Makeup & Skincare Tips for Women Over 50

There are many different things to consider regarding makeup for women over 50. The first step is to find the right products for your skin type and then learn how to apply them to make you look younger and more vibrant.

When you reach a certain age, taking care of your skin becomes more important than ever. The skin is the foundation on which all other makeup is applied, so if your skin is unhealthy or damaged, your makeup will not look its best.

That's why starting with a good skincare routine is important, using products specifically designed for older women's skin. These products will help to repair any damage that has been done over the years and will also help to protect your skin from further damage.

Create a Glowing Base

When it comes to skincare, there are a few key products that you should focus on if you want to look your best as a woman over 50. One of the most important is an antioxidant serum, which will help to protect your skin from free radicals and other environmental damage.

We listed our favorites here for you featuring a luxury brand, mid-price brand and drug store find!

Start with a Serum

- Best Serum If Cost is No Issue ($195)

Vintners, Daughter Active Botanical Serum™ certainly comes with a steep price tag at $195.00, but anyone who uses it swears by it! It has a cult following obsessed with the 22 active botanicals and natural oils used to produce it.

Buy it here.

- Best Mid Priced Serum ($60)

Clinique's Smart Custom-Repair Serum promises to smooth out wrinkles and lift sagging skin. 

Buy it here.

- Best Drug Store Serum ($10)

Coming in at around $10, the Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2%. This best-selling serum is a fan favorite, offering deep hydration and skin barrier support. It uses a combination of different hyaluronic acid molecules that vary in molecular weight reaching multiple layers of the skin.

Buy it here.

Moisturize Skin Morning and Night

Another key product is a good moisturizer, which will help keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Choose a moisturizer that contains SPF, as this will help to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays.

- Best Moisturize If Cost is No Issue ($136)

I swear by the TRIPLE LIPID RESTORE 2:4:2 from Skin Ceuticals and every it as both my daytime and evening moisturizer. It's a patented creme that goes on so smooth, and you can feel the ingredients quench the skin. 

Buy it here.

Best Mid Priced Moisturizer ($60)

Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Moisturizer is a great mid-priced option. This whipped texture moisturizer is rich in lipids and ceramides to hydrate, plump, and smooth the skin. It deeply nourishes without making your skin greasy. 

Buy it here.

Best Drug Store Moisturizer ($20)

CeraVe is one of the best drugstore brands for all things skincare. Their CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is probably one of their most popular for anyone with dry skin. It contains glycerin, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid to deliver hydration to the skin. As we age, our hyaluronic acid levels decrease, which can cause mature skin to become itchy, irritated, and dry. This moisturizer will help replenish that loss.

Buy it here.

Prime Skin Before Applying any Makeup

To create a glowing base for your makeup, consider using a primer.

Primers should be applied in the morning before you start your makeup routine. They will help fill in any pores or fine lines and help your makeup stay in place all day long.

How to Apply Primer

With your fingers: Apply a small amount of primer to your fingertips, and then rub it into your skin.

Best Primer If Cost is No Issue ($50)

Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Facial Primer & Brightener is a perfect choice for amazing skins as it helps reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines while giving skin a silky smooth finish. It will also add some additional moisture to the skin, so give it a few minutes to dry before applying any foundation fully.

Buy it here.

Best Mid Priced Primer ($32)

 

Don't let the youthful packaging full you, Benefit's POREfessional Pro Balm Face Primer works very similar to the Jane Idedale in that it reduces the appearance of fine lines and pores. This one feels lighter than the Jane Idedale and seems to dry quicker.

Buy it here.

Best Drug Store Primer ($12)

The tried and true Covergirl simply ageless continues to be a favorite among so many women. Personally, the texture does not feel as smooth as the other two, but it does a fair job as a primer for most day-to-day makeup.

Buy it here.

The Basics of Laying a Good Foundation for Makeup

How to Cover Under Eye Circles

Now that we've covered the basics of skincare let's start with the questions we are asked about the most - how to cover undereye circles!

