Okay Ladies,

I just have to know. Since we are enduring what my mum used to so aggressively referred to as "The Change," has anyone's entire make-up collection to include the colors, textures, brands, etc completely changed?

When I was younger, I could wear just about ANY color of eye make up. My natural hair color is red and my skin is pale with freckles. (Yes I know, how Irish can you get?) Although my eyes are brown, I could use green or blue or gold tones on my eyes with dark mascara, but now, any color I use makes me look like a painted mare!!

If I use cream make up, my skin get oily, if I don't use any make up, I look sick and pale. If I use powder it simply looks as if it's sitting on my face waiting for a brisk wind to blow it off. Blush is the same way; cream brush rolls off with the hot flashes, powder blush gets into my pores and I look like a speckled bird.

Forget about lipstick colours!! Pink with red hair and pale skin? Forget about it! Browns make me look washed out, corals blend with my hair and I look invisible, and aren't lip liners out? The older I get, the more I see my lips disappearing into my face. I used to have nice full lips that I could use a liner on, now I have these slits where my lips used to be.

I'm totally frustrated. I went to have a make over at Merle Norman! When I left the place I had more make up on my face than most dead people at the funeral homes sport!! I didn't even look like myself and what is worse, when I smiled I feared that it would simply break and fall off in chunks onto the floor.

I look on the internet about "make up tips?" That don't work. They say, "For dark eyes, use smoky colors." Well smoky colors may work on Latini beauties but for us "pale faced Irish Gals," we look down right scary! "If your skin is pale than play it up with soft tones." What do they want us to look completely transparent?

Where does a "more mature aged beauty" go for Make up tips these days? I gotta tell you, I don't look like the dames in the magazines or walking the cat walk, but I wouldn't throw me out of bed for eating crackers either. There's got to be something out there. Any ideas?

I wish I could help you, but I was NEVER a beauty, even in my younger days.

I look my best with a paper bag over my head. Really.

I think the older we get, the less make up we should wear. Since I only wear a base (with sunscreen) and mascara now, I buy the best of both. For the base, I go to my health food store and buy some natural colors. LBri also sells really good foundations that are not greasy and can make your skin look good. For the mascara, I buy a brown as my hair is still brown. I have always had long eye lashes but I have noticed them to be thinner now but the mascara brings them out. I ran into an old friend at the mall the other day and she was so stuck in the 80's still and looked awful. She had her big hair and her bright blue eye make up with bright red blush. She almost looked like a clown. I just think the more subtle the better and then when you get your make up, buy some really good stuff as that tends to work better on older skin.

Mopsy

No, you don't!!!

I've always kept up with the trends in makeup, so I never have totally changed anything. the most drastic change I can think of is wearing some blue eyeliner. I found some really nice blue at Sephora.

I never wore lots of makeup even in my 20s, and never use powder/foundation as I had great skin tone, but a little freckles too. I don't use it now either, I use tinted moisturizer, with SPF, so it works great and gives my face healthy glow. I use a little bit of brown mascara ( in the evening), and just smudge some coffee eye liner, no define lines, everything is very well blended for every day.

I also go for regular eye lashes and eye brows tint, so I don't have to use mascara and eye brow powder daily, and I always tint in brown color.
I use a little bit of light brown/beige/gray eye shadow and light purple/smoky eyes for evening, but then my lips are very light. I have green eyes and dye my light brown/gray hair in dark golden blond with subtle highlights. I do use some shimmery pink for cheek bones and lips (spring and summer), and sometimes very light bronzer to brighten my face during fall and winter and only sparingly.
In fall/winter I use change my makeup, to more earthy colors for lips and checks switching from pink to light spice/natural, and I do use a lip liner, it keeps the lipstick or lip gloss from bleeding, but only natural color or spice. I also dye my roots a little bit darker in winter, like honey caramel, or I will look pale and washed out.

I agree with Mopsy, a little bit of make up goes a long way, with a little practice, you can put some make up to make it look like you wear almost nothing and look just fabulous

I also agree it is hard to find right makeup with red hair as we get older, so why don't you think about changing color a little bit, going few shades lighter or some warm honey caramel may look better on you, than red hair and will bring out your eyes.
One thing I would do, is define your skin undertone, is it WARM OR COLD, you may be red head with warm tone or cold one, this would make difference in your makeup pallet. I'd say, don't give up, and please, avoid those 20 yo beauty college students putting makeup on you, they wear so much stuff on their faces, they look like they belong to the wax museum, Simply try some yourself, but anything too light or too dark will make you look older and washed out, so I avoid extremes and use moderation as a key. Check out magazine, I like More for women over 40, they have some good ideas.
Good luck,
I.

