Make Up Techniques: For a Younger Look

By Carol Engelmann –

Makeup has always been fun! We picked up skills along the way by experimenting with colours, textures and every new idea the cosmetic world came up with. Even if makeup techniques were not your strongest point you probably managed with a basic kit, a quick routine and looked great too!

When was the first time we realized we were no longer happy with the effect? Somehow time had taken its toll on our skin and our eyes were losing definition. We began to fret about thinner lips, uneven skin tone and those tiny lines and wrinkles.

Many women find themselves in a makeup rut as they get older. Sometimes life has been so busy that they hardly noticed the changes that were taking place in their looks and certainly had no time to keep up with the innovations in the cosmetic industry.

The good news is there are wonderful products out there today designed to solve our problems. Women in their 50s and 60s represent a huge consumer segment of the cosmetic market. We now have light reflecting powders and foundations with silicone and moisturizers. There are lipsticks and glossers with plumping agents and hydrating ingredients. The big question is what to buy and how to apply?

• The goal has changed. As we get older the aim is to look like we’re not wearing make up. The look is natural and luminous with gentle, defining eye colors and soft, sheer lips.

• Makeup techniques have changed too. Your every day make up will likely include more products like concealer and a primer but with new application techniques they will never look over done or heavy. Let’s take a look at a simple routine to anti age your makeup.

Cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize are the first steps to maintaining a smooth even skin and then comes priming. Learning to use a primer will add a new dimension to your makeup. Most primers contain silicone which leaves your skin feeling silky smooth and looking much brighter. It evens out both the texture and tone of your skin so there’s less to cover up with foundation. It whisks away tiny lines and wrinkles especially around the eyes and mouth preparing a perfect canvas for longer lasting makeup.

Choose a younger, lighter weight foundation as close to your natural color as possible. Look for products with hydrating and light reflecting ingredients to restore that lovely glowy look. Don’t be tempted to apply foundation all over your face. Using a foundation brush apply it only to the areas that need to be corrected, nose, across cheeks and around the mouth and blend into the other areas. This results in a much younger effect.. let your primer do some of the work instead of your foundation.

Concealer may still be necessary under your eyes. Use a yellow based product and blend with peach or pink if shadows are very dark. Getting good results is a matter of experimenting but do avoid white or very light color products.

Toss away your powder blush and treat yourself to a cream blush that will blend and illuminate your face taking 5 years off your age, on the spot! I prefer peachy or coral colors on almost any skin as pink tends to look old but you decide which looks younger and adds to your new, youthful effect.

A luminous veil of silky translucent powder seals the deal with not a trace of matt, or dryness! Use a loose powder and a big brush. Dip into the powder, tap off the excess and dust lightly over your face and you’re almost ready.

Eye shadows today are so finely milled that they smooth on and stay put like never before and we can choose from a palette of soft hues and harmonious neutral colors. Use a light shade on the lid and a complementary one in the socket and blend. Take a very soft pencil and trace a line very close to the top lashes and smudge it softly. To add more definition line the lower lashes softly too but only to the middle. Taking the line further makes the eyes look smaller! Choose a lengthening or volumizing mascara in brownish black but avoid those with tiny filaments.

These are geared to the younger generation and often the filaments land under the eyes and form a dark shadow. It is better to apply 2 coats of a thinner mascara that we can trust to stay put for the day!

Finish with a soft creamy lipstick applied with a brush to get a more even line. If you use a pencil to outline first, choose the same color as your lipstick because dark lip lines look very dated. Dark lipsticks can make us look washed out too and make our teeth look yellow. Dab a light gloss onto the centre of lips to add optical volume.

Take time choosing your products and when you get them home experiment with the new make up techniques before making them part of your daily routine. This builds your makeup skills and you’ll find the confidence to show the world the most attractive version of you!

Carol Engelmann is founder of the AntiAginginAction Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/antiaging4maturewomen and website: http://anti-aging-4-mature-women.com/ AntiAging4MatureWomen, a website dedicated to women over 60. Passionate about aging well, Carol inspires women all over the world to boost energy and vitality by staying fit and healthy! Her goal is to raise beauty confidence in older women and encourage them to re-invent the rest of their lives!