Makeup Artist Leila VonSleichter makes it look too easy as she covers up a blue brush on Maria's face. However, we couldn't think of a better way to show you how using oranges over top of the blue makes it disappear. Use this same concept for covering your undereye circles.

How to find the right foundation for your skin type

When finding the right makeup for your skin type, it's important to consider your skin's needs and your personal preferences.

If you have dry skin, you'll want to look for a moisturizing foundation or concealer. You may also want to consider using a primer, as this will help to keep your makeup in place all day long.

You'll want to look for an oil-free foundation or concealer if you have oily skin. You may also want to avoid using powder-based products, making your skin feel even more oily.

If you have sensitive skin, you'll want to look for a hypoallergenic foundation or concealer. You may also want to avoid using fragrance products that irritate you.

Take the Time to Find the Right One

Hundreds of amazing brands are out there, and everyone's skin is different. My best suggestion is to start by finding a foundation you love and feel confident in. The foundation is the base for everything, and once you've found the perfect one, the rest will fall in place. Sephora has amazing staff who can help you find the best product and color match you. With so many new brands hitting the shelves, you'd be surprised how many affordable options there are to choose from if you're on a tight budget.

A Wet Sponge is the Best Way to Apply Foundation

I've brought every brush out there and always return to a wet sponge. I've used expensive and cheap sponges, and they all seem to work the same way (at least for me). I have loved these from amazon that I through away weekly to keep things clean.

• Run the sponge under running col water
• Squeeze the sponge for a dry washcloth to get rid of some of the excess water and old foundation
• Tap onto the skin, making sure to blend any demarcation lines, then wait a few minutes before applying a finishing powder

Always use a setting powder.

There are so many reasons why it's more difficult to set our makeup now than when we were in our 20s and early 30s. As we age, finding a good setting powder becomes harder. However, we still want to ensure it lasts throughout the day and keeps looking good. If you're not careful, the setting powder can emphasize texture or dryness, which can take away from all the hard work you did moisturizing and prepping your skin. 

Best Setting Powder If Cost is No Issue ($45)

The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Finish is magical! It airbrushes your pores beautifully, works amazing for your under-eye area, and noticeably reduces shine and imperfections. I find that it performs amazingly on all skin types as well!

Buy it here.

Best Mid Priced Setting Powder ($39)

 

The Lancome No Shine setting powder removes shine with a slightly matte finish. It also minimizes pores, gives an airbrushed finish, and works well on dry skin.

Buy it here.

Best Drug Store Setting Powder ($7)

The Wet & Wild Photo Focus is a good bang for the buck if you don't have overly dry skin. It has a heavier matte finish and does a great job blurring the skin, but again if you have dry skin, there is a chance it may enhance your wrinkles and have the opposite effect.

Buy it here.

Lift & Sculpt

The goal is to try to lift and sculpt anywhere we can. A great way to do this is when adding blush, place the blush slightly above your cheekbone and blend inwards. By moving the blush slightly upward, it visually gives a lifting effect.

Enhancing the Eyes

I recommend using a nude palate for a more natural look. Apply your eye shadow in broad, even strokes across the eyelid. This will intensify the eyelid just a little bit more. Follow this with a slightly darker shade on the crease to give a more defined look.

As far as eyeliner, as our eyes age, it becomes more difficult to apply liquid liners and sometimes even pencils. I have started to use eyeshadow and a curved thin brush to apply my eyeliner, and I get better results with a more natural look. I got this tip from the blog Eye Makeup Tips for Women over 50 and put this in practice every day.

As we age, our eyes droop, and it becomes a struggle to make them look more youthful. Make sure to curl the lashes with an eyelash curler, then apply a thickening mascara. I always recommend an eyelash comb to eliminate clumps weighing down the eyes.

Finally the Lips

Muted and soft colors are a great option to finish your look, and I'm a huge fan of Makeup by Mario's MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum...

As we age, it becomes more important to find makeup techniques that help us look our best. While some products and methods may be more expensive, it's worth experimenting with until you find the right combination for your face.

With a little bit of effort, you can find makeup that looks natural and enhances your features, giving you the confidence to face the world.