Makeup Tips For Mature Women

Create casual but classic makeup looks that you will feel comfortable with, and that flatter, not age with these makeup tips for mature women. As women age, sometimes we tend to get a little heavy handed with the makeup application, trying to hide our perceived flaws. What most women don't understand is that usually a lot of makeup can drag your look down, or even draw attention to the lines around your eyes that have begun to drive you mad.

There are lots of tips and tricks that can pump up your beauty and leave you looking fresh and fabulous at forty and beyond. My favorite beauty tool is a light-up magnifying mirror. When you can put yourself beautifully together up, close, and personal in a tell-all light, you can be sure you'll look beyond amazing in "real life."

Once your vitamin-packed moisturizer has settled into your healthy, clean skin, prep your face for makeup with a pea-sized amount of a good foundation primer (like Smashbox Photo Finish). A primer is a very simple extra step that will keep your makeup looking just applied, and will also keep foundation from settling into fine lines and pores by the end of the day.

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Makeup Tips For Mature Women Foundation

As far as foundation for faces that are more "mature," think hydration. Very matte finishes and powder bases can actually emphasis wrinkles. Stick to a cream or liquid, preferably one chock full of antioxidants and moisture, and apply with a brush. The paintbrush method of base-application allows color to go on in sheer layers, and then be built up as needed.

Under eye concealer should have a golden undertone (or outright yellow) to counteract dark circles, and be applied sparingly with the ring finger. Some products even list light-reflecting pigments among their ingredients, which are said to deflect light away from flaws. Don't be afraid to try different things to find your perfect product. Finish your base with a very light dusting of light-reflecting translucent powder.

Makeup Tips For Mature Women Lips

Lips can lose some shape and color as the years go by, so let's bring them back. If you have a problem with feathering and bleeding color, a great product is lip liner, which will help keep lipstick where it belongs. A flesh-colored lip pencil is your new best friend. Shape and fill in lips with pencil to give your lipstick something to adhere to. Gloss can make a mouth appear fuller and poutier, but lipstick holds it's color better, so double team with a sheer gloss layered over your lipstick color. For an Angelina Jolie pucker, only apply gloss to the center of your lips. Smooch!

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Makeup Tips For Mature Women Blush

Blush advice varies. A peachy-pink color applied to the apples of cheeks and swept up can really brighten up eyes and give a flushed, youthful appearance. A deeper color swept up a cheekbone and even upward on the temple can help give you a cut-free mini-facelift. Don't be afraid of a little sheen on the cheeks, but you may want to steer clear of all out glittery shades.

Makeup Tips For Mature Women Eye Shadow And Eye Makeup

The same shimmer rules apply to eye shadow. Many older women are horrified at the thought of shiny eye shadows, but a little sheen used properly can actually help widen your eyes and give them a younger appearance. After applying a crease-proof, yellow-based eye shadow primer (they aren't just hype after all!), try a light to medium shadow with a touch of shimmer (not glitter) all over the eyelid, then a mid-toned color softly in the crease.

Go easy with very strong blacks and charcoals, unless you're well practiced, and can blend with the best of 'em. Very dark colors can close up the eye, and some powder shadows can easily smear and settle into fine lines around the eye. Do highlight under the arch of your eyebrow and the inside corner of your eye with a cream-colored shimmery shadow to bring out your eyes and widen them up.

Makeup Tips For Mature Women Eyeliner

Eyeliner on the top lid is always recommended, as it gives the look of thicker lashes, but try a very dark brown just this side of black for a more natural change. Bottom liner can oftentimes be skipped for more grown-up ladies, but if you insist, try just a wee bit of a mid-toned powder applied with an angled brush on the very outside corner. Don't connect the line to the top to keep eyes wide and open. And, unless you've got very full lower lashes, skip the mascara on the bottom, but load up with a volumizing formula on top.

Makeup Tips For Mature Women Eyebrows

Eyebrows can sometimes thin and fade in color as we age. Avoid the over-lined look of penciled brows with a stiff-bristled brush and a soft taupe powder. Even dark brunettes should usually err on the lighter side when there's a question, and by all means AVOID black drawn-on eyebrows. You want to frame your beautiful peepers, not channel Snow White's Wicked Queen!

Makeup Tips For Mature Women
Updated June 30, 2011

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