Makeup for Mature Women

Our skin changes as we age, so it's only natural to alter our makeup routines to suit our evolving needs better. I've been searching for the best products for my changing skin for a couple of years, only to be disappointed. I have bags of products that just didn't fit the bill for beautiful coverage, smooth, even application, and nourishing my skin. After trying to do this on my own and feeling unsuccessful, I reached out to Avenue Apocathary & Spa for a professional makeup application.

My Makeup Make-Over

The experience was so amazing I wanted to share what I learned and the products I'm using. The spa carries all clean and natural beauty products that are as good for the skin as they are beautiful to wear. All the products I chose are from the Jane Iredale line of makeup. If you are like me and love to wear makeup but haven't had the time or patience to learn how to apply it or are looking for new products for your changing skin, I hope you find this helpful.

For Your Complexion

Primer

If you want your makeup look to last, don't skip the primer. A primer goes a long way in smoothing the surface of the skin. It can help prevent your makeup from settling into fine lines and wrinkles if you have mature skin like me. The Smooth Affair Illuminating Glow Face Primer smooths and moisturizes skin to prep it for your makeup. I like this primer because it blurs fine lines, leaves a subtle pearl-like glow, and can also be used as an eyelid primer.

Foundation

When choosing your foundation, you have lots of options. You'll need to decide between liquid, powder, or cream and the type of coverage, natural to full. This has always been the most challenging decision for me, deciding on the type, the amount of coverage, and the best color. I have purchased many different foundations over the years, but none were suitable. So seeing a professional makeup consultant was the best decision I could have made. She was able to ask me questions and assess my skin, then offered me a couple of options.

I love the semi-matte look and have finally found the perfect foundation for my skin type. I choose Beyond Matte Liquid Foundation. This liquid foundation is buildable, so it's able to provide medium to full coverage. But it's not heavy; it's lightweight, makes my skin look smooth, covers my dark spots, and evens the redness.

Concealer

After I apply my foundation, I apply the PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation SPF 20/15 as a spot concealer. I touch up any blemishes and color corrections using an eye shader brush. Finally, I finish with a couple of sprays from POMMISST Hydration Spray; it helps set the foundation and to conceal pores and fine lines.

Highlight, Contour & Blush

These are the secret to the defined, chiseled faces we see in magazines or celebrity photos. It works by creating areas of light and shadow that fool the eye. Adding light brings things forward, while adding darkness pushes things back. When all three are expertly applied, they can shape and define your face, creating the appearance of a well-defined toned look.

Let me be clear I have never used either of these, and I was always afraid of ending up looking like a clown because I didn't know what shades to select or how to apply them. But not to fear, the Finishing Touches Face Palette saves the day!

This 6-shade face palette allows you to custom blend the matte bronzer, shimmery highlighter, and radiant blush to create your unique look. The best part about this palette is that it may be used on cheeks, eyes & lips. I love this versatility, the color combinations, and the convenience of one package.

Remember, when learning how to highlight and contour, practice makes perfect. So if your first application doesn't look magazine ready, don't give up and keep practicing. Trust me, I'm still in the practice stage!

For Your Eyes

Primer

Start with a primer. It allows your makeup to stay in place all day and helps ensure the longevity of your eyeshadow. If you have mature eyes like me, your lids have likely developed lines and spots, and eyeshadows don't sit as well as they used to. That's why the primer is a must. I love that the Smooth Affair Illuminating Glow Face Primer can be used on my face and my eyes; versatile products are the best.

Eyeshadow

Finding the perfect eyeshadow has been an ongoing search for a long time. Finding the correct color combination that won't crease and make my eyes look smaller is no easy task. Thankfully the Finishing Touches Face Palette seems to be a perfect match. The palette has two matte bronzers, rich natural colors that look great on my eyes. These colors are very flattering on a textured eyelid. Next, I apply either the golden soft coral/golden dusty rose blush to the center of my eye to add light and brightness to my eyes. However you decide to use the palette, have fun with it and do what makes you feel beautiful.

Eyeliner & Mascara

Eyeliner defines the eyes, enhances their shape, and can be used to create different looks. For many, eyeliner can be a powerful tool to help you look your best, but for me, it only makes my eyes look smaller and accentuates my fine lines and wrinkles, so I opt to skip this process.

Mascara helps enhance your eyelashes. This is a must if you want fuller, longer, thicker, and darker lashes. A good mascara can do the trick if you want brighter, bigger-looking eyes. I've always been a mascara fan, but as I aged, my lashes became so light and sparse that I opted for lash extensions. It's my one beauty luxury that I splurge on. There are so many eyelash enhancer options that you are to find one that is best for you.

Eyebrows

Eyebrow Pencil

If your eyebrows are thinning and fading like mine, you need an excellent eyebrow-defining pencil. I'm using PureBrow Precision Pencil; its ultra-fine tip allows me to fill in the gaps without having that drawn-on look. The natural-looking shade helps give me a beautiful, balanced eyebrow look.

Lips

Lip Pencil

A lip pencil should do two things, prevent lipstick from bleeding and define the natural shape of your pout. Again, I've been reluctant to use a lip pencil for fear of looking to made up or having that drawn-on look. I needed a pencil that could go on smooth and soft and still provide a natural definition to my lip. I selected this Lip Pencil in classic red. I love that it's gentle enough to use as a lip base and can be blended into my lipstick or gloss.

Lip Gloss

Since my lip liner is versatile and can blend and be used as a base, I choose lip gloss over lipstick. The Special Edition Joy HydroPure Hyaluronic Acid Lip Gloss, a sheer winter berry with subtle gold shimmer, is perfect for the holiday season. I get fuller-looking lips with long-lasting hydration, and I love the color.

If you've never had a makeup session, I would highly recommend it. When you do a makeup lesson in person, you can truly understand and see how to do each technique yourself with guidance—no more struggling with how they apply that type of eyeshadow or how to contour without looking like you hit a terrible tanning salon. No matter what age, a makeup session can give you the confidence you need to be an at-home makeup artist.