Makeup for Women 45 and Over

There’s no doubt a little makeup can give you a lift even if it’s just a swipe of lippy or a touch of blush. It’s called make-up for good reason and there’s lots of great products that are perfect for women over 45 to play with.

But how much is too much, especially when you’ve hit 45, or at any time for that matter? No one wants to look like they’re wearing a lot of makeup. The trick is to know what to use and where and follow the ‘less is more’ golden rule.

Skin care is the foundation

When a woman hits 45 makeup becomes more about creating a dewy finish to your skin, and the first step is skin care. Maintaining a daily skin care regime is a must, as it will not only keep your skin healthy, it will also make it easier to look fresher with minimal makeup.

Start by applying sunscreen in the morning, then a nourishing cream at night and exfoliate once or twice a week. Add in a booster serum or mask when you can. Essentially when your skin is plumped-up with hydration and smooth, it will have its own natural glow and need minimal makeup.

 

Priming for perfection

Using a primer designed for mature skin can make a world of difference, especially if you want your makeup to last. Look for primers that offer a luminous finish and blur imperfections. Apply the primer with a gentle patting motion to avoid tugging at the skin. This will help your makeup adhere better, last longer and create a smooth canvas for what’s to come next.

Sheer and dewy is best

When it comes to choosing face makeup, think sheer and thin. The more mature you are the less heavy your foundation or cover should be. Full cover foundations have had their day, using them now would only draw attention to the quality of your skin, including lines and wrinkles.

Look for products that are sheer and hydrating and offer a dewy finish rather than matte. Having a subtle luminosity to your skin will help to soften the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes. Products labelled sheer, luminous or dewy indicate they have radiance-boosting ingredients, which mature skin loves.

 

Make your complexion glow

Look for a lightweight foundation that offers light – medium coverage (depending on your needs) or alternatively use a tinted moisturiser or BB (blemish balm) Cream. They’re super easy to apply and are fabulous for evening out your skin tone and brightening your complexion. If you want to brighten your skin another trick is once or twice a week add a few drops of a face self-tanner to your moisturiser at night. You’ll wake up glowing.

A few products to try

• Instant Glow Tinted Complexion Balm, $45, Luk Beautifood.
• Tinted Moisturiser SPF 50, $21.95, Natio.
• Amalfi Glow Drops, $49.95, Orro + Co.
• BB Cream, $69, Inika Organic.
• BFF De-Stress Tinted Serum, $75, Trinny London.
• Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30, $43.20, Paula’s Choice.

 

 

Concealing imperfections

For dark circles and age spots, a creamy concealer works best. Choose a shade that matches your skin tone for blemishes and a slightly lighter shade for under the eyes. Use your ring finger or a small brush to gently pat the concealer into your skin, focusing on blending the edges for a seamless look. Remember, less is more; you can always build up coverage if needed.

Brighten your cheeks

Blush will instantly boost your complexion and give you a youthful glow. Cream blushes are best for mature skin as they give a natural, dewy finish. Go for a shade such as peach, rose, or coral, as they tend to flatter most skin tones, but try before you buy. The aim is for your blush to give you a natural looking fresh flush of colour.

Here’s how

To apply, smile and dot the blush on to the upper part of your cheeks. Focus on the cheek area just below the centre of each eye and blend upwards and outwards. Avoid using blush on the sides of your face or as a contour, as it will look unnatural. Likewise, don’t use bronzer for contouring, it should only be applied where the sun would naturally kiss your skin, for example across on your temples, cheeks, the bridge of your nose and along your jaw line.

The trick is to always keep your blush and bronzer subtle and well blended, and double check how it looks in different lighting before leaving home.

 

Dress up your eyes

To give your eyes an instant lift apply mascara. It alone will enhance your eyes. If you want to play up your eyes a little more here’s a simple technique that is ageless and timeless. The same technique can be used for a subtle day look or made bolder with darker shades for evenings.

Here’s how

You’ll need neutral, matte eyeshadows in shades such as taupe, soft browns, and/or beige, as they’re flattering and versatile (save those shimmery eye shadows for glam evenings), a soft eye pencil or crayon in taupe, brown or charcoal, and mascara.

Step 1. Start by applying a light shade all over your lids and a slightly darker shade in the outer half of each crease line. Blend well. This will help make your eyes appear more open.

Step 2. Run a soft eye pencil or crayon along your top lash line. Make the line stronger at the outer corners and very fine at the inner corners. This helps to make your lashes look thicker and open your face. A fine line along your lower lashes is optional.

Step 3. Finish with mascara to thicken your lashes and help frame your eyes.

 

 

Define your brows

Eyebrows lose their shape and definition with age and their ability to give the face a lift is often underestimated. The fact is, grooming and subtly redefining the shape of your brows will give you a fresh new look; a face lift!

There are heaps of great brow products on offer from pencils that you can use to create hair-like strokes to fill in sparse brows, powers to give the illusion of fullness, wands that cover white hair, dye kits you can use at home… the list goes on.

Here’s how

For a simple brow makeover use a brow pencil or powder to fill in sparse areas. Go for a shade that’s close to your natural hair colour. The aim is to subtly define your brows, not give yourself thick, dark brows. A brow pencil with a fine head is good to mimic brow hairs where they’re missing. A clear or tinted brow gel can help keep those unruly brows in place. For more guidance check out the video in our brow blog.

 

 

Enhance your lips

Lip care is always essential, but for us mature gals, the need increases. Lips can become drier and thinner with age. Applying a moisturising lip balm several times a day and just before bed will help to keep them soft and supple.

Here’s how

As for lipstick shades, choose whatever takes your fancy. A bold shade teamed with minimal eye makeup is a good look. For an everyday lift, choose a colour that enhances your natural lip tone or go a shade darker. Creamy lipsticks and tinted lip balms provide hydration and colour without settling into lines. For added definition, use a lip liner in a shade close to your lipstick colour first, and don’t be afraid to take it to the outer edge of your natural lip line if your lips are thin.

 

 

The beauty of makeup for women over 45

With the right techniques and products, mature women can use minimal makeup to achieve a radiant, natural look that enhances their features without appearing overdone. Why not embrace your beauty at every age by focusing on skincare, choosing flattering shades, and applying makeup with a light hand? By doing so, you’ll not only look, but also feel your best.

Love You. Love Life.