Mar 10
28
When I think back on all the makeup I’ve tried over the years, it makes me thankful to be living in an age of feather-light foundations that are easy to match and quick to apply. Remember using liquid foundation like paint when we were younger? We tried to cover the flaws and fill in the cracks, while keeping that line along our jawline as inconspicuous as possible. And I have to chuckle when I think of the old Mark Kay pancake makeup, the one with the beads of oil on top that you put on with a sponge. We were filling our pores and covering our flaws alright, but we also masking the true beauty underneath.
Charla Krupp, in her bestseller How Not to Look Old, says nothing ages you like foundation that is too thick, too cakey or overly matte; a demarcation line between your chin and neck; raccoon eyes; streaks of blush; ashy face powder or looking too tan. She continues to give us the best beauty tips for women over 50 to look years younger, with very little effort.
The “young and hip” look is radiant beauty, glowing skin and looking like you are not wearing makeup. With today’s skincare products, it is easier than ever to have flawless skin “without looking like a geisha.”
One of the best new additions to products is silicone that makes foundation, primers and sealers glide on easily, and makes skin feel like silk. One that she recommends is Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. I can personally attest to the great results you get with this product. For several years, I have been using the peach primer, which is for evening out skin tone. But recently I have been using the violet primer, since it is meant to brighten dull or sallow skin. It looks a little scary in the bottle, but I can barely see it after I apply it, and I really do think it does something to give me a bit of a glow. They also have a green to reduce redness, and clear if you just want a primer with no color correction. Primers are made by most major cosmetics lines, and really do make a huge difference in how your foundation looks. It smooths over wrinkles and pores so that makeup doesn’t settle into them, tightens skin, and fill in fine lines. Charla says primer is the one step that you can’t afford to skip in your beauty regimen.
We are also fortunate that there are so many choices now and it is easier than ever to match our own skin color. But because of the vast array of foundations, from liquid to powder, it can be expensive to try them out. Plan an hour at Ulta or Sephora, or at your favorite department store, trying on the various products to find the one that is closest to your skin tone and that looks most natural. While you’re there, experiment with eye makeup as well. Keep a journal of what works and what doesn’t so you’ll save time on your next shopping trip. And if you purchase your products at a drugstore or grocery store, most will allow returns with a receipt if the color doesn’t work for you.
For many middle aged women, concealer is the most important beauty product they own. But too often, it is the wrong color and can actually accentuate what you’re trying to hide. Charla says to consider the color of what you want to cover, then chose a concealer that is complementary. For instance, if you have dark brownish or purple circles under your eyes, choose concealer with a touch of yellow. If your shadows are gray, choose a color that is more rosy or beige. To diminish the appearance of lines, look for a concealer that has some light-reflecting pigments. Put your concealer on after your foundation and you’ll use less. And select one that is creamy enough to melt between your skin when you rub your fingers together.
Use blush to make you look like you are blushing, not to try to create high cheekbones with a model-like contour. A natural-looking blush will instantly make you look younger and fresher, and will help you avoid looking like you have the Nike swoosh on your cheeks. Switch from powder to cream blush, and stay away from anything dark. If you have pale skin, go with light rosy pink. for medium skin, choose a blush that is coral or peachy. And for darker skin, try a brownish orange. She also suggests trying to match your blush to your favorite lipstick color tone. After applying foundation, put a dot of the creamy blush on the apple of each cheek, then blend up and out, either with your fingers or with a sponge. One drawback to cream blushes: they tend to fade faster, so a touch-up is likely necessary during the day or evening.
Finish your makeup routine with a translucent powder that is light-reflecting or light-diffusing to obscure fine lines or imperfections. Sample the powder prior to purchasing to make sure it feels moist and silky when rubbed between your fingers, not grainy. Use a loose powder applied with a brush at home, and a pressed powder compact when you’re out and about.
One final important point: make sure one of your daily products has sunscreen. Most of us are regretting the days when we used to sit out in the sun for hours, covered in baby oil mixed with iodine, with album covers covered with foil to direct the sunlight directly to our faces. Now we know better, and protecting our beautiful faces from the damaging rays of the sun will keep us from looking like an old leather purse a little longer. Use a bronzer if you need a sun-kissed look. Middle age doesn’t have to mean old and wrinkled if you plan ahead.
Charla Krupp is the author of the bestseller How to Never Look Fat Again, just out in paperback
And Charla’s other great book How Not to Look Old, reviewed on Flourish Over 50:
Previous articles on How Not to Look Old:
