Make-up for Midlife

Working in the beauty industry for the past 25+ years, I am definitely more aware of beauty newness and innovation and therefore probably more open to change and trying new things. Reaching mid-fifties it, struck me that having worn a signature black eyeliner for the past 30 years, it was time to change it up a bit. I needed to accept that I can’t do that anymore without it ending up closer to my brows.

My sister had never worn more than a touch of mascara and perhaps a lip balm in her life, and yet suddenly as she turned 60 – she was dragging me into Space NK for advice on how she can look ‘less invisible’ and brighten herself up for this new decade. She walked out with a bag full of glitter and sparkle!

So I wanted to share how I’ve adapted my make-up to suit my changing skin, without compromising on the look, in the hope that it might help or encourage others too out of their comfort zone and into a new era of glowing and radiant beauty.

SKIN

One of the biggest mistakes I think women of our decade make, is thinking that they need thicker coverage from foundation. Yes, there may be pigmentation to ‘mask’ but this can be done using concealer. A thick, matt foundation will only accentuate any fine lines or wrinkles and the old-fashioned use of powder is a firm ‘no no’. Go for a light illuminating base that will give you a glowy, youthful look with the minimum amount of coverage you can bear. You can always touch up any uncomfortable areas with a concealer.

Always wear SPF – so if it’s not already in your foundation, find a primer or moisturiser that has an SPF of at least 30. Our ageing skin reacts much faster to harmful rays and it will accelerate any pigmentation or skin damage.

Top Tip: Visit a make-up counter and ask to be colour matched. Our skin tone changes in menopausal years. We may have more redness in the skin than we used to – particularly if you are suffering from flushes

My top three current favourite dewy foundations are:

1. Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow – Luminizing Fluid Foundation SPF20

2. Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation

3. Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation

A couple of my favourite SPF pre-foundation bases are:

1. Trinny London BFF SPF30

2. Murad City Skin SPF 30 Age Defense Broad Spectrum

EYES

My signature eye make-up was always black liner on top lid for as long as I can remember. For the past few years, despite trying all sorts of ‘waterproof’ ‘non-budge’ ‘8-hour’ eyeliners – nothing was going to stay put. This is for a couple of reasons. I have extremely hooded eyes and my upper lids will now just pick up whatever is on my lash line – even mascara! Additionally, although our skin becomes dryer everywhere else, our lids tend to get oily throughout the day – go figure! So I also now without fail, use an eyeshadow base.

Top Tip: Stay away from thick, highly frosted shadows that can enhance ‘crinkly’ lids - go for

a more matt powder shadow with some sparkle or shimmer. This can really make the eyes ‘pop’.

Current Favourite shadows:

Chantecaille Le Chrome Luxe Eye Duo

Bobbie Brown Luxe Eye Shadow Rich Metal

Nars Night Star

Favourite eyeshadow base:

Nars Tinted Smudge proof eyeshadow base

Mac 24 Hour extend eye base

Bobbie Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick – Nude Beach or Soft peach (also can be worn alone as a shadow but a great base for a natural shadow on top)

As our hair starts to thin, lashes also get thinner unfortunately, so I have upgraded my mascara to thickening and lash lengthening. I have also tried these ‘self-stick’ lashes which are amazing for a special night out.

- Benefit Bad Gal Bang Mascara

- L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes

- Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara

CONCEALING

Many of us probably never even considered using a concealer (apart from to cover the odd spot) pre-40+ but as beauty industry innovation continues to offer us some really strong options – it’s worth considering what they can do. Having only started using one myself a few years ago, I started with some ‘brightening’ under the eyes….and now, also use a different one for any redness or pigmentation. It’s worth getting advice on exactly the right shades, and also choose a concealer that ‘moves’ ie – has some elasticity. Otherwise you will end up creating the same effect as a ‘matt foundation’ which can enhance imperfections.

- By Terry Concealer

- Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluide

- Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector

Top Tip: Don’t overload it, dab very lightly with your finger and pat to blend or use a light brush. You can always build up coverage.

LIPS

I’ve always been a ‘lip-gloss’ girl but then in the last few years I’ve been drawn to the trend for stunning deeply pigmented lip pencils. However, they are mainly matt – and although I did succumb and buy one – a matt colour is really not good on lips that are losing fullness. If you have lip lines, be careful with a strongly pigmented colour as it is likely to bleed. A nude lip liner on the outside of the lip will help this. I still however, love a bright red lipstick and have tried quite a few to find my perfect formulation and colour. The Hourglass one mentioned below is exactly the right amount of moist, doesn’t ‘bleed’ and lasts.

- Pat McGrath Lust Gloss Twilo

- Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips 2 Glowing Jen

- Hourglass Girl Lip Stylo in 'Lover'

Top Tip: If you love a bright red but nervous to wear a red lipstick – try dabbing a light veil of the colour on the lips with your finger or a brush and follow with a lip balm or Vaseline

BROWS

I feel quite strongly as we age that good strong, shaped brows can really define your face and some of us are just not used to getting regular threading or tinting as it just wasn’t so readily available in our era. A few grey hairs are now sprouting on my brows, so I get regular tinting and threading and even then, I do get a few greys coming through. I was introduced to a great new product for covering these grey hairs by Shavata Brows (mentioned below) I also now take the trouble to colour in any gaps and use a gel to keep them in place.

Shavata Day-Long Brow Tint

Elf Wow Brow Gel

Mac Shape & Shade Brow Tint

Top Tip: Use a brow conditioning product such as Rapid Lash Brow Serum to keep them healthy and plentiful. Strong brows can take years off your face

BLUSHING

The main shake-up for me in this area is I have moved away from the pinky shades of blusher I used to wear daily. Nowdays I don't leave the house without a little bronzer. We really don’t need to look any more ‘flushed’ than necessary, so this has the effect of bringing some ‘warmth’ to the face and just makes you look super healthy. As a sparkle addict, I tend to go for one with a bit of shimmer, and on days where I do need a bit of ‘blush’ a touch of a Shimmery – peachy toned blush on the ‘apples’ of the cheek to finish off.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Luminous Bronze

Nars Orgasm Blush

Nudestix Nudies All over face colour Glow

Top Tip: A little shimmering highlighter on the tops of the cheekbones will give you a fabulous healthy ‘glow’