Makeup Over 40

Makeup over 40 isn’t the same as when you were in your 20s and 30s.  As you age, your skin changes and let’s face it — your looks change.  Where you once could get by with mascara, lipgoss and some powder, now you need foundation, eye makeup, blush, lipstick and more just to get the same effect.

You might have been noticing changes all along, or maybe you woke up one day (today?) and realized that fine lines and dry skin have made an appearance, along with skin that isn’t taut anymore.  And is that a wrinkle trying to peek out?

Makeup Has Changed

If you’re in your 40s, you’ve probably seen a lot of changes in makeup over the years.  Or you could be like me and not have changed your makeup for years, not knowing there were other (maybe better) alternatives.

And the looks we once wore in our 20s and 30s aren’t as practical anymore.  If you favor a “natural” look, it’s going to take more cosmetics to get that effect.  And if you favor more dramatic looks, lots of dark eyeliner and glittery eyeshadows might not look as good anymore. 

Colors you once wore in makeup no longer quite seem the same, because the tone of your skin has changed.

What’s a woman to do, aside from going out and spending a zillion dollars in new makeup?

Concealer Makeup

Makeup over 40 is a lot about concealing — fine lines, blotches, age spots, dark circles and more.  But concealer makeup is your friend and can help you wipe the effects of time from your face.

You’re probably familiar with an under eye concealer for dark circles, but there are a multitude of concealers these days; it’s not just something that looks like a cream lipstick rubbed under your eyes.

While I’ll go into the different kinds of concealers in other posts, it’s one thing where you probably do want to spend a little money to get the one best for you.

Foundation Makeup

Another area for you to re-evaluate is your foundation makeup.  Whether you don’t wear it or you haven’t changed it for years, it’s time to take a good look.

Once we reach our 40s, our skin tone becomes more uneven.  Rosacea may be making an appearance, sending blossoms of red where you don’t want them.  Fine lines may be making an appearance.

A good foundation will not only hide rosacea and even out skin tone, but can also help to hide fine lines.  If you’ve traditionally used a sheer to medium coverage, it might be time to look at a foundation with more complete coverage.

Makeup Primer

Ever wish you could get your makeup to glide on, then look great all day without touch-ups?  It’s truly amazing what makeup primers can do, both for your makeup and your skin.  For example, check out some information on eye shadow primer, and why you will want to add primers to your makeup aresenal for beating back the clock!

Makeup Over 40

Makeup over 40 isn’t only about concealing, but also about having some fun!  If you’ve not changed your makeup, or makeup style, for years, it’s time to check out some new products and new looks.  But there’s one thing I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention — your health.

Yes, your health has a lot to do with your looks.  For example, if you don’t drink enough water, your under-eye bags might get puffier.  Antioxidants help your skin combat the ravages of stress.  So while you’re checking out some new makeup, also keep in mind any vitamins or minerals you might also be ignoring.

Make up over 40 is different, for sure.  But it’s also a chance to discover a lovely new look that could take years off your looks, and have others asking for your secret!

Foundation over 40; what should you use?  Liquid, mousse, powder or mineral?  And how should you apply it so that it looks best?  We’ll talk about all these things for make up over 40.

My Face, No Foundation, Plenty of Redness and Capillaries

Skin Over 40

Let’s first talk about your skin.  It’s not as taut as it used to be, and the tone is more uneven.  You might have age spots or sun damage.  Then there are the lines and possibly wrinkles.   Not to mention the occasional adult acne breakout!

Add in rosacea and the appearance of capillaries and there’s more to hide when it comes to skin over 40.

Your skin may be dry, normal (lucky you), combination or oily.  But for each skin type, you need moisture; it just depends on your skin what kind of moisturizer you need to use.

So the very first step is finding — and using — a moisturizer appropriate for your skin type.  And yes, oily skin needs moisturizer as well.  Apply the moisturizer before you apply your foundation!

Foundation Types

There are loads of different foundation types these days.  Liquid you’re likely quite familiar with; possibly cream foundation as well.  But newer on the scene are mousses and minerals.

My Face a Minute Later, After Putting on Mineral Foundation

Each type of foundation has its pros and cons.  And while all of them work well in general, not all of them may work well on you.  Yes, you’ll need to experiment a bit.

One thing to keep in mind as you’re choosing your facial foundation is your coverage.  If you’ve been using a foundation with sheer coverage for a long time, you probably want to think about bumping that up to medium or full coverage.  Like I mentioned before, after 40, we have more to hide (unfortunate but true).

In these photos, you see the foundation makeup I am using.  The before photo is kind of scary; I didn’t know I had that many capillaries showing!  But as you can see from the after photo, it’s pretty much been covered up.  (Makeup used:  Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals foundation, medium beige.)