Krissy,

I is funny you brought this up right now, as I was thinking the same thing today while I was putting on my makeup. It is becoming hopeless!!

I agree that the appearance of less is better as we get older. Nothing looks worse than a painted up middle aged woman....makes them look older than they are. My sister has colouring like your minus freckles...red head, very fair skin, brown eyes. She has started putting brown and gold highlights in her hair, playing down the red. She doesn't wear foundation very often as she was blessed with lovely clear skin, she does wear blush though. Her lips have always been on the small side so she wears really light colours.

I was not blessed with the nice skin and colouring, I am horribly pale and sallow. Without foundation I look sick, but it is hard finding one that doesn't cake up in the wrinkles!! Grrrrrr!! I did try some mineral foundation, but when I saw myself in photos I never wore it again. I believe that the minerals actuall reflected the light from the flash and I truly looked like a clown, it was UGLY!!!

If anyone knows of a really good foundation that offers excellent coverage and doesn't cake up....please speak up!!

Ok I New at this so hang with me! Just couldn't let this go without adding that I hated my make-up for a few years and kept spending money on anything that i thought might work. Well i finally found something that is amazing and it feels good on your face. And doesn't look like your wearing a mask! Its a mineral make-up[ I am sure i can not say the brand?!] that is sold in malls. I will NEVER use anything but that again! You should just go in and try it and talk to someone. I tell ya-- its wonderful stuff! It even lasts thru hot flashes!!!!!!!!!

I have switched to the drug store make-up lines that are targeted for.....ahem...."older" women!, that age-defying stuff. There are several different lines out there geared toward over 40 skin. The stuff I had been using was making my skin look pasty and old. I have somewhat dry skin and I now find my face feels better with the make-up than without.

I am blond and fair, so wear a more natural color blush and lipstick, and a brown mascara. The foundation also works well to cover my dark circles, though I do use concealer in the very corners.

It took some experimenting, but I found what works for me. And I also think that less is more. No bright flashy colors for me! It looks ridiculous!

gardenbear

I ALWAYS wore a foundation and now I do not (I am 55). I wear bobby brown's tinted moisturizer , in the jar, not in the tube, and it is AMAZING. It gives me a dewy glow, no caking, no heavy look, and coupled with my consealer my skin has never looked better. It comes in various tones-- run don't walk!!!

Okay help me out here. I have always used foundation, but started hearing and reading that tinted moisturizer is the better way to go especially on "mature" skin. So I bought some. I've tried a few different brands but it just isn't right.

I notice that a few of you are using it and love it. When I put it on I start to look dirty or greasy after a couple of hours. I know it's not supposed to cover any flaws so I put some concealer on here and there. But I just can't seem to look right with tinted moisturizer. What do you think my problem is?

Maybe I'm just getting old and ugly!!!

I am very fair and blonde with blue eyes. I never wore a lot of make up but I used to like sparkly and shiny color on the eyelids. Now I go for more natural browns in a matte finish. My eyelashes were never much and are very light so I use a building mascara which works well. I have never tried the tinted moisturizer(sorry dcamp), as I spend too much time in the sun and always have a natural "glow". I use a good SPF under my moisturizer every day even in winter. I invest in good skin care creams and cleanser. I also feel that I had to simplify my jewelry. For me, less is more. I also cut my long hair to a more flattering medium length modern version of the shag. I actually feel pretty good although you would never find me on the cover of even AARP's newsletter

Honestly, after all these years of using expensive makeup, I've found Cover Girl Advanced Radiance in the cream compact is terrific. I put it on with a foundation brush so you can use a little and still get coverage. Really, even in bright sunlight it looks great. It takes a while to find the right color, though, as those little color swatch things are totally inaccurate.

I do use high quality makeup for anything pigmented, like eye shadow or blush (I like Senna) because then you can use only a little bit.

