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The desire to remain feeling and looking fresh-faced and youthful is felt by us all
Makeup for mature skin works best when it is lighter, more hydrating and glow-enhancing: think sheer or lightweight foundation, cream blush and dewy finishes rather than heavy, matte formulas that can settle into fine lines. If you are in your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond and want your makeup to keep looking fresh, flattering and youthful as your skin changes, a few adjustments in texture and technique can make all the difference.
A few very light fine lines and wrinkles here and there on our skin, we can probably live with it, but nobody wants to see their inner radiance disappear too! As skin matures, it also loses collagen, which can mean less plumpness, a dull or sallow tone, and age spots that make the complexion look less even. That is exactly why mature skin often benefits from a different approach to makeup: the right formulas and application methods can soften the look of fine lines, brighten tired under eyes and bring back warmth and luminosity.
An error often made by those with mature skin is to become very loyal to a product that they have used for several years - sometimes over 40+ years! We have all found a product that we love and vow to keep in our makeup bag forever however, cosmetic brands are constantly updating and improving their formulas so without trying these new things, you may be missing out on something magical. Drawing on years of experience in the beauty industry and the insights makeup artists use when assessing changing skin, the recommendation is often to revisit texture and finish as you age. Something that looked great on you throughout your early 20's may not be the most flattering finish for you now, as a professional makeup artist will often see that ageing skin suits different textures and finishes over time.
Below, we share practical makeup for mature skin tips on choosing foundation, prepping and priming skin, defining the lash line, using cream blush, brightening the under-eye area, adding warmth with bronzer, defining lips, choosing a dewy finish and keeping skin smooth with regular exfoliation. Here we reveal our top beauty tips to help you create a flawless finish, a fresh glow and a more youthful appearance during your next glorious decade.
1. Go Easy On The Foundation For Mature Skin
More product is not always the answer and you could probably get away with using a lot less foundation than you already are. A mistake people make is not using enough products and applying them too heavily, explains makeup artist and founder of delilah cosmetics Rupert Kingston.
You can read our interview with Rupert Kingston here.
This is because heavy makeup (particularly matte foundations) formulas can sit in wrinkles and creases causing them to look more pronounced, and dehydrated skin can make foundation settle into fine lines even faster. Instead, if you want a fresher look, a sheer foundation or lightweight skin tint can be a good alternative to traditional foundation for mature skin. Choosing a lightweight liquid foundation with a lightweight formula, a skin-like finish, a natural finish, and buildable coverage can also help blur pores while keeping texture smooth and natural, then applying it strictly only where you really need it, will give you a healthy radiant glow. Liquid Minerals Foundations are the best foundation for mature skin due to a clever hybrid mix of encapsulated serum and foundation so your skin will get a continuous drink of hydration throughout the day. Serum foundations can also be a good option because they act as a lightweight foundation with skincare benefits and a hydrating formula. No7 Pro Artist Weightless Silk Sheer foundation is a good example if you want a radiant finish. L'Oreal True Match Foundation is powered by hyaluronic acid for hydration, while Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation gives a natural glow. nars light reflecting foundation is a skincare-infused option with a buildable formula and 36 shades for mature skin, and it works well as a buildable foundation for everyday wear because it layers without turning cakey. Maybelline Plump & Glow Foundation contains 2% niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.
If you still feel like you need more coverage during your makeup routine (to cover up concerns such as acne, rosacea, or dark spots rather than just out of habit), think about whether you prefer lighter coverage, medium coverage, or a full coverage foundation, as even a high coverage foundation should avoid making skin look heavy; the best option for everyday wear is coverage you can build gradually without heaviness, then you could always use a separate concealer afterward sparingly. Foundation can also be pressed in with fingers for a seamless blend on mature skin.
Also, wearing a foundation shade that isn't right for you can add several years onto your real age. In order to find the right option in this foundation line-up, take time to choose a shade from a shade range, and Laura Mercier Tinted Blur Balm comes in eight shades spanning fair to deep tones, that is perfectly matched to your own skin tone for a more even skin tone too!
2. Define Your Lash Line
Our eye area can lose definition over the years and eyelashes which were once full and voluminous may now feel brittle and sparse. To overcome this, redefine the lash line with an intense gel eyeliner.
Black compliments all eye colours best as it makes the whites of your eyes pop but if you want to keep things super subtle then we recommend brown as an alternative.
To bring your eyelashes back to full health, you could look at incorporating an eyelash serum into your routine. RevitaLash is the best of the best.
If you lack confidence when it comes to applying eye makeup then keep it simple with an old makeup artists trick by applying eyeliner to the upper waterline. Finish off by curling your eyelashes to add length and drama.
3. Take Time To Prime Your Skin
As we age, older skin tends to get naturally drier, so cleansing first with a gentle cream cleanser helps avoid stripping the skin. Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a wonderful humectant that holds on to water within the skin. It helps to hydrate the outer layers of the skin, thereby improving the skin's appearance.