(Here’s a post with more info about mineral makeup over 40.)

Foundation Over 40

Naturally minerals are the only kind of foundation.  Liquids, mousses and creams are also good.  I’d stay away from a cream-to-powder type, though, unless you are pleased with one you are already using.

Something relatively new out on the market are anti-aging and/or skin firming foundations.  I personally haven’t tried any yet (I like my minerals), but I am considering LORAC’s Breakthrough Performance, which looks interesting and seems to get good reviews.

A couple more to intrigue are Laura Geller’s Phenomenal (liquid) and the Elizabeth Arden Mousse.  (I’d really like to try the mousse, but alas, it’s not for those with very oily skin.)

What about drugstore brands?  I can’t offer much in the way of advice (as I quit using drug store brand foundations about 10 years ago), but if I had to choose, I’d try something from Clinique or L’Oreal.  Of course, these are my own opinions, so take it for what it’s worth.

If you’d like to browse and read reviews, here are some foundations to take a peek at.

What it all comes down to is this; when you’ve reached a certain age, your skin needs help.  Days of little to no makeup when going out in public are gone.  Foundation over 40 is something you need to wear.  Choose the right one (the right one for you, that is) and it can even help your skin.

One More Thing…

This will be another post, but before you put on that foundation makeup, you might want to put on a facial primer, first.  Yes, they too are fairly new on the scene.  I’ve tried some and have to say that so far they are awesome.  Post and review coming soon, so stay tuned!

Mineral makeup over 40; does it really work to make you look younger?  Or is it just another makeup that does its job but not much more?

Mineral makeup does work beautifully, and it can work for a lot of women over 40.  And yes, the glow it gives you can take years off your looks.  Let’s take a look at who benefits from this marvelous makeup and who should perhaps stay away from it.

What is Mineral Makeup?

Mineral makeup is different from traditional makeup. For one, there are fewer ingredients.  Another, there are no preservatives needed, because these are minerals, and not anything organic.  Mineral cosmetics can last for years and years without going bad, because there is nothing to go bad.  And I know this to be true; I have a blush that is at least 6 years old and it’s just as good as the day I first opened it.

With no synthetic ingredients, parabens or preservatives, many believe mineral makeup is better for your skin.  In fact, the leading mineral makeup manufactuer, Bare Escentuals, claims that their makeup is so good for your skin that you can actually sleep in it.

How Does It Work?

Because of the minerals used, this makeup tends to give your skin a gentle glow or radiance.  One of the best examples I can give is with pearls.

A good-quality pearl has a glow that hides imperfections.  A pearl might have bumps or other surface imperfections, but because of the glow, you don’t notice them.

Mineral makeup treats your skin the same way; small imperfections seem to disappear, and your skin appears younger-looking.

Mineral Makeup Over 40

The  next question is this:  is it right for everyone over 40?  Like with any makeup, it depends on the person, but I’ve only seen once instance where mineral makeup was definitely not the best option.

If you have very dry skin with deep wrinkles, mineral makeup might not be for you.  However, any skin type (dry, oily, normal, combination) without deep wrinkles can look better with this type of cosmetic.

There is one thing to consider for mineral makeup over 40, and that is coverage.  You can get everything from sheer to full coverage with minerals, but there is something to be aware of when it comes to the full coverage.

Mineral makeup is designed to be applied in layers, and buffed in between each layer.  If you put on one thick layer and don’t buff it in properly, I can guarantee it won’t look good — cakey and will slide off your face in a couple of hours.

But put on properly, mineral makeup will last all day.  Even though I’m close to 50, I still have extremely oily skin, and the minerals I use (Bare Escentuals) lasts all day with just a puff of Mineral Veil after about 5 hours, without disappearing and with virtually no oil shine.

Foundation, Eye Shadow, Blush and More!

Mineral cosmetics comes in the form of foundations, eye shadows, blush, bronzers and more.  One of the most famous of the mineral makeups is Bare Minerals Mineral Veil, which is used to set your final makup.  Personally, I think it’s an awesome product, and I wouldn’t be without it, no matter what other kinds of makeup I wore.

If you’ve never worn mineral makeup before, I do recommend buying one of the Get Started kits — one for the face and one for the eyes and lips.  They are a great value, seeing as you get not only the makeup, but makeup brushes as well.

Mineral makeup over 40 is definitely an option, and one I recommend.  (Try a starter kit, and even if you don’t find mineral makeup right for you, you’ll still have some very nice makeup brushes to use.)  Enjoy your swirl, tap and buff!