Women over 40, myself included often adjust our makeup to reflect our current lifestyle, skin type and overall style. So, I’ve put together my top 5 makeup tips for women over 40. These are a general guide to help your makeup application look flawless without a ton of work.
Once upon a time, I was a working makeup artist and did all kinds of makeup, from bridal to runway. I worked for a certain brand at their makeup counter, the makeup catered to women over 40. The one thing those women would tell me is that they wanted to look like themselves, but better.
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Tip #1- Invest In a Quality Foundation
If there’s one makeup item I’d suggest you invest in, it’s a good, quality foundation. For women with mature skin, it’s important that our foundation compliments our skin instead of only covering it. These days, I prefer a medium coverage, glowing foundation since I have dry skin. Foundations that are medium coverage allow you to apply more if needed without causing a cake face effect. Higher end foundations tend to last longer, wear more evenly without needing more than a pump or two. Plus, it’s what you put on your skin, so quality ingredients are a must. Here are a few foundations that I use and recommend.
- Haus Labs SkinTech Triclone Foundation– This is a hydrating foundation that looks like your skin but better. It comes in 51 shades and various undertones. The Haus Labs won’t settle into fine lines and blends out beautifully.
- Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Tint – If you’re looking for more lightweight coverage, allow me to introduce you to the best skin tint EVER. The Yummy Skin tint is hydrating, lightweight and warms to your skin for a flawless finish.
- Lancome Teint Idole 24Hr Foundation– There are times when I need a full coverage foundation and the Lancome Teint Idole is my go to. It’s comfortable to wear and has a spectacular shade range.
Tip #2- Skin Prep Is Key
Putting makeup on skin that hasn’t been properly prepped is a waste of time. For a flawless makeup application, skin should be regularly exfoliated and hydrated. Incorporate exfoliation into your skincare routine at least 1-2 times a week. This will help eliminate dead skin cells leaving you with a fresh and smooth complexion. Priming your skin before makeup ensures that any product you put down, especially a liquid or cream lays smoothly without settling into lines. The Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base works as both a makeup primer and moisturizer and is great for mature skin. Makeup primers act as a condiuit between your face and the makeup you’re applying. Think of it like prepping to paint a wall. You won’t just lay paint on the wall without priming it first. The Sephora Smooth & Blur Primer is a great, affordable option that preps your skin for makeup with a blurring finish.
TIP #3- Add Some Color
It seems that when we get older, particularly over 40, women are expected to tone things down. Especially when it comes to makeup, we’re not “expected” to wear a bold lip or colorful eyeshadow. Those arbitrary rules don’t apply to us, wearing a little color is a great way to elevate your makeup look. Of course I’ll suggest a red lipstick as a way to jazz up your look, but if red lipstick is not your thing, no worries. Colorful eyeliners like the NYX Vivid Rich Colorful Eyeliners add a pop of color to your eyes and can enhance an every day makeup look. You can go as big and bold with your color as you seem or add color to one area of your face and let that be the focus.
Tip # 4- Don’t Be Afraid of Powder
As we age, our skin may get a little bit dry and if you use too much powder it can settle into any fine lines and cause us to look older. However, this doesn’t mean that you should skip powder all together, it’s all about the type and how you use it. Loose setting powders are beneficial when it comes to setting your makeup or under eye concealer. Because loose powders are so finely milled, you can use a fluffy brush and set your entire face (use a translucent shade or a color close to your skintone to do this). As someone who prefers the more airbrushed finished look, I like a pressed or microsmooth powder to set my face. My go to is the Sephora Microsmooth Powder, it’s soft and light in pigment so using it to finish my makeup gives me polished look. If you need to know how and when to use certain powders, check out my guide here explaining the difference between setting and finishing powders. The key with powder is to not use a heavy hand, which leads me to the next tip below.
TIP #5 – Layer Not Slather
When it comes to applying my makeup, I’ve found that working in layers helps prevent cake face. I apply my foundation to the back of my hand to warm it up vs applying straight to my face. The same with applying concealer, blush or bronzer. Start slow and build up the products to your desired coverage. For concealer, I do the same as with my foundation, instead of slathering the product directly from the wand. I swipe some on the back of my hand and then apply it to my under eye with a small concealer brush. With makeup, it’s much easier to add to versus trying to take away when you’ve added too much.
I hope my top 5 makeup tips will help you be more confident in wearing and loving your makeup. If you’re a woman over 40 reading this, let me know your top makeup tips.
XOXO- Lydia Marie
