Quick Make Up Tips for 40+

Are your standards slipping as we continue in lockdown? Mine have. While, during ‘normal’ times you won’t see me out and about in public without my face, it doesn’t feel as necessary for online meetings. It actually seems a bit odd to be sitting at home fully made up.

I reckon I’ve had more make-up free days in the past few weeks than any other time in my adult life. (And let's not start on the Hair Bear Bunch look that's happening on my head! - #struggling lol)

I’ve always loved make up and wear it most days. It’s part of my identity and I wear it for me, not for anyone else. I like the way I can change my appearance and play around with how I look.

I actually find the process of applying it quite meditative. My full routine takes me about twelve minutes and that’s the full works: foundation, eye make-up, lipstick, the lot. I play around with colour on my eyes but mainly stick with the same application process.

I have a 3-minute version and a 5-minute version too – it depends on what I’m doing that day. ( I demo the 3 min one in my Make Up for Your Fab 40+ Years VbOOK ).This is what I’m sticking to more and more these days – very light, just a couple of products yet still adding a bit of definition to my features.

If I were going ‘out out’ in the evening, then I’d make my eye makeup more dramatic. For other occasions when I need it be long lasting then I’ll take more time and apply it, in layers, so it lasts all day without needing to be reapplied.

Whether you love it, hate it or fall somewhere in between, there’s no denying the fact that make-up can help some of us feel more confident.

I often find, though, that many women would like to wear make-up but aren’t sure how to apply it. They feel intimidated by the store assistants and don’t want to ask for advice or sit on a stool in the middle of a busy store while they have several layers applied – a primer for this, a primer for that, etc.

The alternative is self-selecting at the less expensive counters, where there can be a sense of overwhelm – where do you even start? I often have clients who have visited the posh counter for advice, had a makeover and ended up needing a second mortgage to buy all the items used, only to get home and not be able to remember what the products are for or how to use them.

These ladies in the stores are sales assistants first and foremost and it’s their job to sell products. Why sell one product if you can sell three?These reasons are why I’ve created my online video tutorials to help you create your own routine based around my explanations as to what products actually do, straightforward application tips and bite sized videos that you can stop and start as you practise. You can buy it here and get it straight to your inbox for ￡38.

Your eyeliner… a dead giveaway

Many women who choose to wear make-up still apply it in the same way as they’ve done since they learnt from Jackie magazine in the 1970s. It’s always possible to tell someone’s age by where they put their eyeliner!

For many in their late 40s/early 50’s, it was the fashion to put eyeliner all along the lower lash line – kind of like underlining the eye, with nothing on the top lid. But make-up styles follow fashion just like everything else and it’s good to refresh your look to stop yourself from looking dated. See my tip number 6 further down. (Apart from anything this way of doing it just makes your eyes look droopy and tired.)

Here are a few tips to help you look fresh and polished without being over made up

1. Stay hydrated: Make-up looks best when it’s applied to good skin. Keep your skin hydrated by drinking lots of water and moisturising daily using a product especially formulated for the face. Exfoliating once or twice a week helps remove dead skin cells and leaves your skin looking fresher and more radiant, too.

2. Primer: These help your make-up last longer. There are many different types, some help to smooth out fine lines, others to minimise pores. There are eye make-up primers and lipstick primers too – but I find they aren’t necessary if you follow my steps.

3. Concealer: Use to minimise shadows and blemishes. A concealer with light reflective particles is great for hiding shadows, and is best used over the top of foundation, otherwise the foundation will dull down the particles.

If you’re trying to cover eye bags, try a matte concealer as this helps them recede – anything reflective would bring them further forward.

4. Foundation: There are so many types to choose from, it really depends on the type of finish you want.To find the right colour, try shades against your jaw line – the right colour shouldn’t show. Remember, you’re not adding colour to your skin with foundation, its job is to even out your skin tone and provide a base. Apply the foundation all over your face, starting at your nose and blending outwards, including eyelids and lips – this helps your eye make-up and lipstick stay put.

