As you age, you should change the makeup that you wear. As an older woman, you cannot expect your daughter’s makeup to look great on you. The need to change the makeup you wear does not mean that you have to go broke or look washed out. There are affordable solutions for aging women that will allow you to look confident and younger.
Ask for a makeover
Major department stores usually have cosmetics counters where makeovers are done regularly. Sure, the cosmetician may want you to buy everything she applies on your face, but that does not mean you have to buy it all in one shopping trip, or even two. You may only be able to start out with one or two items.
Ask for samples. Most cosmetics departments will give you a “ten day sample” of foundation, lipstick or perhaps other products. Expect it to actually last about seven days. So find out what you can get samples of before deciding which product to purchase that day. This way, you can re-create the total look at minimal cost until you can afford to purchase all the full-size products. Make sure you also purchase your facial moisturizer at the best price.
Let’s face it
There are older women who still wear the same shades of cosmetics that they wore at an Elvis concert or at Woodstock. As an older woman, when you wear makeup shades from decades ago, it is not appealing; it makes you look older. The deep peach foundation that you still blend all over your face and neck from the 1960’s and bright pink or deep bronze blush that you wear across your entire cheekbones ages you considerably. So does the 1971 electric blue eye shadow with shimmery white highlighter that you apply all the way up to your brow bone.
You do not have to spend a fortune on a good foundation. Less expensive foundations made especially for older women who want to look younger can be found at some of the big-box stores. Older women should not select deep shades; it makes wrinkles more prominent. The foundation made nowadays blends so naturally that you should not blend it all the way down your neck. Blend just to the jaw line.
When selecting a blush, opt for a natural look. Using a large mirror, smile with your mouth closed. Blush today is only applied to the apple of your cheeks. Do not extend back any further. A little goes a long way!
When considering your eyebrows, you may have special needs. Some older women still have full eyebrows in their natural shade. If you do, great! You may wish to use an eyebrow powder and just fill in your natural brow line. Other older women have eyebrows that may have thinned, gotten thicker or perhaps taken on a grayish tint with age. You may need to try a couple of eyebrow products to see what works best for you. An eyebrow pencil shade should closely match your natural hair color. If your natural hair color is brown, but you have dyed it blond, you still want to use a light to medium brown eyebrow pencil.
To apply, follow your natural browline, including the arch, lightly with the pencil. You will make at least two or three strokes. Never draw one harsh line in a single stroke. It ages you considerably.
An affordable eye shadow base, such as L’Oreal DE-CREASE Eye Shadow Base, will keep your eye shadow fresh for hours. Using the applicator brush, you simply apply the base across the eyelids and allow to set for a few seconds.
When purchasing eye shadow, you save money if you choose shadows such as the four shade palettes. It gives you a shade for your lids, the crease, a brow bone shade to brighten your eyes and a shade to use as liner. You may wish to use one or two of the shades for a daytime look and add the crease and liner shades for a more dramatic nighttime look.
Sweep a light to medium shade of eyeshadow evenly across your eyelids. Apply a darker shade to the crease and to line the top and bottom lids. Doing so adds definition and depth. Use a very small amount of lighter eye shadow just under the brow bone to brighten the eyes. Use matte shadows; shiny, pearly eye shadows accentuate every wrinkle and crease in and around your eyes and makes your eyes look tired and old.
Use either brown or black mascara. Skip the blue or gold-flecked mascara; it will not look like it does on the eighteen year old model. Apply two coats to upper and bottom lashes, but do not allow the first coat to dry before applying the second coat.
Your lipstick may be a little bolder, but do not overdo it. The bright orange or shocking pink lipstick you wore to prom should remain a memory. Choose lipstick shades that are flattering and that compliments the rest of your makeup.
You may think I forgot about that dark powder that you brush over your entire face after the rest of your makeup has been applied. No, I did not forget about it — but you should.
If you follow these tips, you should look and feel more vibrant, confident, younger, sexy and beautiful.