Putting on makeup at any age can be a time-consuming endeavor, albeit a fun and relaxing one for some of us. But when you’re juggling a household, work, and other obligations, it becomes increasingly important to keep a few great makeup hacks and tips in your back pocket that you can pull out on hectic mornings so that you look and feel your best without wasting hours of time. Add to that the importance of celebrating your skin and features where they are at any age and tips become even more valuable.
Your skin at 45 probably isn’t the exact same way it was at 25. You may be seeing signs of aging like fine lines that don’t respond the same way to the foundation formulation you’ve always used. Or perhaps your skin is drier now and requires more moisture, but you aren’t sure how to make moisture and makeup shake hands and agree to work their magic on your skin without resulting in streaking and caking.
Makeup Artist Rebecca Restrepo has worked with A-list celebrities of all ages including Debra Messing, Leslie Bibb, Lauren Ambrose, Kerry Washington and Carrie Coon. And she has four hacks and product tips for women over 40 (that work for all women) that prove age is just a number.
Choose Skin Tints Over Foundation
It’s not that you can’t or shouldn’t wear foundation over 40 — it’s that less is sometimes more at any age and skin tints are a beautiful compromise between no makeup and heavy makeup. “Skin tints are my first choice for mature skin,” Restrepo says. “They are more lightweight than foundations that tend to sink into fine lines and creases. My current favorite is from Hi Beautiful You – it’s a silky-smooth sheer color gel that has enough pigment to cancel out redness from the sun or heat. It also has antioxidants, alpha lipoic acid, Vitamin A and Vitamin E to help protect the surface of the skin from free radicals.”
Choosing formulas that contain hydrating, nourishing ingredients is a key way to combine good skincare with makeup and keep dry, mature skin moisturized.
Wear Sunscreen Every Day
This is more like a lifestyle tip than a makeup one, but stay with us here: wearing sunscreen every day helps combat the harmful effect of UV rays, which can break down skin cells and collagen and lead to dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and redness in the skin. Finding a great skincare that absorbs and won’t disrupt your makeup routine is also key to ensuring you use it every day.
“One of the most important things for mature skin is sunscreen,” Restrepo says. “I love this option from Whole Foods Market – it’s inexpensive, easy to apply and smells great.”
Refresh Your Skin Throughout the Day
Many of us apply makeup once in the morning and then forget it’s there. But that can sometimes result in our foundation and concealer streaking or becoming cakey on our skin. One quick and soothing way to “check on” your makeup is by giving it an instant fresh with a spritz of moisturizing water, which doubles as a pre-makeup moisturizing primer of sorts.
“Mature skin tends to be drier, so I like to use this Evian Water Mist before applying makeup to refresh skin,” Restrepo says. “It also works to refresh makeup after a few hours to bring it back to life, without having to apply more.”
Choose Blotting Papers To Rid Skin of Excess Oils
If, at some point in the day, your skin gets so shiny it no longer qualifies as “dewy,” you may be tempted to reach for powders that can dim all of that shine. But there’s a way to mattify your skin that doesn’t require additional makeup — blotting papers are cheap, effective, and won’t cause a dent in the foundation you’ve already applied, making them a fantastic choice.
“I like to use blotting papers instead of powder to reduce oil on the face so as not to look cakey,” Restrepo says. “Powders can settle info fine lines or make dry skin appear drier – not ideal for anyone over 50!”
Restrepo’s blotting papers of choice are Muji Cosmetic Paper, which are affordable and come in a convenient travel pack that you can stash in your purse for quick touch-ups.
Your makeup routine doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. Keep these hacks in mind and look great in less time.
