In the age of social media, keeping up with the latest beauty trends can feel like an impossible task. Beyond the fear of looking dated, there’s another reason you might want to update your makeup routine: skin changes over the years. While there’s no need to overhaul your makeup bag entirely, it’s worth assessing your go-to products to determine if they still suit your skin's needs.
‘Our skin changes as we age, and new concerns can pop up as our features change,’ says celebrity makeup artist Ashley Rebecca. ‘It’s good to cater to who you are in the present moment when it comes to makeup. Who you were in your 20s is not who you are in your 40s-plus.’
As our skin changes with age, some formulas may no longer perform as they once did, and changes should be made accordingly. ‘As we age, it’s important to incorporate hydrating products into your routine and apply them with a lighter touch,’ says Alex McCormick, director of global artistry development at Hourglass Cosmetics.
With age, our collagen levels decrease, our skin can get drier, wrinkles and fine lines may develop, and we see less volume in areas like the lips, explains Sofia Schwarzkopf-Tilbury, celebrity makeup artist and global artistry director at Charlotte Tilbury. ‘Thankfully, there are a lot of easy tips and tricks you can use to get the most flattering, feature-enhancing, youth-boosting makeup look,’ she says. ‘Hydrated, radiant, plump-looking skin is flattering on every age – glowing skin is always in!’
For a helping hand, we turned to our trusted beauty experts for their top makeup tips and product recommendations for women over 40.
Foundation
Our skin changes as we age, so you’ll want to find a foundation with emollients and that isn’t heavy on the skin, Ashley says. ‘The more we age, the more our skin loses hydration and elasticity, so I often approach foundation with the philosophy of “less is more” – and the more it hydrates, the better.’
Sofia advises to only focus on applying foundation where you feel you need it. ‘With mature skin, you don’t want product to sit in fine lines, so it’s all about building up your foundation in sheer layers to achieve your desired coverage, she says. She adds that she’ll use small amounts of foundation on older clients, thoroughly stippling and blending each layer into the skin. ‘This will ensure that makeup blends seamlessly and allows your skin to shine through in the most flattering way.’
‘Clé de Peau foundations are magic,’ Ashley says. ‘I love the Radiant Fluid for mature skin – it blends well and is seamless.’ Though, if you’re not looking to splurge, for a more affordable option, Sofia recommends Charlotte Tilbury’s hydrating foundation stick, meanwhile GH loves L’Oréal Paris’ Age Perfect foundation.
Concealer
‘The best type of concealer for mature skin is something weightless and crease-resistant so that the product won’t settle into fine lines,’ Alex says. ‘Again, you don’t want anything too matte or drying.’
And like foundation, Alex believes less is more. ‘If you apply too much product, it will end up settling into fine lines, so you only need a very small amount. Be sure to blend it well,’ she advises.
The Hourglass concealer is a favourite of both the GHI and Alex, earning the top spot in GHI’s best concealer category. ‘The crease-resistant formula contains micro-spherical powders that blur and brighten the skin – for several hours,’ says Alex.
Meanwhile, Ashley advises avoiding matte textures and swears by Armani’s Luminous Silk concealer. Or, for a more affordable option, Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind also performed well in GHI panel tests.
Powder
The best type of powder for mature women is one that is finely milled and talc-free because talc can dry out the skin, Alex explains. Her top recommendation is Hourglass’ translucent setting powder, ‘It’s very finely milled, weightless and is formulated with soft focus, light-reflecting particles, which help blur the appearance of pores.’ She recommends only applying powder where it’s needed, such as the T-zone.
Sofia agrees. ‘I like to powder down the centre of the face using the Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt Brush with the Airbrush Flawless Finish, focusing on mattifying and soft-focusing the T-zone while leaving the high points of the face looking fresh and glowing.’
Blush
Blush gives you that natural-looking flush, and there are so many ways to apply it. ‘I like to use cream and liquid complexion products as they melt into the skin and look more realistic,’ says Sofia. ‘You can dot it in a W-shape across the nose and cheeks for a sun-blushed look that’s great during summer.’
Or, to create a bit of lift, Ashley recommends applying cream blush to the apples of the cheeks and blending in an upward motion to create a lift along the cheekbones.
Fair warning, you should avoid blending too close to the eyes to keep that area looking fresh and bright. ‘Blush should be applied last in your makeup routine – after your lips and eyes – so you can best judge how much colour you need to help balance your look,’ says Sofia.
Bronzer
Steer clear of products that are too matte or too shimmery and instead opt for bronzers that are lightweight with a subtle glow, suggests Alex, who recommends gel and cream bronzers for mature women.
‘Think of a number three shape – starting at the top of the forehead, coming down just slightly under the cheekbone and along the jaw. Avoid bringing your bronzer too close to the centre of the face as it can make the face appear hollow,’ Alex explains.
Ashley agrees, and tells GH her top recommendations include the Jones Road Beauty Gel Bronzer and Chanel’s Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream.
Eyeliner
Look for soft-liner pencils in neutral colours on mature eyes. ‘I avoid using black on mature skin and opt for softer neutrals like brown or espresso pigments,’ Alex shares.
Sofia notes that it’s all about keeping your eyes lifted, especially if you have downturned eyes. ‘Eyeliner needs to be drawn up and out instead of out and down, plus you’ll need to exaggerate the flick, giving it a dramatic angle at the end,’ she explains.
Ashley adds that you should leave the bottom lash line alone – ‘This creates a lift and definition,’ she says.
Eyeshadow
Using the right technique, specifically to your eye shape, is key to creating the most flattering, youthful-looking eyeshadow for you, Sofia says. ‘For example, if you have hooded eyes, lift your chin up and look down into your mirror so you can see your full eyelid. And if you’re working on the bottom of your eyes, tilt your chin down. This technique will help you apply eyeshadow with precision on the largest surface area of your eyes without smudging,’ she explains.
She also advises to apply eyeshadow from side to side on the lid like a windshield wiper, a little past the eyelid, up into and past the crease. This helps avoid your eyeshadow from getting hidden, which often happens with hooded eyelids, she explains. Her favourite tool for this? Charlotte Tilbury’s Eye Blender Brush.
‘Powders can look cakey if the formula is too dry,’ says Sara Wren, Milk Makeup’s senior director of artistry. ‘I prefer a long-wearing cream or liquid eyeshadow for mature eyes. They’re easy to use, one swipe blend out with fingers, and they last.’
Ashley also prefers liquid formulas and recommends Armani’s Eye Tint for mature skin. For a cream formula, GH’s beauty director Lynne Hyland swears by Trish McEvoy’s 24-hour eyeshadow sticks.
Lips
You don’t have to shy away from bold, bright colours after a certain age. ‘Lip colour varies; if you’re someone who likes natural colours, I’ll encourage you to wear those, but more mature women can totally pull off a bold red lip and look amazing,’ Ashley says. ‘It’s more about preference.’
No matter which hue you choose, just make sure your lips are exfoliated, Ashley advises, and shape them with a lipliner to clean up any edges and prevent bleeding.
Alex also recommends opting for a formula that contains hydrating ingredients. ‘As lips mature, they become drier and start to lose moisture. So if your formula is too matte, it will end up drying your lips and accentuating fine lines,’ she cautions.
Ashley recommends Sisley Paris as a one-stop shop for great lipsticks. ‘From their sheer lipsticks to matte formulas, the brand’s lip category is amazing and looks incredible on mature skin,’ she says. For more purse-friendly options, L’Oréal Paris and No7 have great anti-ageing options, too.
