That was interesting. One of the tips I've read and try to apply is that lipstick or gloss should never be darker than the natural color of your lips. No dark lipstick anymore.

I agree for the most part about shimmer and frost, etc. I wish I could get my MIL to forego the frosted lipstick (she's 74).

But, on using a lipstick/gloss no darker than your own lips - that absolutely doesn't work for me. I'm fair with dark hair, dark eyes and I look best in fairly bright, deep colors. Not harsh though. My natural lips are pretty pale. I can still hear my mom "put some lipstick on!". LOL A bright, clear pink with blue tones is my best shade.

tina

That was interesting. I don't wear foundation but I might try it now after reading the reasons it makes you look younger. Very helpful, thanks for the link.

Tina, I think you bring up a good point that we need to change our makeup as we age. It's so easy to hold on to a favorite color, brand or application that did look good at one time.
Like women who still wear lipliner- ughh! That is so out, no matter how old you are.

I watched the video- I think some of her ideas are strange. Like the idea to extend the eyeliner past the eyes and to use gold eyeshadow right above the iris.

"Like women who still wear lipliner- ughh! That is so out, no matter how old you are."

Now, now, now... I have to disagree about lipliner. It can work when done right. I don't like to wear lip 'stick' (I use some type of gloss but not sure what I'll do in the years to come) because I prefer to do my eyes up but my favorite liner is MAC's Whirl. I pair it with Bobbi Brown's Pink Sugar lipgloss and it's beeeautiful.

A general note about eyelashes... Mine are long but they certainly don't stand up on their own. I curl them, add mascara and once completely dry, I heat my lash curler up with the blow dryer and hold (not pump) the curler for maybe 10 seconds or so. Somtimes I may need to add another coat of mascara and/or repeat the heating steps. My lashes STAY up this way and no, I don't have any extra falling out. I recommend giving this a try if you have issues with your lashes being perky like me. Curling them really opens up the eyes.

I wear a bit of lipliner, but always in a shade that matches my lips. There is nothing worse than that telltale line around the lips.

I agree that lipliner in the right shade really enhances the lips. It is the darker lip liner that I've never understood!

I have a good friend who STILL wears lip liner darker than her lipstick, despite the zillion times I've told her it isn't a good look. It has become a joke between us now, I call them her "crime-scene" lips because they are outlined like a dead body!

Nicole

How about eyeliner? I've been wearing a pencil eyeliner for years. I smudge it with my finger but I still feel like the line is too harsh. Has anyone tried the gel eyeliners? How do you like them? I was going to get the Bobbi Brown gel liner but it is too $$$ for an experiment.

I'm glad you started this topic, Terriks. I'm always intrigued by new ideas for helping us "older women" look best in makeup. I have a love/hate relationship with cosmetics - always have. Part of me is fascinated by the transforming potential that makeup has; part of me is continually disappointed that the promise doesn't deliver. I have days where I think I look pretty good, considering what I have to work with, and other days where I feel like no matter what I do, I'm never going to be perfect - so if it's offensive, just look away. ;-) I've really gotten less obsessive over the fact that I'll never look a certain way. Most of the time, it's ok. Sometimes, though, it does depress me a bit.

I have the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner and while it goes on easily - not too gloppy and I find it easy to control with the BB brush - I've stopped wearing it because just like all eyeliners, it slides all over my eyes a couple of hours after I apply it. The only thing I've found that stops this from happening is a product that I brushed on over the eyeliner and it set it (cannot for the life of me recall the name of the stuff!) - but it made my eyes burn and water, and just wasn't worth it. I really wish I could figure out a way to make eyeliner stay where I put it and last all day.

I use a dark purpley-brown eye shadow for eye liner applied with an angled brush. Great control that way and not too harsh. I do start thinner near the inside part of the eye and make it slightly thicker toward the outside. I also angle it up at the end but not too much of a "wing." I also don't line my lower lashes. I may dot a bit here and there sometimes, but I find that lining the top and bottom lash makes my eyes look smaller, not larger. I wouldn't start anywhere past mid-iris on the lower lash if I did line it, btw.

IDK, but I've found that foundation tends to settle and accentuate those lines and pre-wrinkles (I will not admit to wrinkles - LOL). Now tinted moisturizer on the other hand ....... good stuff.

For those of you with a few freckles....

One little trick I use if you have a sprinkle of light freckles across your nose and cheeks, like I do, is to wear a light to medium coverage foundation across your face except DO NOT put any foundation on your nose and upper cheeks. I do put foundation on the end of my nose because it's too red. Then I use a gel sheer blush and put on my cheeks, where my freckles kinda show through. I think a few freckles automatically make anyone look younger. My skin leans toward the medium to light shade, and I tan very easily. But, I am trying my hardest to wear sunscreen everyday though!

I do wear lipliner, but it doesn't "stand out" like I see some women wear. First, I apply the same gel to my lips to stain them, then put on MAC lip liner, and fill in with Lancome's Juicy Lip Gloss in frosted (my fave) color, but have other non-frosted colors too.

Oh my, Older women and Makeup? absolutely yes! I have never found a "recommendation for older women and make up" that was spot on for everyone. Will I go out of the house (until late morning) with a baseball cap and yesterdays makeup? Sure, happens all the time......but generally speaking, after showering it is total makeup - why stop with only some parts - I do foundation, blush, eyeliner, shadows (generally at least 2 colors involved, if not more), lip liner, gloss, etc.......

