialesque mindset – unlike the older generations who loved their gender division where they can see it, younger man tend not to have any gender-role rules that would potentially work against the relationship. From washing the dishes and cooking a meal to letting the woman have a final say, these guys are relieved of gender prejudice – and living in such an atmosphere is simply uplifting.

Depending on the place in life you yourself are currently at, choosing between an older and a younger guy will come naturally. Both have their benefits for sure but the important thing is to find someone whose soul recognizes yours – no matter how old they are. Good luck!

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Most of us, mere mortals, are not professional makeup artists and bloggers. Therefore, we’re bound to make some mistakes. Sometimes we make them during our makeup neophyte days, during which we don’t exactly know the lay of the land. Other times, well, we simply don’t have the mad makeup skills, that gift that was bestowed upon some but not to others.

Still, there is always room for improvement, and while we may never master certain things, we can all agree that at least avoiding some of the common pitfalls is a great way to start. It takes years of practice to become the master of this now highly coveted trade, but now we get to reap the benefits as we take a peek into some of the secrets of famous makeup artists and bloggers, so let’s not wait another minute before we do so.

A combination of factors

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It’s not uncommon to get swept up by advertisements and beauty blogger recommendations when it comes to choosing your makeup products, foundation included. One of the worst things you can do for your face is to purchase a foundation that is trending without taking various factors into consideration.

First of all, there is the skin type. If you have oily and combination skin, don’t use dewy and luminous foundations as they will make you look greasy and shiny. The same goes for dry skin – matte foundations look great in photos, but when your skin is dry you run the risk of it becoming cakey and patchy and suck the moisture out of your skin. In addition to that, always choose a foundation for your skin tone – if you go darker your neck will tell the truth and it will definitely not look well. Be mindful of your undertone as well, as it plays a major role in the final look.

Now, when it comes to setting powders, don’t use them on dry skin even though they’re all the rave right now. Dry-skinned beauty KathleenLights never does as she knows better. Setting spray will suffice, so listen to your skin, not every new fad that comes along.

Not as easy as it looks

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We don’t give mascara a lot of thought as we have this notion that it’s the easiest thing to apply and there isn’t a grand philosophy behind it – and that’s where we’re wrong. The first mistake to avoid is buying a product that’s difficult to work with – you don’t need something that’s going to turn against you. Instead, the first order of business is to get a great mascara and then learn the ins and outs of getting that flawless clump-free look.

Before applying, you want to brush the eyebrows with an old (clean) mascara brush, before you make your move. Don’t pump the wand as that only serves to cut the lifespan of the product and make it dry out quicker. Now, before you dive in, always remove excess product – that is your foolproof plan for clump-free lashes for days.

Pearls of wisdom

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Wanting fuller lips is completely natural, but you know what isn’t – overdrawing them. Despite common belief, overdrawn lips are visible, and they’re definitely not doing you any favors. Instead of resorting to your lip pen in all the wrong way, listen to Make Up For Ever’s Donna Conlan – to achieve the illusion of fuller, luscious lips, simply highlight the center with a lighter tone of lipstick and add a high-shine gloss in order to maximize the effect. Also, if you have thin lips, do avoid dark shades and drying formulas as these will only make matters worse.

No white lines today, thank you

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The ‘less is more’ mantra has never resonated more true than when it comes to makeup than is the case with the beloved highlighter, particularly when working with powder formulas. What all great makeup artists know, and you should too, is when you apply layer after layer the only thing you will achieve is having a white stripe across the top of your cheeks and none of the desired glow. Apply small amounts on strategic high points of the face.

The purpose of highlighter is not for it to be seen but to give you that gorgeous and subtle ‘lit from within’ healthy glow. For ultimate tips and tricks for the perfect glow, Desi Perkins is the girl to watch.

Not something for everyone

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Another hyped technique for the past few years has been contouring. One way to go about it is to avoid it altogether as it is basically on its way out. However, if you do love your contouring, do it right.

If you’ve already been blessed with great bone structure a touch of bronzer will suffice and there is no need for heavy contouring. Also, if you have a small forehead, don’t contour it at all – it will only make it look even smaller. Always pick the right shade of contour powder or stick as you don’t want to end up looking ashy or muddy. A well-framed face is amazing, but one that looks like it’s covered in war paint definitely is not.