What can makeup do for me when I’m 40+ and I like a very natural look? A barely-there, nude, anti-aging makeup…? Definitely one of the questions I hear very often during my makeup classes.
Today, women who are 40+ feel young and full of energy and they want to look exactly like that. But what exactly is anti-aging makeup all about? Why not just go on doing the same makeup as when you were 16?
What exactly is anti-aging makeup?
Most makeup product on the market today were developed for young and smooth skin. These products work very well for this skin type, but often have a very unfavorable effect on mature, more textured skin. Especially foundation and concealer often make mature skin appear wrinkled and dry, lines become more visible.
The good news is: Products which don’t have this unflattering effect on mature skin do exist! Not easy to find sometimes. But as I spend a lot of time researching and testing products, I end up finding them.
Here I want to share with you some of my favorites. You’ll find them in the video tutorial and the product list hereunder. Apart from the products I use ithe video I found for you plenty of alternatives.
What they all have in common is to be lightweight and provide a natural glow and freshness.
What about the right techniques for anti-aging makeup?
Are there any particular application techniques to natural anti-aging makeup? Yes, there are! You want to smoothen lines, and bring on glow and firmness. But it’s all quite simple, rest assured. It it’s a’s essentially all about softening and blending. Hard lines will give you hard features. A blurry softness is what you’re after!
In this video, I’ll show you step by step how to work a natural anti-aging makeup, with smooth and flawless skin, with a transparent “nude” finish. With a delicate eye makeup that opens and brings out your eyes. With naturally groomed eyebrows, a hint of blush and a lip in a fresh and rosy pink. All in lightweight, “barely there” textures. In short: a very nude anti-aging makeup.
The secret for flawless skin over 40: products which are efficient but ultra lightweight
Moisturizing is key: mature skin is very fine and often dehydrated. Dry skin never looks good with makeup because the pigments get stuck and make dry skin look even drier. Therefore all makeup application starts with a good moisturizer. “Good” meaning not too rich either to avoid the makeup “sliding” on the overly oily skin.
For the most beautiful looking skin you want to use highly efficient products which still are “light”, and apply them in a very precise manner, exactly where needed.
I like to work with two different foundations: one super light fondation for general evenness. The other one, which is a high coverage texture, I use in tiny amounts to conceal imperfections. This product may be replaced with a concealer. (Here is a blog post which is entirely dedicated to anti-aging concealer.)
Super important: whatever skin product you prefer, they all have to be chosen in precisely your skin tone. Learn how to determine your skintone and find your perfectly matching foundation in this post.
An all gentle anti-aging eye makeup
Especially important for anti-aging eye makeup I find are eyelash curlers. My favorite tools, I use them to “open up” the eyes, make them look big and awake. You want to know more about this? Find more information, including my favorite eyelash curlers and a step-by-step manual, in this post.
With my favorite espresso colored eye pencil, I then draw a soft line on the upper eyelid along the lashline, and a bit lighter one under the eye. (The dark brown will bring out the blue of Anne’s eyes.)
I smudge and blend the lines very carefully for a soft and velvety result.
Generally speaking, all hard lines should be avoided, along with too bold colors and strong contrasts. Softness is your anti-aging ally.
As far as mascara is concerned, it’s all in the application technique: for the best volume effect you want to get a maximum of product into the roots of your lashes. The ends should be kept rather light.
Blush and lipcolor: bring on some freshness
A hint of peachy rosy cream blush brings some open air freshness. For an anti-aging effect I like to apply it rather high up on the cheekbones and in an oval shape. This looks much more natural than the diagonal “beams” that are seen so often. Well, the fact that they are seen as blush says all… A natural blush should just be a fresh face without any visible product.
Be careful with contouring! When it comes to anti-aging makeup I generally advise against it because mature women oftentimes have naturally more hollow faces. And reinforcing the hollowness will more often than not just look tired.
A super transparent rosy lip color will finish this flattering look. For anti-aging makeup I like creamy textures which will smoothen and soften lips, rather than matte textures which tend to make lips look thin and hard.
You can always add some lip pencil in exactly your lip color to outline and correct and give a bit more dimension to your lips.
THE PRODUCTS I USED IN THIS VIDEO:
Face:
The cream I used when shooting this video has since been discontinued. This all-time favorite replaces it perfectly: Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Revitalizing Cream.
Foundation A, transparent and lightweight: MAC, Face and body foundation, col. C4. Alternatively: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer.
Foundation B, high-coverage: Shu Uemura, Face Architect, col. 554, like all Shu Uemura makeup products sadly no longer available in Europe. It can be replaced by Nars’ Radiant Creamy Concealer.
Brush: MAC219
Eyes:
Eye pencil: Lancôme, Crayon Khôl, col. brun 028. Alternatively: MAC, Coffee pencil.
Brush: MAC242
Mascara: Gemey Maybelline, Volum’Express, col. noir 01, alternatively: Lancôme Hypnose.
Spoolie brush: MAC
Eyebrow pencil: Shu Uemura, Crayon à sourcils, col. stone gray 05. This products is, like all Shu Uemura makeup products, sadly no longer available in Europe. It can be replaced by the MAC Stylized pencil.
Brush: Shu Uemura60B. This eyebrow brush can be replaced by the Make Up For Ever brush 270.
Blush:
Blush: Nars, Le Multiple, col. portofino 01
Lips:
Lipstick: Lancôme, L’Absolu Nu, col. mousseline 103. This lipstick is no longer available, it can be replaced by Clinique’s Chubby Stick en Fuller Fig.
For those, who want to know more about anti-aging makeup:
Anti-aging skin makeup: all you need to know!
You’ll find more tips and tricks in this post dedicated to anti-aging skin makeup: Which are the most lightweight and invisible textures? What textures should you choose? Which are the best application techniques for a lightweight and long-lasting result? All you need to know for a smooth and fresh anti-aging skin makeup.
And anti-aging eye makeup…?
All the answers are to be found in this post: Which are the most flattering colours? The most beautiful textures and the application techniques which will result in a lightweight, yet long lasting makeup.
And also, the most common anti-aging makeup mistakes!
Dull skin, visible lines, wrinkles around the lips… Sometimes we do more harm than good with our makeup. Have a look at my list of the most common anti-aging makeup mistakes and learn how to avoid them.
And, of course, your bespoke anti-aging makeup class
Another option, the best one, is of course to come and see me for your bespoke makeup class, your Beauty Coaching!
We’ll find the products and application techniques best suited for your skin, your features and your style and we’ll answer all your beauty questions. I’m looking forward to meeting you!
By Louise Wittlich
(Makeup on the model in the picture by Louise Wittlich)
*All models’s on all pictures of this blog are made up by me, unless otherwise stated.
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