Ever walked into Sephora hoping to find makeup for a special occasion or maybe just makeup that won't make you look washed out at the church homecoming, and walk out with a makeover more suitable for a night of clubbing?
Me too. So what is a sophisticated, vintage woman supposed to do for a Christmas Party or New Year's eve. Should we go with the "Smokey eye" or the "Kardashian Contour?"
Those looks may be more suited for the twenty-six year old makeup artist at the Sephora counter or maybe Tammy Faye Baker but they are not suitable for women over 40. According to Prevention Magazine ( I know, not exactly Cosmo but bare with me here) Make up tips for women over 40,,
Women over 40 should find new products that work with their lifestyle and skin. Almost no one walks around with the robin's egg blue eyeliner that we wore in high school, but truthfully many of us still follow the same makeup routines we wore in our 20's and 30's or we give up and follow no makeup routine at all (guilty).
Here are some tips gathered from a variety of sources; none of them, me, (Hey, I have to do my research, this Mary Kay consultant thing has a very long learning curve) which focus on the areas that most women find challenging: foundation, eyes, brows, cheeks, lips.
Foundation: Prevention magazine states that foundation is very important for aging skin and should not be skipped. Foundation adds color and depth to aging skin which can appear thin, ashy, and dry. It also protects against sun exposure, and provides a barrier for your skin against pollution. According to Mary Kay.com, the key to smooth, even foundation coverage is using good skin care. Every thing looks better on a clean, smooth, canvas, so as we discussed in an earlier blog, clean, moisturized skin is very important. Next, you want to use a primer and then a moisturizing foundation which provides hydration for dry, aging skin (thanks, Prevention.com). I like Mary Kay CC Cream. It provides light, oil free moisturization, and UVA/UVB protection. CC cream colors range from very light to deep and works well with all skin types.
Cheeks: Cheeks lose the luster of youth as we age, blood circulation to the skin slows with age and makes cheeks appear more sallow. On the flip side, loss of fatty tissue in the face can create nice hollows, and Angelina Jolie cheekbones, unless you have a pie face like me. Mary Kay.com suggests using bright, peachy, or pink cheek color or a bronzer applied to the tops of the cheek bones. If you lay your index finger below your eye socket and diagonal to your ear; you should be able to find your cheek bones. Sweep foundation up the cheek bones and toward your ear in small circular motions, this softens the line and keeps your face from looking like the side of your Nike sneaker.
Eyes: Eye lids tend to shrink and droop as we age, smaller lids get warmer which leads to shadows, creasing and melting into fine lines on the eyelids (Prevention.com). Eye shadow primer, smooths out eyelids and prevents creasing. A light concealer and powder shadow should be used under the eye to softly define the shape of the eye and lift and brighten the eye. Cream eye shadows, like Mary Kay cream eye color can also provide a base coat for powder formulas and give all day crease proof coverage. Older women should also shy away from black, liquid eyeliner, and stick to softer colored pencils in shades of gray or brown, darker eye shadows can also be applied with a slanted brush to provide more drama or used to soften black pencil or gel liner if you are going for the Adele look. Prevention states that it is important to focus on brows which can become duller, and more sparse with age. Follow the shape of the eye brow using eye shadows and a soft brush or a brow pencil in short, soft, sweeping motions. Never over pluck eyebrows and leave waxing and shaping to a professional. Eye lash curlers should be used to curl lashes prior to applying mascara. An eyelash primer like Mary Kay eye lash primer can provide definition, intensify lash volume and length, and make mascara almost water resistant. You can't sweat it off if with intense exercise or if for some reason you suddenly become warm. Make up artists from make up advice for women over forty suggests that mature women should wear a lengthening mascara to give more definition to older lashes because thicker volumizing formulas adds to much weight and can cause clumping which emphasizes age rather than lift. Mary Kay Lash Love Lengthening formula is an easy to use mascara that provides great length and definition to lashes.
Lips: Collagen breaks down with UVA/UVB exposure as we age. Changes in collagen also cause lips to shrink and become drier. Prevention.com suggests using a matte lipstick and lipliner. Mary Kay Satin Lips exfoliates, softens and moisturizes dry lips. Neutral lip liner, a satin lip color like True Dimensions Tuscan Rose and Nourishing Lop Gloss in Pink Luster give lips a pop of color.
For Special Occasions Mary Kay Make up artists suggest trying a sparkling, bright eye.
Step 1: Apply moonstone mineral eye color all over the eyelid. Concentrate color on the inner corner of the eyes as well as on the brow bone.
Step 2: Apply silver satin eye color to just above the crease and along the lower lash base.
Step 3: Finish with Steely eye liner on upper lash line, and use a smudger brush to soften the look. For added drama try wing tipped eyeliner on the upper lashes. Use gel eyeliner or use mineral eye color in coal and the angled tip of the brow brush to wing out eye liner on the upper lid.
For more information on Mary Kay cosmetics: Check out my web site at http:marykay.com/ssmith98853
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