Thankfully, our skin naturally produces Hyaluronic Acid but the bad news is that this starts to deplete as soon as our early 20s and is reduced by half by the time we reach 50. So, adding additional moisture topically to the complexion is essential.
Priming the skin with a few layers of weightless texture hydration will help support the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated so your base looks its best without being too heavy. Hydrating serums with hyaluronic acid or glycerin can also help plump the look of fine lines. Choose lighter moisturisers containing ceramides or squalane in the daytime, as these are beneficial for mature skin and less likely to make your makeup slip and slide on top.
Key skincare items for mature, dry skin should include a Hyaluronic Acid serum and high factor broad-spectrum SPF for daily SPF protection before makeup. Allow your skin time to absorb the products fully between layers, and wait five to ten minutes after applying sunscreen before moving onto makeup. Apply a hydrating primer after skincare but prior to makeup to help create a natural glow under base products. For added prep benefits, vitamin c helps brighten dull skin over time, niacinamide minimises the appearance of pores over time, and peptides improve skin elasticity and repair.
4. Don't Be Afraid Of A Little Glow With Dewy Foundation
There is a huge difference between a dewy finish and looking shiny, and a dewy foundation or skin tint can be especially flattering when mature skin starts to look dull or sallow. Dewy or satin finishes give mature skin a more youthful glow, while a natural-looking radiance helps the skin look fresher rather than greasy. Glowier formulas tend to work best for dry to normal skin, while oily or combination skin often prefers an oil-free formula and a matte finish with more shine control to manage excess oil, as these can be less flattering on drier complexions. A soft glow usually looks more like real skin than a flat, overly powdered base. Heavy powders can settle into fine lines and look cakey, which is why a fresher finish is often more flattering. If you need to set makeup, use a finely milled translucent powder sparingly and only where needed to avoid emphasising dry skin
5. Experiment With Cream Blushes
Trade your powder blusher in for a cream blush and thank us later. Cream blushers glide onto the skin like silk and, due to their hydrating ingredients, keep the skin plump rather than sinking into the cracks. You can double them up as lipstick and are completely portable too so you can throw them in your handbag and freshen up throughout the day if you require. Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Color Balm SPF 50 is a great place to start.
6. Define Your Lip Line
As with your eyes, your lips tend to lose definition and shrink over time. If dermal fillers aren't the avenue that you want to go down then you can cheat a fuller pout with the help of lip liners and clever makeup artist tricks instead.
A fool-proof option is to use a shade of lip liner closest to your lip skin tone and slightly overline round the whole lip in order to bring back the look of natural fullness. Lip liner also helps to prevent lipstick from bleeding as it can travel into fine lines and out of the lip border.
Another great option, plumping lip balms increase stimulation and encourage blood flow to the surface of the lips. This causes a temporarily swelling effect which usually lasts for around a few hours before returning back to normal (sounds scary but it's not!).
7. Brighten The Undereyes
Suffering from a constant case of dark circles? Puffiness? Fatigue? The under eyes are the first area to show any visible signs of ageing.
Colorescience 3 in 1 Eye creates a natural-looking finish and contains light-reflecting properties to let light bounce off the surface and appear brighter.
Visibly improves the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles while protecting the delicate eye area against photoaging with 100% SPF 35 mineral sunscreen.
Instantly vanish and lift any signs of concern with the clever triangle method; use a concealer brush to trace an upside-down triangle underneath your eye. Lightly fill in and then blend. Watch your eyes immediately light up!
8. Warm Up Your Complexion
Bronzer helps to warm up a tired or pale complexion. Use a large, fluffy brush and apply a radiant finish bronzer across the entire face as sunlight would usually act so think all over the forehead, top of the cheeks, bridge of the nose, and base of the chin.
9. Don't Skip The Exfoliator To Help With Fine Lines
Many people skip exfoliators thinking that it is not an essential step. However, regularly exfoliating is absolutely necessary for everybody, even sensitive skin types. Exfoliating helps to rid of a build-up of dead skin cells which can make our skin look old and tired and our complexion products not look as good as they should.
Lack of exfoliation can cause the skin to look dull and uneven, create dry patches, and make acne breakouts worse. A great place to start is with an effective but gentle option. We love Medik8 Press And Glow for sensitive or mature skin types and DermaTx Clarify Salicylic Cleanser for breakout-prone skin to decongest and unclog pores.
Which One Will You Try?
If you need some further help regarding makeup for mature skin, feel free to ask us! All the products featured above are available to purchase at Dermacare Direct with free tracked delivery via Royal Mail. We can help with our expert advice and top tips making your makeup shopping stress-free. You can contact us by live chat, email via advice@dermacaredirect.co.uk, or pick up the phone now and call us on phone number 0116 251 4848 to speak directly with a friendly advisor.
