More and more companies are celebrating the up-and-coming pro-aging trend, and it's refreshing to see beauty culture favoring individual agency above all else. If you want to get fillers, that's your prerogative, and if you've taken the au natural route, that's an empowered choice too.
Either way, wear your wrinkles with pride—they're proof you've survived a harsh world and evidence that you contain magnitudes. These tips aren't about hiding your age; they're about using makeup to highlight the gorgeous features you've already got, whether you're trying to slow time or fully embracing the flow of it.
If your canvas is in good shape, half the job is done. Exfoliate weekly and moisturize your face, neck, and décolletage daily. Avoid emollient moisturizers before putting on foundation, or the makeup might pill. The same effect occurs if you don't wait a bit between applying each skin product.
When you prep and prime your skin, follow hyaluronic acid with a moisturizer for best results, and put SPF on last. Don't forget about a decent body cream for your hands and feet. You may choose to use retinol to minimize fine lines and improve skin texture, but take precautions, always test an area first, and apply the product just before bed.
If you have broken capillaries or red areas on your face, or if your under eyes could compete with a panda's dark circles, color correctors are your friends. Green combats redness, and orange fights the darkness. You can also lift and brighten under the eye by forming a blended upside-down triangle, and a BB cream can help you even out your skin tone.
Our skin gets thinner as we age, and while that definitely doesn't mean we can't still glam it up, heavy foundation just looks heavier when we're a bit older. While you may be tempted to cover up more, it's often better to go easy on the foundation, especially on expression lines around your mouth and eyes.
Use concealer for dark spots and opt for a lighter foundation formula you can build on in some parts of your face.
Matte makeup can make you look caked up and creased, regardless of age. So, it might feel counterintuitive, but if you're getting your makeup done by someone new, ask for a dewy look rather than a natural one.
Some makeup artists interpret a request for natural makeup as an anti-sheen, pro-matte stance. But you want the luminous glow from one or two high-quality products to look fresh-faced with a bright complexion. Oil-based products such as balms are flattering on mature skin.
Firstly, try a softer brown liner instead of your usual black one and see if you like the effect. Line only the upper eyelid, and tightline by getting your liner in between each eyelash. Tightlining will make the lashes appear thicker without using mascara, and drawing the line a bit longer at the outer corners or in a wing shape will make you look less tired.
Mascara can often touch your lids and become clumpy, and like sparkly shadows, it draws attention to a part of your face that shows signs of aging. Tightlining with gel or liquid liner or a kohl pencil makes eyes look bigger, so if your iris color is one of your better features, you'll love this tip. Keep in mind that if you've got blonde eyelashes, any gaps in the pencil will be more obvious.
When you exfoliate the skin on your face, are you following up with a lip exfoliator? Chapped, dry-looking lipstick applications can age anyone fast, so if you haven't been diligent with daily lip maintenance, you'll want to prep your pout.
Apply lip balm to soften the lips and then wipe it off. Go in with concealer or foundation to get a neutral base, then shape and fill with lip liner to regain fullness. Apply lipstick, and finish with a hint of gloss if you use matte lipstick.
Are you used to using powder coverage and blush? A swap to a creamy foundation and blush can make your makeup look on point. Powders suck up moisture, which is the last thing you need when mature skin leans toward dehydrated. A cream blush can also work twice as hard as a perfectly pink or peachy lip color.
Ever wonder how stars like J Lo, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Kate Beckinsale, Jennifer Aniston, and Sofia Vergara look better than ever past 50? Professional makeup artists, fitness trainers, and aesthetic doctors certainly help. But knowing how to use products like bronzer can make all the difference when glam teams aren't around.
Bronzer warms up the skin and subtly contours along the forehead, cheekbones, jawline, and sides of your nose.
It's not just young 'uns that blush. Like bronzer, a nice pop of blush at the high points of your cheekbones can add dimension and warmth to your face. And when the blush has a subtle shimmer, you'll build on the glow from your highlighting products. The goal is a natural brilliance, not a disco ball extravaganza.
Brows are the underrated performers in every makeup application. They frame the eyes and can make them look bigger. As a rule of thumb, trim your eyebrows instead of tweezing to promote fullness. A growth formula doesn't hurt, either. Use an angled brush to apply a touch of pomade, before brushing the brow hairs with a spoolie.