Makeup Must Haves For The Mature And Fabulous Face
If you’re like me and you’re over the age of…..40….(eugh) you’ll notice you probably can’t load yourself up with products like you did in your 20s. Firstly, you may notice that bits start ‘sagging, bagging and dragging’ (as Dolly Parton likes to say) and not all of us have the budget for a ‘nip, tuck and suck’. (Also a Dolly Parton Quote). Noticed your lipstick start to bleed? Perhaps you’re getting piles of makeup creasing up in your eyelids or your under eye bags? Yup. It happens to everyone at some stage.
Dealing with older skin, in my opinion, is about going a little simpler. Even up until 6 months ago, I was still enduring a full face of foundation for an everyday look, however I’m learning that as you head to your mid 40’s, no only can I not be bothered, but things in the body really do start to change, and so does your skin. You may notice you suddenly have open pores, oily skin or redness caused by those mid life hot flushes. Whatever’s going on, being in your 40’s and endeavouring to make yourself look presentable while sweating like a armpit in the dessert can be a challenge so I thought I’d share a couple of great tips to help.
Simple is good. Your skin will love you for it, you’ll save time in the morning and save money in your wallet. A couple of the things I’ve done to make life easier are
- Eyelash extensions. For an hour every couple of weeks I get to lie down, close my eyes and have my lovely lash lady look after my peepers. It not only saves me time getting ready, but since having them I look more alert! Even with very little makeup on I always look prepared and professional! Not every lash technician or salon is the same and remember, your eyes are super important, so search for a salon or practitioner with excellent ratings on google or Facebook. In Auckland I go to Paula at Evelyn Rose Lashes. I’ve been going to her for 2 years and she’s the first lady I’ve had that actually talks about the importance of lash health and lash care.
- Permanent makeup. As we get older many of us lose our eyebrows. This can be from over plucking when we’re young or from health conditions, which was my case. I only have half of each eyebrow so I went to see my friend, professional makeup artist and beauty therapist Romina From Argentina for permanent makeup. Yes, it’s a tattoo on the face so there’s a few risks when you get it done. It’s important to see examples of work the artist has done and read success stories or testimonials. Remember, it’s going to be on your face for a few years, so check out the artwork first. Romina, like most artists, does eyebrows, eyeliner (a must have for people who can’t wear eye makeup) and lips. I love having my eyebrows done. Drawing or plucking the perfect shape for yourself can be a challenge, and as half of mine were missing, I can’t think of the countless shapes I’ve had over the years in my attempt to draw the perfect brows. Easier to do on others, harder to do on yourself and at least now I don’t have to worry!
- Skincare. If you’re not using natural products, you need too. You skin is your biggest organ and as we get older and our cells start to break down it’s harder for our skin to repair. Chemical laden products can permeate the skin and enter the blood stream and if you’re using products for pigmentation that contain bleaches or harsh chemicals, they can unfortunately affect your liver and your health. Opt for natural products and make sure you read the labels because even some natural products are cleverly hiding parabens, nasty sulfates that can irritate the skin and a bunch of other ‘numbers’ – ingredients that are all chemical based. Everyone knows that I’ve used Caithy Organics for years. Their products are all natural, made in NZ, no nasties, no chemicals, no bleaches and not tested on animals. That ticks all the boxes for me. Head to their website, use my name MONIQUE as a coupon code and you’ll receive a discount on your online order. Winning at life. Basically, if you start with great skin, any makeup look you choose to create is going to easily look a million times better to start with!
- Daytime and night time. These 2 looks are really similar, but you transition from day to night simply by adding a little more product and transitioning from a brown to a black eyeliner. Easy right?
Recommended products:
- Caithy Organics Marula Rich Moisturiser: perfect as a base / primer. It has a matt finish so you wont end up looking like a greasy oil slick in the midst of a power surge.
- Radiessence Pressed Powder. My favourite Bronzer. So good and it lasts for ages!
- Matt Lip Paints: If you’ve noticed your lipstick start to bleed, go for one of my matt lip paints
OK: need to send in the artillery? Time to amp it up for an event? Call in the heavy guns….it’s show time.
- 15 colour camouflage palette: If you know your skin is a million different colours and you want to chisel in and create the perfect contour and highlights, this is for you. It’s also great for hiding dark circles, covering hormonal zits or creating the perfect cheekbones!
- Radiessence Invisible Finish Foundation: This is AMAZING! You can wear it as light or as thick as you like and you can use this one product as a foundation and a concealer! It’s a cream foundation, so it’s perfect for mature and fabulous skin.
- FYI: if you’re going to wear something glittery or shimmery, don’t cover your entire eyelid with it! Once you’ve added a darker colour in your crease (of course dependent on your eye shape, but stay with me here….) then you add shimmer from the lash line to the crease. You may need to cover that portion of the eye with a dab of concealer to create an easy to colour canvas.
So, there you go. It doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. It just has to work for you. The best way to learn is to play with your products like I’ve always done and when you find the look that makes you, and everyone around you go WOW, you’ve done it.
Let me know how you go! MX
Hi I'm Monique Bradley.