As our skin texture changes, so should our beauty routine and thanks to these makeup tips for older women, you can evolve your techniques and product arsenal with confidence...
That is, of course, not to say that you pass some invisible threshold at the age of 40, 50, or 60 whereby you have to change everything about your personal style or beauty preferences. But, it’s no secret that our skin changes over time and the way cosmetics feel, interact and sit on our faces is largely dependent on skin type and texture. This means our beauty habits can always benefit from a few simple tweaks along the way.
Whether that's investing in the best foundations for mature skin or adding a few hydration steps to your skincare routine, a few intentional additions can truly make all the difference in how your makeup feels - and more importantly, how you feel in your makeup. So, to that end, we've enlisted the expertise of BAFTA-winning celebrity makeup artist and Suqqu Spokesperson Morag Ross, along with beauty therapist Elizabeth Ross - both fabulously in their 50s - to share their failsafe makeup tricks and practical advice to easily implement into your everyday regime...
10 clever makeup tips for older women
From guidance on where to apply eyeliner and highlighter strategically, to the best ways to prep your face before makeup - for a fresh and radiant finish - the pros have outlined 10 easy tips and tricks to ensure your beauty routine flatters maturing skin...
1. Prep with moisture
"As we mature, it becomes more and more important to focus on skincare for really healthy skin, and choosing products that suit our skin type," says Morag. "This is such an important part of makeup because our skin provides the base for everything that we apply on top! I always recommend using more moisturizing skincare products, as sometimes as we mature, our skin can become a little drier."
Opting for a more occlusive moisturizer (creams that keep moisture in by creating a layer on top of the skin) will pay dividends. Check the ingredients list for gentle hydrators such as niacinamide vs hyaluronic acid, or both. It's also worth looking out for oils like mineral, argan, jojoba or olive oil, or shea butter, as these can help keep the skin supple and moisture levels balanced. Adding one of the best hyaluronic acid serums before your moisturiser step is also a great way to supercharge your skin with hydration - but ensure your skin is damp before pressing in your serum, to ensure absorption.
Our beauty editor recommends...
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration
RRP: £16
Those experiencing dryness and skin sensitivities can rest assured that this soothing, occlusive moisturizer is chock-full of ingredients (colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, allantoin) to help soothe redness, rashes, or eczema and provide deep hydration to prevent lines and wrinkles.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream
RRP: £35 for 50ml
Formulated with squalane and Glacial Glycoprotein, this lightweight, best-selling face cream provides up to 24-hour hydration. With a non-greasy finish, this moisturiser works to protect your skin's barrier, whilst also nourishing the skin - leaving it smoother and visibly refreshed. It can also be used in the AM and PM, making it a versatile addition to your beauty arsenal.
Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin Cream
RRP: £38 for 50ml
Featuring skin-loving ceramides and ingredients like glycerin, this cream restores your skin's barrier, leaving it nourished and visibly fresher. It's suitable for sensitive skin types and works to combat dryness, with its fast-absorbing but luxuriously buttery texture.
2. Eye cream is a must
Have you always wondered, is eye cream necessary? Absolutely, according to Elizabeth, "Always use the best eye cream day and night, even if you didn't use one when you were younger. They are essential in promoting brightness and delaying lines and wrinkles." They also act as a needle-free alternative to Botox by creating a smooth, plumped base for your concealer and preventing makeup from sinking into dehydration or lines.
Eye cream is best used after serum and before moisturizer, dab-dab-dabbed gently around the sides, lids, and undereye area with your ring finger. No dragging!
Our beauty editor recommends...
OLEHENRIKSEN Wrinkle Blur Bakuchiol Eye Gel Crème
RRP: £42
Featuring bakuchiol, a gentler alternative to retinol, this also has peptides and orchid stem cells to address the loss of firmness and elasticity, while also fighting dark circles.
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme
RRP: £54 for 15ml
Formulated with vitamin E and a patented Tripeptide-32 complex, this Night Repair eye cream - which features a gel-like consistency - targets the appearance of puffiness, dark circles and fine lines to leave your under-eyes visibly smoother and firmer.
La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Eyes
RRP: £31 for 15ml
Boasting a blend of hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5, this eye cream is up there with some of the best La Roche-Posay products. Its formula works to minimise the signs of ageing, leaving your under eye brighter and smoother - it's also suitable for sensitive eyes,
3. Invest in a good primer
"A good quality makeup primer will help your foundation base stay on top of your skin rather than sink into any lines," says Elizabeth. "If you wear lipstick, use a primer and a lip liner that in the same shade as the lipstick - this will prevent any lipstick bleed or feathering into the fine vertical lines above and below the lips, which we commonly see in older women."
Primers also help with color payoff, which is key if you've been using a lot of moisturizing skincare products that may make the skin have a bit more slip - primer gives your cosmetics a firmer grip to adhere to.
Our beauty editor recommends...
