12 Simple Makeup Tips for Midlife Women

We don’t talk much about beauty trends and makeup in midlife because we deeply oppose the anti-aging messaging we witness in beauty industry marketing campaigns. This type of advertising puts too much unrealistic pressure on midlife women not to age. The messages women shouldn’t have wrinkles, gray hair, or sagging skin feed on our vulnerabilities and are wrong. 

We are aging. We shouldn’t hide from it. What we know about aging has evolved, providing us with opportunities to age well and differently than previous generations. It’s time to embrace our age, enjoy life, and live vibrantly into the future. 

Living well as we age and focusing on doing it from the inside out is possible. But, we also understand part of living well is feeling good in whatever ways work for you. If that means wearing trendy clothes, using makeup, using the latest skincare products, or dying your hair, we’re all for it! We do it too! 

In 2021, we were so pleased to work with Multi-Media Make-up Artists Amy Marie Reed and Carmelle Eickhoff. They educated us and other midlife women on how to adapt our makeup routines as we age.  

The information provided was so helpful that we asked them to share a few simple tips to help you make adjustments in your makeup routine so you continue to feel fresh and vibrant in midlife.  

Just like you refresh your wardrobe and update your style, you can use makeup and skincare to reflect your style and personality.

Take care of your skin first! 

• Moisturize. Moisturize. Moisturize. 

• Apply moisturizer before makeup and let it set before applying makeup. 

Use a foundation or tinted moisturizer to even out skin discolorations over the entire face. 

• Apply under the chin and down the neck area and blend well. 

• Use silicone moisturizers under silicone-based foundations. If you use a water-based moisturizer, use a water-based foundation. 

• Switch from cake or powder foundations to one that is cream or liquid.

Reconsider blush.

• Use cream blushes blending to hairline and high on cheekbones. 

Enhance your lips!

• Use lipsticks, glosses, and blushes interchangeably. 

• Avoid frosty lipsticks. 

• Have fun playing with color and top off with a “sticky” clear lip gloss for moisture.

• Avoid “smeary” glosses that will settle into lip lines and smudge. 

• Use your lip liner to fill in your entire lips for a long-wearing, matte lipstick look.

• For smoother, softer lips, use an exfoliator at night. Follow it with a Vitamin E Stick to bring full moisture back to your lips. 

• To prevent your lipstick from bleeding, try semi-matte lipstick. It has less moisture, but moisture is what creates movement of the lipstick. 

• After applying your first layer of lipstick, set your lip look with a translucent powder just like you would set your makeup, and then use another layer of lipstick for a long-lasting hold.

Avoid using too much powder, especially under the eyes. 

• Using a colorless powder over foundations to “set” foundations or conceal pore areas is fine - but less is more. 

Showcase those lashes. 

• Consider using a lash curler to lift lashes. 

• Apply mascara at the very root of lashes - wiggling it to get in the lash line. You may need two coats of mascara and remove any clumps after application.

Take care of your eyelids. 

• Eyelids get oily as time passes, so use an eyeshadow primer to help with shadow adherence and longevity and even out skin discoloration before applying shadow. 

• Stick with soft neutral shadows. Shadows with a sheen are preferable to shimmery or sparkly. 

• Eyeshadow primer is also helpful on lower lashes and lower lid areas to apply shadows used as a replacement for eyeliner. Avoid lighter or shimmery colors on hooded eyes. 

• Replace eyeliner with an eyeshadow in lash lines to darken and enhance lashes. 

Be sure to blend.

• Blend edges of all makeup, whether blush or shadows, to eliminate harsh lines. 

Consider concealers.

•  Start with very thin layers, and be sure not to miss the inner corners of eyes that tend to darken with time. 

• Gently tap concealers with a brush under your eyes or use the warmth of your ring finger to tap in. Less is more!

Set your look.

• Using a final overall face mist with a setting spray helps secure your makeup and make it last. 

Leave your brows to professionals.

• Professionally wax and tint your brows. 

• Touch-up brows with eye shadow or pencils in between maintenance appointments. 

End your day with a clean face!

• Wash makeup entirely off your face and neck every night.
  

Would you like more midlife fashion and style tips? Download Rumblings Media's Fashion After 50 Tips curated by fashion experts to help you edit your closet, build a capsule wardrobe, select swimwear, and more!