I've also become a big fan of brushes because they seem to have a more subtle effect. Sorry to hijack your thread, but I think you have to search for cosmetics and techniques that are less harsh -- I'm wearing many more shades of light taupe, peach and rose, just to provide some contrast without looking like I'm a clown. Maybe you should try a powder bronzer, not to look tan, but just to "warm" up your skin tone?

My husband thinks I look better now (I'm 53) than I did in my forties but he thinks I don't wear much makeup! HA! If he only knew.

kimber

MAC Studio Fix. It's powder/foundation in one. comes in a compact. It evens out skin tone and makes skin look smooth. Not greasy, not cakey.


L2

Count me in on wearing neutrals now.

I have wasted so much money over the years on makeup--at the drugstore and at the counters in the mall. I finally decided to ask the makeup artist at my hair salon for a consult. She does not get a commission (she is also a salon manager), so she had no vested interest in selling me anything that was not good for me.

I went from using mauves and plums to a bronzer, taupes and a little bit of gold under the eyebrows. I love the fact that I don't look like I am wearing color on my face. The new products just contour and highlight. She also recommended that I lighten my medium brown hair two shades, and add some dark blond highlights.

I love my new look! I guess some changes can be good.

Hugs all around,
Marcy

Some folks here have mentioned getting away from red in the hair as we get older. Like many beauty things, there are exceptions to that rule, and I'm one of them. I had darkest brown hair, nearly black when it started to grey, and I've been through various shades of soft black, dark brown, medium warm brown, and now I'm at a rich reddish brown which really suits me at age 61. Blonde and lt. caramel would just wash me out right now, so the usual advice to go blonder just doesn't apply in my case. I have slightly olive-toned skin, on the light-medium side, on the normal to slightly oily still(but not acneic at all). That said, I can't overemphasize getting a good makeup consultation with a makeup line that you resonate with and seems to fit in with your general style. Since I like unusual stuff in the way of clothes, etc., actually, MAC makeup suits me fine, and I had a great makeup done there last year when I was switching over from drugstore stuff which IMO, except for the exception here and there, tends to be "off" in color, or not well-pigmented. Many years ago, when I still had non-red hair, I was using cooler colors for makeup, and increasingly it wasn't looking right. Then I went to a makeup artist to have a look, and she got me into warm-neutral colors which made a HUGE difference!
Indeed, for some people, less makeup might be better, but for others, who have been shy about doing anything in this regard but are receptive to some new ideas for looks without being scary, some MORE might be better. Also, the way it is applied makes a world of difference too. Good makeup brushes, although not cheap, will make a big difference with some practice, and with proper care should last you forever. The thing to splurge on in the way of makeup is a good foundation that suits your skintone perfectly, and most of the time, the drugstore foundations don't, especially if you are warm in tone. The formulations of the better lines of foundations look better on the skin as well, as the pigments are finely-milled, and the "slip" is good, meaning that it spreads nicely and blends into the skin. In general, around the eyes, not such bright colors as when young, but you can still have depth and smokiness if that's the look you are after. Matte finishes on most of your eye colors, except for a finely-milled highlighter, work well with mature skin too. If your haircolor is looking good for you right now(whether you've let it go grey, or color it), consider the level of contrast between it and your skin. If you still have a relatively high contrast, you need some color, if it is a softer contrast, softer colors, but in any case, attuned to your natural coloring, whether that is warm, neutral or cool. Again, a good makeup artist can really assess this for you and make recommendations.
About tinted moisturizer - I've seen the default recs for this for mature women, and personally, I think it depends on the state of your skin. If you don't have hyperpigmentation(aka sunspots, etc.)it can work, but if you do, a foundation and concealer can make a big difference.
Last but not least, skincare is really important - one's makeup can only go just so far. The better the skin underneath, the better the makeup will look, and likely you will be able to use somewhat less too. This where you have to get into some serious products to make a difference in the skin, like AHAs, Vitamin C, skin lighteners, and retinoids, as these are the ones with the proven track records of improving the skin where the willy-nilly OTC stuff does not. If one is just looking to cleanse and basic moisturize, then plain old Cetaphil from the drugstore works just fine, or shea butter for very dry skin. Skip the "everything but the kitchen sink" so-called anti-aging moisturizers, as the only thing they do is lighten your wallet-LOL!