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
RRP: £21
The OG of face primers, this clear formula has been a mainstay of makeup artists and beauty junkies for years for its lightweight pore-smoothing, makeup-adhering technology. It also has vitamins A and E for added skincare benefits.
Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer
RRP: £35 for 45ml
This gel primer features a hydrating blend of hyaluronic acid, vitamin B and aloe vera to leave your skin glowing whilst its blue agave extract simultaneously grips (hence the name) your makeup in place - offering up to 12 hours of wear.
Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Illuminating Primer
RRP: £41.50 for 50ml
Rankly highly in woman&home's best primers guide, this radiance-boosting product creates a flawless base for your makeup, with its blend of Porcelain Flower Extract and Micronized Pearls.
4. Use dewy foundation
"Another one of those practical makeup tips for older women is to tailor your foundation to your skin type, which, as we've established, can skew drier," Elizabeth says. "It is important not to use a very matte foundation base: This will result in a flat powdered look that isn't the most flattering and can look and feel too heavy, and can even accentuate lines. Choose a moisturizing base for a natural makeup look."
We love the fresh yet polished finish we get from a sheer foundation, one of the best serum foundations or even a tinted moisturizer, especially on mature skin. A lot of today's formulations also offer a hit of radiance, which is always a bonus.
Our beauty editor recommends...
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare
RRP: £36 for 30ml
As the name suggests, this water-light formula provides an ultra-natural, medium-coverage look and feels perfect for everyday wear, while smoothening out texture imperfections. Hyaluronic acid also helps give skin a much-needed glow.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
RRP: £45 for 30ml
Available in 40 shades, this lightweight foundation offers medium, buildable coverage and works to blur imperfections whilst delivering a natural but radiant glow to the skin.
Shiseido Synchro Skin Self Refreshing Tint
RRP: £39.50 for 30ml
This lightweight skin tint offers 12 hours of coverage and thanks to its Responsive Sensory technology it adapts to your skin's tone and texture to provide a natural-looking finish. Working as both a skincare and makeup hybrid, this tint also wards off the effects of humidity and other environmental elements on your skin and features SPF20.
5. Go lighter on the eyebrows
"Eyebrows can often become sparse with age," concedes Elizabeth, "So ensure you use an eyebrow pencil no more than a couple of shades darker than your hair color. Always go lighter as you get older!"
You can also look into having your eyebrows microbladed, which entails an aesthetician drawing on small, hair-like strokes under local anesthesia for a fuller brow effect. Microblading has become a popular semi-permanent solution for thinning brows and is a surefire way to shave precious minutes off of your morning routine.
Our beauty editor recommends...
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
RRP: £26
It doesn't get any more foolproof than this best-selling brow pencil, which has a skinny tip to fill in and volumize brows in a flash plus a spoolie for blending.
Glossier Boy Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel-Pomade
RRP: £20
This brow gel is a cult favourite for a reason. It's available in seven natural shades - including auburn and grey - and delivers the perfect feathered brow look.
benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil
RRP: £24.50
Available in a range of shades this brow pencil features an ultra-fine tip to create natural-looking, subtle hair strokes to thicken and define your brows. It also features a spoolie, to tame your brows and diffuse the product for a soft, understated finish.
6. Use eyeliner strategically
One of the most useful makeup tips for older women is to learn how to use your best eyeliner to your advantage, as doing so can have a marked effect on your eye area and result in a more refreshed, awake look.
"If you're lucky enough to have deep-set eyes, use eyeliner on your eyelids only, close to your lashes," says Elizabeth. "However, if your eyelids disappear when your eyes are open, then use eyeliner on the waterline and outer corners only - this will help enhance your eye shape without drawing attention to a lack of definition in the eyelid department," she adds. Another great trick to really open up lined or hooded eyelids is strategically placed and ultra-natural false lashes, such as individuals, or for a longer-term option, hybrid lash extensions.
Our beauty editor recommends...
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner
RRP: £24
This award-winning liner hits two birds with one stone: the ease of use of a gel and the precision of liquid. We like how intense the shade payoff is on the lids, and how easy it is to create a flattering cat-eye flick with the included brush.
Charlotte Tilbury The Classic Eyeliner Powder Pencil in Shimmering Brown
RRP: £21
For a subtle look, a brown eyeliner is always a timeless and flattering choice. This one from Charlotte Tilbury will gently accentuate the lash line and is easily blended out, for a soft and diffused smokey eye.
KVD Beauty Kitten Mini Tattoo Liner
RRP: £11
If you prefer a liquid liner, this one from KVD Beauty features a pen-like tip to create a precise line. Its formula is waterproof, for a long-lasting look.
7. Highlight with care
Elizabeth says one of the more often-overlooked makeup tips for older women is not accidentally spotlighting features we don't want to call attention to. "Avoid wearing highlighter on your browbone, especially if your eyelids have already begun to move south," she says. Instead, focus any highlight on the corners of your eyes (great for adding a glam finish to occasion makeup and mother of the bride makeup looks), as well as on the tip of the nose, cheekbones, and Cupid's bow. A subtle stick or pot highlighter that offers up a diffused glow instead of full-on shimmer is an ideal formula to look for.