"Less is more" doesn't work past 40.....my experience is that knowing what you are wearing and where you might be going before doing makeup is helpful. Some clothing colors just need more or different colors in your makeup.....some events/activities call for more....nothing is worse that catching yourself in a mirror when out and seeing that you look tired, washed out, pink eyed, generally not good.......

My skin tends toward dry and I prefer a "dewy" look - flat on me shows every little crease and wrinkle, I look real old, real fast....ish.

I try new things and have changed over the years....did mineral makeup for a few years, went to a liquid, and now on a cream that I would have thought would be heavy but am glad I tried it......my bff has totally different coloring and skin but the same one happens to work for both of us (different shades)....

All those tips and articles are too extreme for me....never say never, give things a try and be open to new looks.

I can shower, put on make up, do my hair, and be dressed and out the door in 20-25 minutes if I have to, 45min if I have more time....make up can be done quickly....the idea of "I have no time" is more "it is not a priority" with ladies I know......

I am going down for the count with my make up on and my concealer in my purse, just in case......

Fun threads.....

everyday i put on undereye concealer and eyeliner---i only wear eyeshadow now if i'm going out at night.

i never wear foundation--usually i put powder on my face to give it a more finished look and i often will put on mascara--very rarely do i use an eyelash curler-it doesn't seem to really improve my eyes--i think maybe an eyelash curler has more impact if you have thick and long eyelashes...?

i don't wear much lipstick...often will just put on a light gloss. i hardly ever wore anything on my lips when i was younger--i always felt like a clown if i wore lipstick that was bright or somewhat dark.

I wear blue eyeliner, black mascara, pink blush and pink lipstick now. I used to wear powder and brown eyeshadow also when I was younger. I feel the older I get, the less makeup I want I my face. I have never been able to master the eyelash curler.

Most of the makeup I use is from the drug store or walmart. I use dollar lip liner but use it all over my lip and top with a bit of gloss. Lip liner as lip stick lasts forever and even stays on a bit when you eat, but you have to use it with a lighter hand and it needs some gloss or the lip is too dry. The eye shadow and rest are a mix of Maybelline and Almay. Except...I do spend money on my foundation, it's not really a foundation though but more of a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen. I could not live without my Lancome Imanance in tawny. I like it because you can sort of see through it so it looks more natural while giving just the right amount of coverage and it gives a dewy look.

This stuff is the best thing since sliced bread!

i don't wear much makeup unless it is a special night out. Mainly because I don't think I look that much different and because I always always have racoon eyes a couple of hours after applying mascara even water proof smudge proof etc.
I would like to wear it with confidence- any ideas for me ladies? I have dry skin- not oily.

jt, I think I will try the Lancome product above. I like a light, dewy coverage. My skin is a little dry, so I think it would work for me. I have tried a Clinique tinted moisturizer before and wasn't crazy about it.

Cooperbailey, if you are getting raccoon eyes maybe some cream or makeup you are using under your eyes is smearing your mascara. Have you tried not putting any mascara on your lower lashes?

I suggest older women get a good magnifying mirror if they can't see up close. I can see up close (I'm nearsighted)and I STILL use a magnifying mirror. Sometimes I think my makeup is fine until I check in that mirror!

I actually use more makeup then I used to, but I like a soft and natural look so I use a light hand and soft colors.

I should add that I dont put any mascara on my lower lashes at all. thanks happy

I never used to put mascara on my lower lashes because of the smudging issues. Then I discovered Lash Power mascara from Clinique. It absolutely does not smudge, and removes easily with warm water.

I too use a magnifying mirror, and when i look in it I tend to wipe off the makeup I have on. It looks to me like it just kind of sits up on my pores. I am a redhead (well natural redhead, but being 61 the years have faded my hair, so the salon helps me keep it a light auburn), and I have blue eyes, very fair skin and freckles, plus lots of wrinkles My friends say I need make up, that I look pale.
What foundation can I try that will not look cakey to me, like it is sitting on my face? Have I explained that, right? I try to use concealer on the undereye circles but that looks too thick too. I have used the bare minerals, and liquid foundations, now I have a maybelline cream that i put on with a foundation brush. I have spent SO much money over the years on cosmetics, and skin care. I would love to find some good products that would help my aging, dry skin.

RE: eyeliner-- you can use eyeshadow. Get a small-tipped brush (firm), wet, and dip into powder. Remove loose powder by hitting the brush on a hard surface, and then line your lids. It does not smudge!

I wear less makeup now (I'm 51) than I did in my 20s. I will do the whole thing for special occasions, but for everyday I wear bronzing powder (so I don't look like death warmed over), a little blush and eyebrow pencil. No eye makeup at all. No lipstick. Just Burt's Bees chapstick.

My absolute favorite thing is Guerlain bronzing powder. I've been using this since my early 20s. Several times I've tried other products but I always go back. I think it looks natural -- just the slighest hint of a tan -- as long as you use a light hand. Also, Guerlain makes similar products that cost more than this one, but I've never tried them since I love this one and it costs less.

Here is a link that might be useful: Guerlain bronzing powder