What are the beauty secrets to makeup over 40?

To look your best at any age eat healthy, keep hydrated, get enough sleep, cleanse, exfoilate, and moisture your skin, protect your skin with high SPF cream, use products that are right for your skin type. Furthermore, apply mascara because it makes you look awake. Use makeup that makes you feel great about yourself and is flattering for your skin tune.

5 Beauty Bloggers Share their Secrets of Makeup Over 40

There is the eternal debate whether you need more or less makeup over 40. The former sounds like once being over 40 one is not beautiful enough anymore to be seen without being made up. It even sounds like one would have to do a restoration of the face every morning to not get into trouble with the fashion police. On the contrary, the latter advice sounds like a request to better not be visible at all. Both is unacceptable. What’s really up with beauty and makeup over 40?

I asked 5 beauty bloggers of various age the following question

What is your most important makeup advice for women over 40?

I included one beauty bloggers under 40 as it may be interesting to hear what the young generation thinks what we 40+ women do right or wrong. Don’t you agree?

My 2 Cents on Beauty and Makeup over 40

When I was in my teens and twenties I always found it sad that the majority of the 40+ women still ran around with their hair cuts and/or hair styling from the 1950s and 1960s. Most of them did not apply any makeup, but red lipstick that often was way to dark for their taints.

If my younger me would answer the above question, the response would have been

Women over 40 should kiss off their makeup rut from their twenties, and adopt an up-to-date makeup and haircut to look contemporary and not like version 2.0 of their mothers.

Today I would give a similar, but more detailed advice with reasons and how-tos of makeup tips for a natural look. Now let’s see what these five beauty bloggers have to say.

Mimi’s Makeup Tips

Mimi at In My Prime Time:

As a 62 yr old grandmother I have learned that you must exfoliate frequently and I certainly do several times a week. Then you must moisturize every day – without these steps no make up will be beneficial because there will not be a smooth platform for the make up to adhere to.

Amber’s Makeup Secrets for Mature Skin

Amber at Daydreaming Beauty:

First and foremost, do what makes you happy! Makeup is meant to enhance your beauty, and make you shine. If you love colorful eyeshadow, or a bright lip, go for it!
Good skin care and sunscreen are important for good skin. So is plenty of water and sleep. You want to have a great “canvas” to start with.

Try a CC cream, or luminous foundation. Heavy matte foundations can settle into fine lines, and you may not need a full coverage foundation. You also don’t need to set your
foundation with a powder, unless you have oily skin or like the look. Dry skin can look cakey with foundation and powder.

There are so many people that recommend matte eyeshadows for mature skin. To be honest, I find a soft shimmer eyeshadow usually looks lovely and brightens the whole face.

An eyeshadow primer is an important first step. I know matte lips are all the rage, but they are so drying. Creamy lipstick or lipgloss tend to be more flattering. Don’t be afraid of a gentle highlighter, creams are subtle and give a lovely glow to your complexion.

Allison Points Out the Importance of Skincare

Allison at Never Say Die Beauty:

My makeup advice to women over 40 is first and foremost don’t forget about using skincare products! A good anti-aging moisturizer at night and a moisturizer with sunscreen during the day are your BFFs!

IMHO, makeup becomes more important after age 40. The new weightless or lightweight hydrating foundations over a good primer are perfect for women over 40. They give great coverage to hide dark spots and enlarged pores, but don’t look heavy or cakey. Also the new lightweight foundations don’t settle into fine lines.

Don’t forget your brows! Brows are big. Not only do they frame your face, but they give you presence. A light hand with a brow pencil or gel can make a big difference in your finished look.

Finally, mascara is a necessity. As you hit the big 4-0, lashes can start to become sparser. Consider lash serum or even castor oil to help bulk them up, but a great volumizing and lengthening mascara, especially on the upper lashes, wakes up your eyes and helps you connect with others.

Lastly, have fun with your makeup! It’s a great outlet for creativity and personal expression. Forget makeup rules, wear what makes you happy.

Onyinye Pinpoints the Secret of Beauty to Healthy Food

Onyinye Ibeagi at Modavracha:

While I love makeup, I’m also a big fan of healthy food, lifestyle and skincare. I believe that’s the first and most important step and the greatest makeup is a healthy clear skin. My makeup advice is to target good health by eating/staying healthy and skincare by protecting the skin from sun damage by using SPF daily, adding vitamin C serum to your skin care regimen. I’m a big fan of Korean skincare products and regimen which targets concerns such as aging skin, fine lines, acne-prone skin, etc. Exfoliate and moisturize daily, avoid the use of harsh products on the skin.

After achieving a healthy skin, don’t let age stop you from trying out the latest makeup products out there for an even more flawless skin. Women often make statements as “No, that is for younger people”, “Why does she have such bright colors on, doesn’t she know she’s older now? etc. I say; be young at heart, use whatever you are comfortable with, you might not be young forever but you can look young forever!

*P.S I’ll probably use different shades of red lipsticks all my life 🙂

Sheela Says Hydration Is Key, Start Now

Sheela Goh at Sheela Writes:

In truth, I would take a step backwards and talk about just a wee bit about skincare. Make-up is akin to painting. One needs the best possible canvas to achieve the best possible results. Take really good care of your skin from as early as you can. I only started a skincare regime last February (I know, I know) whilst my daughter has been cleansing/toning/moisturizing since she turned 10. On top of all that, proper supplements, loads and loads of water, and healthy food are absolute musts. If I don’t drink at least 2 liters of water a day, I start to see the difference in my complexion in just days. I’m completely serious.

Skincare aside, I’m of the mindset that less is certainly more when it comes to cosmetics.

Aside from eyebrow pencil (thanks to being far too trigger happy with a tweezer in my teens), all I use is Loose Powder (MAC), Mascara (Younique) and lipstick (whichever triggers my fancy at the moment). I will say that choosing the right shade of powder is vital. In the past, I used something that was far too yellow for me and walked around looking jaundiced. I eschew foundation (and BB creams, anything liquid) for several reasons. One, the intense coverage it promises comes with consequences, i.e., pores can’t breathe, sweat gathers below the foundation, it cakes and gets into the lines/creases, and over time, blackheads are inclined to surface. With loose powder, it gives a beautifully natural finish and is so light, it does minimal damage to my skin.