Our beauty editor recommends...
Jones Road Miracle Balm
RRP: £36
Jojoba seed oil, argan oil, and vitamin E are the stars in this new, subtle, light-enhancing balm from beauty mogul Bobbi Brown. We love the shade au naturel dabbed on all the high planes of the face, but find it especially fetching on the cheekbones and nose bridge.
Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand
RRP: £30
Having gone viral on TikTok, these Charlotte Tilbury highlighting wands have quite the glittering reputation. Available in both radiant blush and highlighting shades, these sticks help to add pin-point gleam to the high points of your face.
Glossier Haloscope Balm Dewy Highlighter
RRP: £22
For a glass-like gleam, we recommend Glossier's Haloscope highlighter, which is available in three shades all of which feature a blend of oils and crystal extracts to deliver a dewy and hydrated finish to the high points of your face.
8. Use a cream blush
Elizabeth advises against contouring, which entails using a dark bronzer to thin out certain areas of the face like cheek hollows or the forehead, as this can leave features looking harsh. "Use a light sweep of bronzer to warm up the face or a cream blush for a pop of color instead," she advises.
One of the easiest makeup tips to incorporate into an existing routine is dabbing a light layer of cream blush onto the apples of the cheeks for an instant shot of radiance and natural flush.
Our beauty editor recommends...
NARS Air Matte Cream Blush
RRP: £25
The unique look and feel of this mousse-like cream blush is ideal for most skin types and layers perfectly over foundation. Choose the cheeky best-selling, peachy-pink shade org*sm as shown here or one of seven other fabulously flattering hues.
ILIA Multi-Stick
RRP: £36
Available in 12 stunning shades, this multi-purpose blush and lip stick offers a radiant, natural-looking flush to the skin. It's creamy formula features castor oil seed and shea butter, which helps this blush to melt into the skin - blending like a dream - to add a healthy glow to your cheeks.
Glossier Cloud Paint Gel Cream Blush
RRP: £22
This liquid blush, which is available in 8 flattering shades, features collagen and blurring pigments to give your skin a dewy and seamless flush.
9. Embrace a creamy lip
Creamy and glossy formulations win over matte once again when it comes to lip color, as lips tend to show dryness more visibly. Shade-wise, our experts favor nudes for the fuller effect they give off, a sort of trompe l'oeil take on thicker lips.
"As a rule of thumb, nude lips are always going to be gentler on the eye and the face," Morag explains. "They can often make the lips look fuller. As our lips tend to get smaller as we age, nude and paler pastel colors work to counteract this to make them look full and plump."
However, we'll always champion a bold, bright lip (the mood-boosting effects alone are worth it, not to mention how it can uplift a monochromatic face), so just make sure to choose a softer, creamier formulation - or better yet, a gloss.
Our beauty editor recommends...
Glossier Ultralip
RRP: £20
This genius of a lipstick-balm hybrid glides on as smoothly as a balm yet packs the same colour punch as an actual stick bullet. The effect is glossy, diffused definition, meaning no harsh or obvious lip outlines.
Charlotte Tilbury Superstar Lips
RRP: £27
Available in the brand's iconic Pillow Talk shade, this nourishing lipstick offers the hydration of a lip balm but with a flattering sheer tint and mirror shine.
Clinique Almost Lipstick Black Honey
RRP: £24
Clinique's Almost lipstick in Black Honey (a berry hue) is another popular and flattering choice for those who want their lip products to offer both hydration and shine, as well as a wash of colour.
10. Always wear sunscreen
Of all makeup tips we can offer, there is one in particular that both our experts were vehemently in agreement on: Sun protection under your makeup. "Most importantly, wear SPF!" Elizabeth declares. "Wear high-factor sunscreen or invest in the best foundation with SPF (at least SPF 20) and layer them up for brownie points. This will help prevent wrinkles and even more crucially, skin cancer," she adds.
Our beauty editor recommends...
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA ++++
RRP: £17
This drugstore darling is a runaway hit in many Asian countries due to its ability to withstand humid weather without a heavy feeling. It's also invisible under makeup and works overtime at keeping harmful rays at bay.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50+ Sun Cream
RRP: £20 for 50ml
Ranked highly on our list of best sunscreens, this one from La Roche Posay is lightweight and non-greasy and has been specifically formulated for sensitive skin. It helps to protect the skin against UVA, UVB and ultra-long UVA rays and works well under makeup.
SUPERGOOP! Glowscreen Sunscreen SPF 30 PA+++
RRP: £15 for 20ml
For a multi-purpose option, this tinted sunscreen is formulated with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide for a radiant, glowy finish that works well under makeup and also offers SPF30 protection.
Above all else, Morag adds that the ultimate beauty power move is to just love your features and honor how far you've come, "Embrace what you have and enjoy!"
