By Carla Jelens, Master Esthetics Educator at Tricoci University
When doing makeup for mature women, taking a “less is more,” or a “more is better” approach to skin care is best. Makeup should be used to enhance and accent the mature face and your color choices should be soft and subtle to achieve a youthful look.
What you need to know
Skin
As we age our skin changes and we are faced with different concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles, loss of elasticity, sun damage, and dryness and dullness. It is important to choose the right skincare products to prime the canvas before the makeup application. Using anti-aging skincare is the first step. Then you’ll need to do extra exfoliation, restoring with a serum, and moisturizing with a sunscreen. There are a host of products that deflect wrinkles. Light reflectors and light diffusing products will reflect light, which helps diffuse fine lines while skin brighteners add luminosity and reduce dullness. This helps as we get older and skin starts to loose its natural dewiness.
Primer
Primers help to smooth over wrinkles and pores so makeup doesn’t settle into every line and helps foundation stay on longer.
Foundation
Choose a foundation that is more hydrating for the skin. This will not only make the skin look more refreshed and moisturized but it will also help plump up fine lines so they are less visible. If skin is truly oily or acneic, then use an oil free foundation. Foundation should match the skin tone, however apply sparingly over your primer with a brush and blend under jaw line.
Tip: For special occasions when wearing a low cut dress or top, tinted moisturizer can be used sparingly down the neck and on the décolletage, set with translucent powder.
Concealer
Eye brighteners may be used first under the eye to lighten and brighten the area. Concealer that is slightly lighter in darker areas and/or slightly darker concealer can be used on puffy areas. You’ll also want to go around nose area with a little concealer to remove redness.
Tip: Apply a light concealer pencil along the creases that run from the side of the nose to the corner of the mouth and also from the corner of each eye up to the end of the brow, blend lightly with finger. This will give an instant lift to the face.
Powder
Apply a finely milled, light diffusing powder just down the t-zone to set foundation or after using cream products. Remember not to use too much powder, mature skin should have a youthful glow in order to trick the eye.
Brows
Brows can become sparse and natural color may fade slightly. Fill in lightly with a brow pencil/powder or use a longer-lasting waterproof liquid brow corrector. If hair is gray, choose a taupe or blonde shade.
Eyes
Choose two neutral colors that compliment the eye color. Muted browns, brownish gray, mink, taupe’s, beiges, and creams work well for everyone. Keep application soft and well blended.
Tip: Emphasizing the upper part of the eye is the key to visually lifting them. To make shadow go on smoother and last longer apply an eye shadow base. Using a combination of creams and powders helps with longevity too.
Eye Liner
Eyeliner should be applied to the top lid only using brown, gray, or navy.
Tip: Start line at the outer corner of the eye and draw inward, stop a little more than halfway, going all the way to the inner corner will make the eye look smaller. If lids are starting to droop, start the line at the outer corner about a centimeter above the lashes slightly upward, and then bring it down to the lash line for more lift. Lift top eyelid and line the area beneath the lashes with a dark pencil, it makes lash line look fuller and defines.
Mascara
Volumizing mascara will enhance the upper lashes. Apply a second coat to outer corner to add lift to a droopy eye.
Tip: If lower lid is puffy, wrinkled or dark, avoid putting mascara on lower lashes.
Blush
A cream formula of blush will give a dewier texture to the skin and will look softer. Choose a rose or coral color which will instantly brighten the whole face. Apply to the apples of the cheek where you would naturally flush and blend it up slightly upward toward the temples.
Tip: Use a matte powder slightly darker than skin tone under the chin to de-emphasize a saggy neck.
Lipstick
Choose a moisturizing lipstick in a light glossy or creamy pink or coral shade. This lightens up the mouth with a shimmery luminosity that helps compensate for the loss of glow in the complexion and also helps hide tiny lip lines.
Tip: Mauves make you look older and teeth look yellow. Nudes make you look washed out. Oranges can be clownish. Dark matte lipstick will draw attention to lips and can be aging.
Lip Liner
Lips become thinner and lose definition with age. Line lips with a natural color lip liner or slightly darker than lips and then lightly fill in entire lip.
How to: Dot concealer along the edge of the upper lip, this will fill in the lines and prevent lipstick from feathering into them. If top lip is still full and well shaped, concentrate on the bow of the lip, giving it a little definition by following its natural line. If the top lip has thinned out give the illusion of volume by starting in the middle of one side and arching up toward the bow about a centimeter or so above your actual lip line. If bottom lip gets lost underneath top lip, just line the bottom lip. If entire lip needs plumping, draw broken lines around lip.
More Tips and Tricks to Look Younger
- Never opt for permanent makeup because as we age the skin loses elasticity and droops.
- Whitening your teeth will take ten years off your looks.
- Avoid makeup with high shimmer, this can settle into fine lines and make them more noticeable.
- Using a magnifying mirror at home can help make makeup application easier to see.