Curated Tips From The Pros
…for makeup and hair! Town and Country does an update of this article several times a year. (I did a post on the skin care portion of these lists, earlier this year.) This list is curated from the last two published articles, minus all their links to expensive products they are sponsoring. (Any links below, are just my favorites - no sponsoring anything here at this time.)
We have a universal desire to look fresh and healthy, no matter our age…
Makeup…
Exfoliation is the key to smooth makeup. You want to get rid of any dry patches that makeup can grab on to. You can do this manually with a scrub or with a mild mask/peel. Derma planning is also great for this. Don’t leave out your lips!
Take the time to prime - when using a makeup primer, it should be light, easily absorbing and hydrating, and make sure it is not too emollient. If it is, the makeup will slide all over the place and settle in creases. Find one with hyaluronic acid in the formula.
Use products that color correct. Green will counteract redness, apricot/orange will counteract dark blue circles.
Prep undereye areas before your concealer. After concealer and foundation, a little brightener is a good idea. (Touch Eclat or Trish McEvoy is good for this.)
Be sparing with foundation. Instead of slathering thick foundation all over, use a spot corrector on problems, (Cle de Peau is still a favorite, pricey but very good and lasts forever. I’m trying one from IT Cosmetics also.) and then even things out with your foundation.
Avoid matte foundation or powder blush. Use a cream blush - it adds a glow to skin. There are lots of great lip + cheek sticks out there…
Watch where you place your blush - you don’t want two little circles on your apples. Start there and blend outward. Blend, baby, blend.
Warmer cheek colors are nice for a washed out face. Corals and pinky nudes are good. And adding a bronzer, especially in the summer, is great. I like a bronzing highlighter in the warmer months. Apply bronzer just over forehead and above blush.
Place highlighter in specific areas. A little sheen on mature skin is a good thing - it keeps your complexion looking youthful. Best placement is upper cheekbone, cupid’s bow, inner eye, length of nose and forehead. (I like this one by Glossier - a clean line.)
Prep your lips with moisturizer and then concealer with your fingertip, especially before a darker or brighter lip color.
Fake fuller lips with a neutral liner and cover with color and gloss.
Switch from thick lipstick to a lip tint. This will stain your lips with color, and then you can add fullness and sheen with gloss.
If you like a thicker lipstick use a hydrating formula. Dark shades will bleed worse than lighter softer looks, so those should be used with a primer and a liner.
Swap out your jet black eye liner. I wore it to a daytime event last year and I look like Johnny Depp in the pictures. A soft kohl pencil is good or a gel eyeliner. Try a dark brown or charcoal gray.
Define the lash line with your liner - press into the lash line.
If you have very sparse lashes, layer your mascara!
Embrace thicker brows - bolder defined brows will frame your eyes and give a more youthful appearance.
Neutral or nude nails are always great on aging hands. And stick to warmer colors here. When I have tried blues, or purples, or anything cool, well, we’re talking corpselike…. You know what’s really pretty? A french polish with a wash of pale pink over it.
Hair…
Wear more ponytails - nothing says youthful and chic like a messy pony! Embrace it if you can.
If you are still coloring your hair, ask for warmer tones. Have them apply toner regularly, to avoid yellowing.
If you are white or gray, keep your natural color from yellowing, also with toner.
Consider long bangs or fringe at the sides of your face - they soften facial features. Layers add movement and texture - you don’t want stiff or severe hair.
Rinse hair with cool water - it locks in conditioner and adds shine.
Deep condition hair every other week or so.