There’s a beauty in ageing gracefully, and the best way to do that is to stick to a skincare routine filled with natural ingredients that nourish the skin. It’s also key to use makeup to complement your skin and enhance what you have — not hide it!
Instead of piling on the products, focus on boosting hydration and radiance with the right techniques and makeup for mature skin.
Here are our 5 best tips for flawless makeup at 50 and beyond.
#1 First and foremost, Hydrate
Applying makeup to older skin starts with skincare, so take the time to prep your skin. After cleansing, toning and applying your targeted serums, massage in 1-2 drops of face oil. Then, seal in all that goodness and hydrate your skin with a nourishing moisturiser. This will plump up your complexion and give it a healthy, youthful radiance.
It’s essential to prime your skin before makeup, too. In your 50s, you may be dealing with fine lines and larger pores, and a primer can help to smooth out your skin and blur imperfections so your foundation glides on better. The goal is a glowy finish, so avoid mattifying primers and opt for a hydrating formula that won’t reduce your skin’s natural shine.
DB recommends: The Skin Quencher Primer and Moisturiser is a weightless yet beautifully hydrating primer and moisturiser combined. A little goes a long way, and the best makeup primer for mature skin will leave your skin looking dewy.
#2 Less is more when it comes to Foundation
Once your hydrating primer has absorbed, reach for a creamy liquid foundation — and apply it conservatively. Your makeup should look like a second skin, so you don’t want to “cake” on your foundation or use a powder product that settles into and accentuates your fine lines.
The centre of the face is the area that’s prone to redness and blemishes, and usually needs the most coverage. So, begin by dotting a little foundation for mature skin on your forehead, nose and chin, then blend outwards towards your ears, hairline and neck. There should be barely any foundation around the perimeter of your face, because you don’t need it!
For the best results, use a damp sponge or fluffy brush to buff out any harsh lines and leave you with a natural finish.
DB recommends: The Skin Renew Ceramide Foundation is the best foundation for mature skin over 50, and the Stay Golden 8 Piece Makeup Brush Set is the perfect pair. We suggest choosing a slightly warmer shade for the foundation. As we age, our skin gets pallid and exact match foundation can make us look washed out.
#3 Upgrade your Eye Makeup techniques
Our eyelids can wrinkle and become more hooded as we age, which can make it difficult to apply eye makeup for older women.
But don’t worry, there are a few tricks that can make it easier!
- Always prime your eyelids. Even if you don’t have oily eyelids, a primer can help to even out your skin tone and neutralise any purple, blue or red tones on your eyelids. Plus, it will make your eye makeup last longer.
- Curl your lashes. This is a surefire way to open up your eyes and look more awake.
- Dot your eyeliner, rather than dragging it. You’re probably used to swiping an eyeliner pencil across your lid and being good to go. But at 50, the process isn’t as smooth. It’s a good idea to dot a pencil along your upper lash line and then smudging it with a small brush. Liquid liners are great, too, because they don’t tug at the skin.
- Go for brown or jewel-toned eyeliners. Black eyeliner can look harsh on mature skin. Reach for a Chocolate Brown, Navy or emerald green eyeliner and wait for the compliments to roll in!
- Move away from brown and beige eyeshadows. Brown shadows have yellow or red pigments, which can accentuate any redness in your eyes and make you look tired. And beige shadows may not cover natural discolouration on your lids.
DB recommends: The Kohl Eye Pencil has a creamy formula that glides onto the skin, while the Pigment Plus Water Resistant Retractable Eyeliner is ultra-pigmented for eye-popping colour.
#4 Don't forget to fill in your Brows
A lifetime of waxing, threading and tweezing can mean your brows stop growing back at a certain age. The thin brows of the 90s are long gone, so that’s why brow products are a must-have.
Using a brow gel, brush your eyebrow hairs upwards and outwards for a fluffier look. Then, go back and fill in any sparse spots, making sure each hair is coated in colour. This will leave your brows looking fuller and bolder, with very little effort on your part.
DB recommends: Short, feathery strokes with the Brow Power Tinted Brow Gel or the Un-Brow-Lievable Clear Brow Gel will leave you with a gorgeous natural brow.
#5 Rely on Lip Liner
Over time, the border of our lips soften as wrinkles come in. This can make lipstick “bleed” and our lips look asymmetrical.
But there’s no need to say bye to your favourite lippy. Just add a lip liner to your routine — this will even out the lips. Starting from the four outer corners of your lips, draw towards the cupid’s bow or the centre of your bottom lip until you have a full outline. The goal is to apply your liner in four separate strokes, that’s how to put on lip pencil.
Then, apply a creamy, moisturising lipstick using a lip brush. This will help you to blend your lipstick to the edges of your pout for a softer, more youthful look.
DB recommends: The Pigment Pout Longwear Lip Liner goes on smoothly and lasts all day, and the Lush Moisturising Lipstick is the best hydrating lipstick. It has a semi-shiny finish and comes in a huge array of colours. Remember, makeup is meant to be fun, so don’t lose sight of that!
Shop the best Makeup for Mature Skin
Just like how we switch to richer, more nourishing products as we age, it’s just as important to make small changes to the way you apply makeup. Hopefully, these simple tips have taught you how to use makeup to amplify your best features and create a look you can’t wait to show off.
For makeup that doubles as skincare, shop vegan makeup online, and get free standard shipping on all orders over $50.