Middle Aged Mama

Blogging about my Midlife Adventures

Makeup Tips for Middle Aged Women

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Like many middle aged women, I was guilty of falling into a bit of a makeup rut.

Makeup Tips and Trends for Middle Aged Women

Getting the star treatment at the L’Oreal lip and brow bar

I’d worn pretty much the same products for years, and rarely (if ever) splashed out on something new. Hey, if what I did worked, what was the point of changing things?

Thing is, WE change. And as we change, so too should our look – the clothes we buy, and the makeup we wear.

Thanks to Miss 17’s influence, I’ve started to experiment and have a little bit of fun with makeup.

I’ve added a concealer and other goodies to my box of tricks, and Miss 17 has also converted me from a “one lipstick for every occasion” lass, to now having a few to choose from. Sometimes, I even blend two together to get just the right look!

While at the Problogger Training Event last week, I attended a L’Oreal Beauty Workshop with acclaimed makeup artist, Elsa Morgan.

I gleaned so many great tips and tricks – who says makeup is just for the young ones!

Makeup for the Middle Aged

  1. Foundation – Unless you are 16, don’t aim to achieve the dewy softness of youth. Matte foundation is your best bet once you are more (ahem) mature.
  2. Eyes – Applying a teensy bit of highlighter to the inner corner of your eye, has the same effect as being in candlelight – flattering for every woman, especially those of us who look better in soft focus!
  3. Brows – Full beautiful brows are very youthful. If you are like me, probably the only attention you’ve ever given your brows is to pluck or wax them. I’d never worn brow pencil in my life – until this year. Being blonde I  have fair brows, and I’ve discovered just a little bit of colour really draws attention to my eyes and helps to frame my whole face.
  4. Lips – If you’ve never worn lip pencil before, middle age is the time to give it a go. As we grow older, our lipline is not as defined and lipstick can start to bleed particularly with those fine lines that are starting to develop … lip pencil helps to seal the deal and gives you a  more polished look.
  5. Try the Trends – Nothing dates (and ages!) us more than sticking with the same makeup colours, styles and techniques we’ve used for years. Try a winged eyeliner (good luck, I’ve never managed it LOL), mascara on your lower as well as your upper lashes, or bold lip, to bring your look up to the minute. If you are scared of bright coloured lipstick, Elsa suggests that you dab your finger on the tip of your lippie and then touch your finger to your lips, for a stain effect. As you try this over a couple of weeks, you will become more used to seeing colour and will be able to gradually go brighter!

As Elsa explained, if you have applied your makeup well, you will have your hubster or friends saying things like: “I don’t know what it is but you look amazing!” And who doesn’t want to hear that 😉 .

What makeup tip or trend are you tempted to try?!

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This is not a sponsored post, although I did receive a bag of L’Oreal makeup goodies on the night.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • These days I have to wear glasses to put makeup on which complicates things somewhat – I need to get those makeup glasses where you can push one lens out of the way while you’re doing that eye!

  2. Thanks, Janet! Your post is perfectly timed for me – now is the time to give it a go. Trying inged eyeliner this week
    xoxox

  4. I’ve tried the glasses where you can move the lens out of the road. I find they still get in the road and one eye is still not really enough to see well. Good lights in the bathroom helps. I find that because I wore makeup for years I do a soft eye line and put on my mascara more from guess work and memory on how I used to do it. This seems to be the most successful method for me.
    Looks like you enjoyed the L’Oreal work shop. I enjoyed the Annie Sloan one that I went to at the problogger conference.
    Fran

  5. I haven’t been following the trend much lately because most makeup trends are demonstrated on young faces and I hate them! (ha, j/j) I haven’t been wearing much makeup since I lost my job and nowadays it’s just brows, concealers and lips, maybe foundation if it’s special occasion. Agree on the lip pencil thing, I find that my lips do look better when defined with lip pencils (unless I’m going after sheer look).

  6. I have no eyebrows due to over plucking in my youth but I’m scared to use a pencil on them for fear of looking like Joan Collins. Mind you sometimes when I’ve gone to a fancy dress party I’ve pencilled my brows and they look okay. I’ve use the same Revlon One Step foundation and long last lipstick for ten years. I need a change. I think I might try that BB cream everyone else is using.

    • I love my BB cream! I really love one of the lippies I got in the L’Oreal goodie bag, has incredible staying power – the Color Riche Extraordinaire Liquid in Ruby Opera x

  7. These days I find that if wear make-up, especially eye make-up it irritates my eyes and they start stinging and watering like crazy. I have to find a brand that doesn’t irritate. I used to use Nutrimetics and that didn’t irritate me, but I’m really reluctant to start a round of those ‘parties’. I love lip and brow pencils, though! Great tips. xo

  8. I’m definitely guilty of being in a ‘make-up rut’. When I have been overseas, particularly USA, I always stock up on makeup as it is half the price over there. I do use eyebrow pencil and lip liner but could probably experiment a bit more with eyeliner and eye shadow.

    • Hi Nicola, you can buy purpose-made eye highlighters in pencils or crayons, or just cheat and use a light eyeshadow eg creamy colour or white 😉

  10. I have never tried the highlighter on the inner corner of your eyes, I have seen others, now I’ll give that a go, thanks xxx

  11. I loved finding out how to do the winged eyes. I wore them to church last week! It was such a great evening.

  12. I’ve just emerged out of a foundation makeup rut which is what my next blog post on Tuesday is about. You’re right Janet, I think it is definitely a middle aged woman dilemma!!!