The Ultimate Guide to Makeup for Over 50

And the best products to select to make you feel comfortable with your own skin again.

As we hit 50, we start to realize that the makeup techniques we used in our prime no longer quite fit our appearance. And that’s not because we can’t pull it off. It’s because the makeup tips we used to follow were specifically to help us look older. Remember applying that thick cat-eye and wishing you could look like Audrey Hepburn when you were just a teen? That said, it’s time to update your beauty routine. It’s not about looking as mature as you can anymore. It’s about letting your natural features shine through, and using makeup to help you look more healthy and energetic. Here’s how to tackle makeup for over 50 to update your look and make you feel comfortable with your own skin again.

How to apply makeup for over 50

1. It starts with skin care.

Skin care isn’t just for anti-aging. After all, what’s so bad with the natural process that everyone (if they’re lucky enough to!) goes through? As our skin naturally grows weaker over the years, it needs more support to help keep it looking its best. Simple practices such as cleansing your face everyday and using SPF will go a long way in improving your complexion.

Second of all, skin care is necessary for flawless makeup application. It preps your skin so that you can more easily apply makeup without having it settle into fine lines or clump around bumps.

Massage your face with a cleanser to remove excess oil and dead skin cells. Next is an extremely important extra step  We recommend following with a toner to help hydrate and plump up your skin. The Fermented Rice Water Toner from 100% Pure contains hyaluronic acid and fermented rice water that are especially beneficial for mature skin, thanks to their plumping and brightening benefits.

Next, pat a serum into your face and neck to help protect and repair your skin, or treat any existing conditions. After your serum is fully absorbed, applying an eye cream is a must! It helps diminish dark circles and crow’s feet that can draw attention away from your makeup. It may actually work better than your makeup, as heavy eye makeup can accentuate crevices and fine lines.  Seal all the nutrients in with an SPF face moisturizer and for the perfect smooth canvas. 

2. A dewy base.

We don’t like to give hard rules for makeup, but it’s most likely that a powder foundation will not flatter your skin. It can settle into skin and accentuate the appearance of fine lines. Powder foundations also come with a matte finish that doesn’t work so well with more dry, mature skin.

Instead, look for a liquid foundation with a dewy or luminous finish. A tinted moisturizer would make a great pick, as it does double duty as both makeup and skin care. Alternatively, if you’re looking for more protection for your skin, try a BB cream that contains an SPF rating. That way, you can easily make touchups during the day while also reapplying your SPF. For color correction purposes to help even out areas of hyperpigmentation, a CC cream comes in handy, and may do away your need for a concealer.

Make sure to apply foundation in thin layers first to ensure even coverage. Remember to blend thoroughly with a foundation brush or sponge! Whatever nourishes your skin is also more likely to make for more flawless makeup application.

3. Focus on color correcting rather than concealing wrinkles.

Let’s be honest. By this point of our lives, there’s probably a lot we want to hide on our faces. Take those fine lines and wrinkles for starters. But working on concealing wrinkles can easily just accentuate them even more. Luckily, concealing wrinkles isn’t the only way to create a more even complexion. Color correcting your skin can go a long way in evening out your skin tone.

Use a color corrector on areas of your face to help cancel out redness or dullness. For spot correcting, select a natural concealer that applies easily on skin without dragging. Dot it evenly over dark eye circles and dark spots, then blend for smooth coverage. Some concealers like the Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer from W3ll People actually double as eye creams, and contain ingredients like coffee seed oil and green tea extract that help reduce dark circles with wear. Still feeling self-conscious about your wrinkles? Making sure to moisturize them every morning and night will help reduce their appearance.

4. Eyebrows

Eyebrows frame our face, and defining them can immediately help us look more awake and youthful. No, we don’t mean plucking them until they’re almost bare! Full natural eyebrows are in right now, so keep the tweezers away from your face, unless they’re for some simple plucking to tame that unibrow.

Instead, go for a lightweight brow gel that effortlessly grooms brow hairs, promotes volume with vitamins, while providing just the right amount of pigment for a bolder look. Dealing with sparse eyebrows? Use a powder to fill in any gaps. Avoid brow pencils that can look too harsh and cartoony on your face.

5. Skip heavy eye makeup.

Your eyes are the part of your face that draw the most attention. But it’s likely that your eyes have changed shape over the years. Crow’s feet can make eye makeup application extra tricky, and heavy eye makeup can accentuate the appearance of sagging skin, dark shadows, and hooded eyelids.To make your eyes pop and not flop, stick to using a soft, brown pencil eyeliner. Avoid liquid liners that can look too harsh on your delicate skin. Apply eyeliner on your upper lash line to open up your eyes. Feel free to blend a bit of nude or brown eyeshadow onto your eyelids, but only enough to contour your eyelids and add more dimension to them. Eyeshadows with too much glitter to them can take away from the radiance of your skin, and accentuate the appearance of fine lines.

Like with the hair on our heads, our eyelashes can fade and fall out over time. A handy black mascara for your upper eyelashes is a must! Dealing with higher levels of fall out? Don’t be afraid to try on a natural-looking pair of false eyelashes.

6. Blush

Without enough moisture, dry skin lacks luminosity and tends to look more dull. As our collagen levels deplete, our skin also begins to lose its elasticity, which is why you might associate gaunt cheeks and sagging skin with more mature skin.To counteract dull skin and add more fullness to your cheeks, blend a small amount of blush onto the apple of your cheeks. Focus on creating a natural-looking flush. You’ll find that a cheek tint will work best, as it simultaneously moisturizes your skin while giving it some natural color. The Volumizing Lip & Cheek Tint from Tata Harper is an impressive multi-tasker that plumps the appearance of sallow cheeks and lips.

7. Full, satin lips

What would a full makeup look be without some lip color? While we love a radiant finish for face makeup, your lips will look best with a moisturized, satin finish that looks healthy and elegant. If your lips are flaky, polish them up with a lip scrub first to reveal smooth, radiant skin. Remember to always apply a lip balm to keep your pout flake-free. 

Image credit: Vapour Organic Beauty

A lip tint should easily do the trick, and is easily reappliable through the day. If you prefer a little more pigment to your pout, we suggesting choosing a velvet or semi-matte lipstick over a lip gloss. For the perfect defined look, select a lipstick color that’s slightly darker than your lips.

Prefer to add more shape and volume to your lips? It’s true that our lips lose their plumpness too as our collagen levels deplete. Luckily, there’s an easy fix for that. Apply a lip liner to your lips first to create the illusion of fuller lips. Remember to accentuate your cupid’s bow!

Makeup can work wonders in brightening up your appearance. Just a little bit of pigment here and there can immediately perk up your complexion. Some simple moisturizing can promote a smoother skin tone. Remember to select natural makeup products that aren’t working against your anti-aging regimen. Just be careful not to overdo it with the amount of makeup you apply. Oftentimes, the best beauty tips are healthy lifestyle habits that keep you stress-free. A balanced diet, regular exercise, and restful sleep will give your complexion a natural glow and healthy appearance.

Anti-aging doesn’t have to be a chore. Make it the pamper ritual that you deserve: