Editor’s Note: We firmly believe that every individual woman is beautiful with or without makeup at midlife—but a lot of us have also been playing with the stuff since we were pre-teens, so why should we stop now? Do you have any makeup tips for women over 50? Let us know in the comments!
One morning, not long ago, I was taking a crack-of-dawn vacation flight: I got up at 4 a.m., washed and dried my hair, and dressed in a decent travel outfit. Thinking I’d bypass the usual makeup until landing time—foundation, concealer, powder, liner, mascara, gloss—I left for the airport bare-faced. Whereupon I promptly ran into the father of one of my kids’ friends, whose first words to me were, “Wow, you look exhausted.”
Nice to see you, too.
I tell you this to explain why, for me, getting older means wearing more makeup than I did as a carefree college girl, even though it runs counter to the standard beauty-article advice that you should ease up on the paint as you mature. The thinking: Heavy foundation and powder settles into wrinkles and pores, drawing attention to your age; lipstick bleeds into those little pursed lip lines; and shimmer and shine shed light—literally—on loose skin.
“I think the whole cliché of saying `less is more when you’re older’ is a crock,” says celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose.
But I beg to differ. And so does my favorite celebrity makeup artist, Nick Barose. “I think the whole cliché of saying `less is more when you’re older’ is a crock. Some people look better with less; some people look better with more. It completely depends on your personality,” says the guy who transforms Hollywood’s hottest of every age. “Instead of buying into the idea and risk looking boring, it’s important to embrace your own features and eccentricities.”
The concept of fearlessly embracing your age is the entire mission behind one of YouTube’s most popular beauty vloggers, a 62-year-old Tennessee sensation who goes by Melissa55 (and prefers to keep her last name private). This gorgeous, glam grandmother—who knows so much about makeup that she could teach Bobbi Brown a thing or two—speaks candidly about her refreshing philosophy on beauty.
Melissa55 on You Tube.
Melissa not only proudly and stunningly wears a full face of makeup but delights in showing her fans which products and colors she loves, how she applies them, and how she looks when she doesn’t. “It was really important to me to show that [women my age] still love makeup,” she says. “We still love fashion, we still like to look as beautiful as we can.”
Frankly, I agree. So here’s what I propose: From this point on, let’s change the word rules to ideas. And let’s be perfectly okay ignoring those ideas if they don’t make us feel completely damn hot. The kind of hot that has nothing to do with flashes.
Makeup Tips for Women Over 50: Busting the Myths
Wear heavy foundation…don’t wear heavy foundation…sparkle is great…sparkle is bad. With so much “advice” floating around out there, it’s hard to parse out the good from the bad. Here, from Nick Barose, a few ideas to try…or not, as it suits you. (He’s more than okay with that.) The main point, the essential truth: Go with what works for you.
Old Think: Avoid the urge to bury your lines and wrinkles—they’ll only look more obvious.
New Think: Bury if you wish—but with anti-aging ingredients.
It’s perfectly cool to put a few features in hiding, but choose your product carefully. “Something thick and matte draws attention to those lines,” says Barose, who recommends opting for a hydrating, luminous foundation with anti-aging ingredients. He’s a huge fan of L’Oreal’s Visible Lift Serum Absolute Advanced Age-Reversing Makeup. It comes in a handy pump bottle, has SPF, and costs only $14.95, which pretty much squashes the conventional wisdom that you have to buy expensive products when you’re older because the cheap ones don’t do the job.
Old Think: The older you get, the heavier your foundation should be.
New Think: Choose your favorite weight formula; but always spackle strategically.
There’s an urban makeup myth that says that the super-sheer “BB” (Beauty Balm) Creams are for young pups, and us mature folk need to reach for the full-coverage stuff. But Barose says a. that’s BS, and b. if you do use a heavier foundation, apply it with a damp sponge and only to the places where you need extra coverage. “Blend the rest of the face really sheer, and then follow up with a light reflective powder.” (IT Cosmetics Hello Light Anti-Aging Powder Luminizer is a good one.)
Old Think: Thoroughly cover dark circles and redness.
New Think: Try an optical illusion instead.
Sure, a little (read: little) concealer that reflects light—like Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer—will help disguise discoloration, but so will the trick of moving focus away from the imperfections by amping up features you love. Like giving your cheeks a sheer, bright pop of color, or doing really beautiful lips.
Old Think: Skip bottom eyeliner.
New Think: Yeah, that’s still a good idea.
One of the few myths that’s not. It tends to pull the focus downward toward those dark circles.
Old Think: Line lips with a don’t-budge product to prevent “bleeding.”
New Think: It’s fine to line, but keep things creamy.
When everyone’s telling you that your lip line is fading and you must replace it immediately, take the advice with a grain of salt. That said, if you really like liner, then choose a softly colored gel-based formula (like Lancome’s Le Lipstique Lip Coloring Stick); the exceptional creaminess means it won’t gather in those little lines around the mouth.
A version of this article was originally published in August 2017.
Lorrie Zizza Daley says
I wear “how I feel at any particular time”…..
Teresa Radwan says
ridiculous, she is in her 50’s not her 70’s Of course she should still wear make up
Leslie Mori says
I love the ritual of putting on makeup. I have a fair complexion, light blue-green eyes, and at 53, very grey hair. I look washed out if I don’t do my make-up routine, I know this because my mother tells me so. I do try to make it look natural though, and easy on the sparkles.
Marci Jackson Ward says
You do such a nice job, it looks so natural I didn’t even realize you wear makeup!!
Leslie Mori says
Well thanks Marci Jackson Ward!
Janice Duvall says
Less is more
Toni Rae Carroll says
I haven’t even tried to wear make-up for many, many years. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.
Nancy Hayes says
I’ve gotten really lazy about wearing makeup, but if I do wear it I like to fiddle with a softer version of cat-eye with taupe, rather than dark grey, although I still like the grey for something extra special.
If I’m going to wear mascara, I wear black. It’s not worth the aggravation otherwise.
I never have liked heavy foundation.
Sandra Fulbright-Myers says
I don’t wear makeup at all. Ever.
Susan Stephen says
None. Ever.
Gale Sprinkle Tousignant says
I never have been a big make up wearer, but gray hair with a pop of bright lips looks great. To each their own!
NextTribe says
Agree!
Laura Zabrocki says
For me ~ and I really want to stress, everybody’s different ~ less is more. I avoid any hard lines, and dark or matte lips seem to put ten years on me! Pink blush also has become a no-no… it’s a little on the Baby-Jane side. But I always maintain, a woman should look how she feels most like herself, regardless of what anyone has to say
NextTribe says
Agree!!
globalista57 says
I put more makeup on now than when I was younger however the products are sheer and look more natural than they did thirty years ago. I use a foundation, pore concealer/sunscreen in one then a filler for those pores and lines. After that blush, highlighter and shadow for face sculpting, a bit of mascara and eyebrow pencil or shade. Full lipstick with little to no eyeshadow, even though I have raccoon eyes. LOL.
Lori Richardson says
Far less makeup but more skin care products these days.
Laurie Schrader says
I go barefaced often. I work at home, so easy to do. Proper moisturizer, sunscreen, sure. When I do wear make-up, though- My husband smiles and winks. We often go out with our 26 year old son and his girlfriend, though, and Son is a lot more to the point: “WOW! You look so refreshed.” In my family, my aging is a lot more concerning to my son than my husband.
Hillary Quinn says
That’s really interesting, Laurie. I’m sure you’re grateful for a partner who loves you any way you are!
Laurie Schrader says
Thank you, Hillary. In my 30s, it was popular for many women to start in on things like Botox, etc- a way, my friends told me, to “maintain without pain”. We’d never age. Huh. I was-fairly-unlined then, had fine skin and still, I asked my husband- what do you think about this?
He took my face in his hands, and said “You can do whatever you want. But it would make me very sad to see you alter the face that I fell in love with when we were teens.” Me, 13, him 14- no sweethearts- I never knew until after college, when we met up again.
Huh. I looked in the mirror (and my financial goals) at that point and thought COOL. I’m good, on both fronts.
At almost 54, I never say never, for some things. So far, though? Great facials, lymph draining, an esthetician who’s taught me to keep that up PLUS an old technique- Facercise- totally working!
Debbie L Harris says
Lol same here ????
Lynn says
I’m into good, no a great moisturizer by la Mer, bi-monthly eyelash extensions (the glaucoma drops, yes I’m at that age, are irritating enough so the lashes help avoid on/off daily mascara, not to mention they look great am/pm) and a cream blush with a spf lip gloss/or matte. No face cake makeup. But I live in SW Colorado and full makeup isn’t a priority. Sunscreen and moisture a must have. And sometimes this grandma sneaks a discreet sparkle for music festivals…don’t tell. 😉
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Hillary Quinn says
My lips are sealed, Lynn! (With lipgloss lol.)
Lisa Kay says
Less.
Linda Krantz says
I have never been a ‘heavy’ makeup user, but I do believe that concealer, powder, blush and mascara make me look great…so I use them. Why not?
Hillary Quinn says
Exactly right, Linda!
Stephanie Marinari Schwenk says
Less
Jeannie Ralston says
I wear less–just because of lack of time. For me undereye concealer and eyebrow pencil and lip gloss are my regular going-out look. Only add mascara and foundation and some brighter lipstick when I’m doing something fancy.
Sheila Weller says
Great idea for a piece – and conversation, I wear the same but skip the eye makeup.
sarah says
Same to you 🙂