THE ABSOLUTE BEST MAKEUP TIPS FOR ANYONE OVER 50

When you hit your 50s, makeup is all about brightening your skin, lifting your features and enhancing all your best bits. And don’t be like that, because everyone has their best bits – it’s just that most of us tend to focus on the stuff we don’t like. Eugh, human nature!

From killer cheekbones to on-point eyebrows here’s what we know about maximizing your features and enhancing mature skin with smart makeup…

You have to admit, the makeup you wear now is a far cry from the crazy stuff you sported in the ‘80s. Back then it was all about full-on color – blue mascara anyone? – sugary pink lips and sparkle. So. Much. Sparkle!

But you’re no longer 13-years-old (hurrah! But also, dang!) which means that your makeup is likely to be of a more sophisticated palette these days.

As your skin ages, so do your beauty habits. Your daily skincare routine becomes more about moisturizing, hydrating, conserving your precious collagen and, of course, protecting your skin from that ole’ devil called the sun. Meanwhile, your hair regime gets more caring than, well, creative.

And then there’s your makeup. Of course, you have every right to wear whatever you want at any age. However, certain colors, techniques and formulations that worked for your 20-something skin, might not be the best choices now you’re a tad older.

Feel like you need to step up your mature skin makeup routine? Then read on for some of the most invaluable rules we’ve learnt over the decades.

1. Up Your Moisturizing Game

The better your skin prep, the better your makeup will look: that’s been our motto for years. But as you get older it becomes more important than ever.

As the skin matures it becomes more prone to dryness and dehydration. This is because your barrier function weakens with age which allows more moisture to escape (that’s called transepidermal water loss, btw). Cell metabolism also slows down and sebum production gradually decreases which further contribute to dry skin.

What does this mean for your makeup? Well, if you try to apply makeup to dry, flakey skin it will sink into lines and look flakey and uneven. Not ideal.

The key is to ensure your skincare routine includes plenty of hydration (hyaluronic serums are great for that) and a really good moisturizer that’s suitable for your skin type. Apply your serum to clean, moist skin to make the most of all that extra hydration, then lock it all in with moisturizer. Oh, and don’t forget to apply eye cream, too. Just don’t use anything super heavy as this will leave your under eye area kind of slippery which can screw up your concealer.

2. Get More From Your Makeup With Primer

More skin prep here, but bear with us because creating a good base is the most important part of your makeup routine as you get older when the texture and tone of your complexion aren’t quite what they used to be.

So, primer – not the most glamorous of beauty products, granted, but it’s one of the most important and often-forgotten-about tools for creating smoother, longer-lasting makeup. The right primer can be an absolute godsend for disguising the appearance of fine lines and enlarged pores – something we know a lot about in these older years, if we’re honest!

Of course, it’s not absolutely necessary to apply primer before foundation, but if you want your makeup to stay-put all day while controlling oil, reducing redness and significantly upping the quality of your skin's texture and tone, this is not a step you want to miss.

Steer clear of mattifying or oil-absorbing formulations, however. The natural oils in your skin won’t be as plentiful as they were in your college days, so stick with hydrating primers to smooth and condition. Our Pre.Face Primer, for example, contains ingredients like hyaluronic and stearic acids to boost the water content in your skin. A little skin-friendly baobab oil also helps to smooth and moisturize. All good stuff right there. Try applying it with your Complexion Brush for the most even, pro-like coverage, then allow it to settle before moving on to the rest of your makeup.

3. Swap Fingers For Brushes

Speaking of brushes, we can’t stress enough the importance of using makeup brushes instead of your fingers. Makeup brushes allow much more precision when you’re hiding a pimple or concealing under eye bags, plus they give a thinner, more even application of product. And the last thing mature skin needs is thick layers of heavy makeup that looks caked on and ages up your skin lightning fast.

Just remember, dirty makeup brushes are seriously bad news for your skin – especially if you’re prone to breakouts. So if you can’t remember the last time you washed yours, here’s how to give them a good cleanse.

4. Add Warmth With Blush In All The Right Places

One thing mature skin often lacks? That natural flush of youth. Sigh. Don’t fret though; thankfully, that’s exactly what blush was invented for.

Most makeup artists agree that soft peach and subtle pink tones are best for brightening up mature skin but don’t be too heavy-handed – a light touch that leaves you with a barely-there hint of color will give much more youthful results.

We love to apply blush before foundation to blend the color ‘into’ the skin and give you a natural finish. Simply grab your Essential Blush & Blend Brush and lightly work your blush just above (rather than on) the apples of your cheeks. This trick of applying blush further up your cheeks, nearer to the cheekbones, will create a more lifted effect. 

For extra color and radiance, you could also try blending a little (note the word ‘little’) Dark Contour Powder in the hollows of your cheeks, along your forehead or around the jawline. This adds warmth to your complexion and creates a subtle, contoured effect.

5. Never Forget Your Brows

Eyebrows can thin out as you get older (thanks for that, hormones!), and if you’re guilty of overplucking in the ‘90s they’ll probably look sparse at best as you reach your half-a-century milestone.

To help fake fuller brows, we like to apply an eye color that’s as close to our natural brow color as possible – Truffle and Ganache are pretty good options. Use an angled liner brush then work a small amount over your eyebrows, using tiny, hair like strokes. Concentrate on thinner areas but ensure you stick to the natural shape of your brows for a softer, youthful finish. Do not square them off, create angles or extend the ends too much. This will look make you look stern. Not to mention kind of weird-looking.

6. Make Good Color Choices

The colors you choose to wear on your eyes and lips are totally up to you, but one general rule of thumb is that lighter colors are far more youthful than darker shades. Try on a deep red lipstick and take a selfie. Now apply a pale lipgloss, take another selfie and compare the two. See what we mean?

When it comes to your eyes, we love a smokey look as much as the next person, but again they can make your eyes look tired and shadowed if you’re not careful. To nail the look, try brown rather than black eye colors and avoid applying dark liner under your eyes. These two simple tweaks will work wonders for lifting and opening up the eyes.

And for everyday use? Try our Fold Out Eyes – Bright which will instantly add luminosity to your eye area, giving your entire face a dewy, bright and youthful look.

7. Go Easy On The Shimmer

Shimmer can draw attention to aging skin, so avoid anything too sparkly unless you still have the skin of an angel. And if that’s the case, can we get your skincare routine on an email, please? The end.

8. Finally, Don’t Be Afraid Of Powder Foundation

Most people are under the impression that as you get older you should wear cream foundation, never powder. But they just haven’t found the right powder foundation!

Our Foundation Powders contain skin-replenishing agents like vitamin E and stearic acid which help to hydrate and soften the skin. Music to your ears, right? They’re also packed with vitamin C to help protect your skin from environmental damage; mica for a little extra glow, AND they’re triple milled to create the finest, silkiest texture possible. This allows your chosen shade to seamlessly glide onto your skin like an absolute dream.

You know those powders that sit in your pores and accentuate your fine lines? This is not one of them. In fact, it’s a total shoo-in for mature skin – whether yours is oily, dry or a combination of the two. Get the shade right and you will never again go back to cream foundation. And if you’re not sure which shade to try, head to our Shade Finder Quiz where we make it easy for you to find ‘the one’.

No thanks needed, that’s what we’re here for!