Makeup is meant to enhance your features—but the same techniques that worked in your 20s and 30s might not be doing you any favors in your 40s and beyond. If your go-to look is suddenly feeling harsh, heavy, or outdated, it might be time for a routine refresh.
Enter Katie Moyer, a professional makeup artist with over 20 years of experience and a passion for helping women over 40 look and feel their best. Specializing in beauty, fashion, and lifestyle for women embracing midlife, Katie has developed a signature approach that flatters mature skin, lifts the face, and makes the eyes pop—without adding years.
“These tweaks aren’t about hiding your age—they’re about enhancing your natural features with intention and grace,” Katie says. Here are her top 10 expert-approved makeup tips that can make a dramatic difference:
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1. Frame Your Face with Brows
Comb and fill your brows to align with your natural plumb lines—this small step can instantly lift and define your features.
2. Take Eyeshadow Higher
To disguise hooded eyes, extend your eyeshadow slightly above the crease. “It creates the illusion of a lifted lid,” Katie explains.
3. Switch to Softer Eyeliners
Ditch the harsh lines—softer, smudged liners with a tapered finish are more flattering and help open up the eyes.
4. Balance Top and Bottom Liner
Keep your bottom liner softer than the top. This subtle trick draws the eye upward and avoids a heavy, closed-off look.
5. Apply in Layers, Not Blocks
Instead of flat, all-over coverage, apply makeup in light layers that emphasize your natural high and low points. Think sculpting, not masking.
6. Powder Only Where Needed
Limit powder use to your T-zone to prevent caking and dryness. Mature skin looks fresher with a light, dewy finish.
7. Warm It Up
Avoid foundations that are too light or ashy. A bit of bronzer adds warmth and a healthy glow—no sun required.
8. Use Concealer Strategically
Concealer should brighten—not mask. Use sparingly, no more than one shade lighter than your skin tone, and only where needed.
9. Lift with Blush
Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks, then blend upward toward your temples. This adds color and lifts the face for a more youthful effect.
10. Soften the Lip Line
Sharp lip lines can age the face. Soften the edges for a more natural, seamless finish that draws attention without overpowering.
With just a few thoughtful adjustments, your makeup routine can go from aging to ageless. Katie’s approach isn’t about covering up—it's about revealing your most confident, radiant self at every stage of life.