5. Powder: Set liquid foundation with powder, as this prevents it from ‘melting’ and helps it last longer. Use a kabuki brush – with a short stem and dense bristles – to give your face a dusting. I find that using circular ‘buffing’ movements helps it to really set the foundation and leave you with a lovely finish.

6. Eyes: As the elasticity goes in our skin as we get older, our eyelids can seem a bit droopy or saggy. The best way to apply eyeshadow is to use proper brushes, not the fiddly little sponges that you get in the packs. I prefer matte eye shadow as anything shimmery accentuates fine lines.

7. Eyeliner: This is great for accentuating and opening up your eyes, making them look wider and brighter. A soft pencil is easiest to use. Start on the outer corner of the top lid and use soft, feathery strokes as close to your lashes as possible, working your way across the lid. It’s up to you how far across you go – experiment to see which look you prefer.If you want to use it under your eye it’s best to just use on the outer third to avoid looking dated. Don’t leave the pencil as a harsh line – use a cotton bud to just smudge it slightly for a more finished look.

Watch this 49 second video for another eye-opening tip

8. Mascara: There are so many types to choose from – as a general rule those with thick bushy brush applicators are for thickening and those with thinner, rubber applicators are more lengthening.To get the best results, get the applicator as near as possible to the bottom of your lash line and wiggle the brush up and through in a zig zag motion. Let it dry before applying a second coat to avoid clumps. Don’t pump your mascara as this just dries it out and doesn’t help with clumping.

9. Blusher: For a youthful glow apply with a large brush on the apples of your cheeks.

10. Lips: Use a lip liner to outline your lips, choosing a colour close to your lipstick. You can colour all of your lips in with lip liner and finish off with gloss or lipstick. Remember, darker colours are more likely to bleed into fine lines than lighter ones and will make your lips look smaller. You can buy clear, waxy lip liner/primer products that help prevent feathering, too. Try to choose tones that are harmonious with your natural colouring – peach and coral shades for warm skin tones, pinks and mulberry for cooler undertones.

So whether you like the barely there look or the full-on approach, it’s worth having a think about your products, shades and techniques as you get older, to keep you looking fabulous every day…

Here’s what a few of my clients have said regarding the Make Up for Your Fab 40+ Years

“Definitely recommend the package of tutorials, lots of tips and ideas, including a 3-minute version.” Sarah Fox

“I’m so pleased I signed up to your makeup online for fab 40 it's a brilliant course. I'm learning loads.” Jo Reese

“What’s brilliant about this is the bite size pieces…stop and start as you need." Diana Pasek Atkinson

“Top tips from a top-class teacher” Sue McFarlane

You can get the tutorials straight to your inbox now. 

Make Up for Your Fab 40+ Years Buy Now

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Make Up for Your Fab 40+ Years - mini video tutorials to guide you through the make-up maze step by step, Click here to buy 

Tropic Skin Care and Make Up as recommended by me click here to view their website

Capsule Wardrobe eStyle Manuals now available access my blueprints for getting umpteen outfits out of a few items - mix and match to the max - STOP PRESS I've decided to put them on a special rate from now until the end of the official lock down use the Coupon Code CV19 – they are just ￡19 too

Scarf Selfie E-Book Lockdown 2020…a different scarf for 31 days, scarf tying and other style tips and advice PLUS the bonus e-book 5 Powerful Ways to Apply Colour Magic for just ￡5. I’m donating 20% of my profits from this to NHS Charities Together for their COVID19 urgent appeal.

Ps. If you want more tips make sure to follow me on  Facebook, subscribe to my YouTube channel and check out my blogs on my website.

www.lisanewportstyle.com

Lisa Newport: image consultant and colour geek. I work with savvy women helping you express your identity and hone the language of colour, image, and style. I'm an experienced trainer and can be booked to speak and deliver workshops face to face and online get in touch with me [email protected]