Women with mature skin have special skin care needs and therefore require unique makeup products and application tips. Enjoy this article sharing some valuable makeup information for women 50+
Stop wearing your daughter’s makeup!
Many women aged 50 plus no longer enjoy applying heavy foundations and cosmetics that age them. Young people with smooth and moist skin can sometimes get away with wearing heavier makeup because it glides over their skin. However, for mature women, heavy duty makeup can make them look older by “settling into” wrinkles, cracks, and pores. So, unless you’re specifically covering dark spots, most heavy-duty beauty products should be avoided. Rather, opt for soft and supple beauty products that enhance and enliven the skin.
Mature women tend to have three important things in common:
- The desire to look fresh and feel natural.
- The desire to enhance positive features while minimizing flaws.
- The desire to use healthy products that help skin be its best.
Common makeup mistakes to avoid on older skin:
- Wrong color foundation: In addition to skipping heavy foundations that can “cake-up,” selecting the right shade for your mature skin is essential. Look for foundation colors that glide on and seamlessly match your skin. When choosing your shade, Maybelline suggests paying attention to your skin undertone, defined as the tone beneath the surface of the skin. Undertones fall into three general categories: warm, cool, or neutral. Makeup experts emphasize that skin undertones in no way imply ethnicity or race, as people of all complexions can fall into any of the undertone categories. Click to jump to Maybelline to determine your skin’s undertone.
- Contour disasters: Contouring is a makeup technique used to define and sculpt the structure of the face. The technique involves the use of light and shadows to bring out your best features. Contouring should be done correctly to enhance one’s face shape and bone structure and correct areas you don’t like. When done improperly, it can look like dirt on the face or emphasize the very facial features you wish to minimize. When contouring, use a shade that is one or two shades darker than one’s skin color. Place contouring products in areas like the hollows of the cheek, sides of the nose, top of the forehead at the hairline or the temple, and end of chin. Essentially, place it where you need it most based on the shape of your face. Always blend and fade contour into the skin. Use a brush and a light patting motion, taking care not to swipe and remove the product. For a contouring demonstration by InStyle, click here.
- Unnatural brows: Like foundation color, it’s important to use the right color eyeshadow to fill in the eyebrows. Always opt for colors that match your hair’s root. If that is not possible, go one shade lighter rather than darker. Brows should be nicely shaped with a slight arch, but not overly heavy or “painted on.” To fill sparse brows, rather than coloring the whole brow with a thick crayon or paste, use a thin brow pencil to create strokes in sparse areas that mimic the look of natural brows. Avoid drawing thick heavy lines, rather opt for soft and feathery strokes for a natural and healthy look. Some people prefer to use a flicking motion in the direction of the hair growth for optimal results.
- Bad eyeshadow application: There’s a lot of controversy over how much eyeshadow and what colors are best for people with aging skin. Some people claim that older people should avoid color altogether and opt for soft tans and neutral creams. The truth is that colors are pretty, and they can be complementary to older eyes. But they must be applied using the correct technique. When a person puts a dark eye shadow line directly into the crease of the eye, not only can the eyeshadow cake and crack, but it can make the eyes look smaller. Bear in mind that two goals of using eyeshadow are to make the eyes look more open and to bring out the color of the eyes. Many makeup artists suggest that no matter what color or type of shadow you’re using, simply avoid putting makeup directly into the crease above the eye. Rather, place eye shadow slightly above it. Also, there’s no need to go heavy with color, unless it’s dramatic eyes you seek. It’s worthwhile to softly blend eyeshadow and avoid getting it in the smile lines.
- Lipliner and lipstick mishaps. To lip line or not lip line is a matter of personal choice. There are many advantages to using a lip liner on mature lips; mainly that it defines the line between the lip and skin and prevents lipstick from bleeding into cracks of the skin. Experts at Southern Living caution that when applying lip liner, do not press directly straight down. It’s best to come in at the lip line at a 45-degree angle. Rather than push the pencil around the lip line, use small strokes and feather-light pressure to draw on the lip liner. Gently repeat all the way around until the entire lip is done. In terms of color, use one that is just slightly darker than your lipstick. Loreal Paris says stay within one to two shades of your lipstick and in the same color family. Another good tip for mature lips is to moisturize them regularly to keep them supple.
Wear it well!
Makeup can make women feel good and look beautiful. However, dry aging skin with fine lines and wrinkles may present challenges when it comes to wearing makeup. To prevent problems, heed makeup advice for mature women.
Follow practices such as applying makeup to clean skin, moisturizing, wearing protective sunscreen, and using a primer to prep skin for makeup applications. Also pay attention to foundation color, proper contour techniques, brow and eyeshadow applications, and lipliners and lipsticks shades.
As always, address questions regarding your skincare routine, makeup products, and applications with your doctor.
