Over time makeup trends change and so do our faces, not just physically but our tastes also change.

Hands up if you are still wearing a similar style of makeup now, much later in life, as when you were younger, perhaps even a teen!

Below are my top tips for makeup wearers who are 50 plus.

Skin Prep For Makeup Over 50

As we get older our skin types can change, often towards the drier side. If you are still on the oily side after 50, embrace it, this usually results in skin appearing more youthful later in life.

For drier skin types, make sure you’re using skin care that is nourishing & hydrating, a favourite of mine is the esmi Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum teamed with their 24K Gold Nourishing Oil for a boost of hydration and moisturisation, as after all, our makeup is only as good as the skin it is applied to!

Foundation Selection For Mature Makeup

Determine what coverage you would like, for example a tint will be more natural whereas a foundation provides more coverage. If you are on the drier side, steer clear of foundations that are on the extreme matte side. Matte products can dull the skin down, make it appear more dry and are more suitable for a normal to oily skin type. Instead, opt for something more dewy. You may ask, what about luminous foundations? Luminous products typically have a shinier finish & will enhance any fine lines and texture in the skin which is not ideal when creating a flawless base.

Lastly, the heavier the coverage the more the product will rest in fine lines as the day goes on, in particular under the eyes and smile lines (apply less product in these areas if you can). You can easily maintain this throughout the day by pushing the product back into the skin with your finger tips.

To powder or not?

Applying too much powder can dry and flatten the skin. It can also enhance any fine lines and facial hair. If the skin is on the drier side, using a powder to set is probably not even necessary but more so a habit from when our skin was younger. I only really set with powder in areas that feel sticky to touch and this provides longevity of the makeup.

Cheek Makeup For Women Over 50

Blush:

On a drier skin type I love nothing more than an injection of hydration with the use of a cream blush. They are so easy to use, a little goes a long way and you can even use your fingers to apply them. Adding colour to the cheeks instantly gives you a more healthy appearance.

A trick I love for my 50 plus clients is to place your blush a little higher to lift the face and if you don’t have a cream blush at home, try a lipstick! Avoid shimmery blushes as again, shimmer enhances texture.

Highlighter:

I don’t recommend highlighter when applying makeup for older women as anything shimmery will enhance fine lines such as crows feet. This also applies to eyeshadows - keep them matte.

Eye Makeup For Mature Women

The more makeup you apply on someone you can potentially age them - this applies to any age. A teenager can look 25 and a 45 year old could also look potentially older if too much makeup is applied.

This doesn’t mean that makeup for older women means no more smokie eyes, but I do believe that as long as it is executed well, anything is possible!

For the time poor in all of us an easy hack I do on myself is to use a bronzer or blush also on your eyes. It’s so quick and foolproof & doesn’t need to be executed with precision.

The PONi Unicorn Chocolate Bronzer works perfectly as an eyeshadow as it features an ombre of bronze tones so you can blend from a light to deeper tone all from the one pan.

When it comes to lining the eyes, have you ever considered a brown instead of the staple black? This achieves a softer look and requires less skill as is not as stark as black. Try smudging your liner out to keep it soft and this also hides any mistakes. If your eyes are hooded, make sure whatever you’re using is waterproof so it doesn’t transfer anywhere else.

Lastly, wake those eyes up with some mascara. Give your lashes a curl to instantly open your eyes and if you do suffer from panda eyes, a tubular mascara will be your new best friend. I have used in my professional kit for years the PONi Cosmetics White Knight Mascara. Smudging will be a thing of the past, I guarantee it.

On that note, there is no blanket rule for every face, have fun with it, try new things and when in doubt seek the advice of a professional makeup artist to guide you into your next look!