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Has your beauty routine changed as you've gotten older?
Has your beauty routine changed as you’ve gotten older? Share!
I’m more concerned with texture – can’t get away with some of the high-shine, metallic-y textures on the skin as much as I used to. Sometimes I don’t care, because it’s pretty and the only one I’m trying to make happy with makeup is me, but I definitely appreciate a really flattering texture more now than I used to.
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For the better, yes. I’m a little more educated about what to do than I was before. And what I really like is that I’m not afraid to be adventurous, which I think is important.
It’s not so much due to age as it is a shift in lifestyle. When I was younger, and had more free-time, and would do more elaborate looks on a near-daily basis. However, having to raise a child (who also happens to have autism), I only b have time for the “essentials” most of the time.
Yes, it went from non-existent to having one lol. I do feel that I use more and more product every year. Partially because I need it more (like adding serum to my skin care) and partially because I’m just more and more into makeup. In general, I use a lot less shimmer now and a lot more neutral eye shadow than I used to. I’m also much more likely to wear a bold lipstick vs a gloss.
HAhaha, Yes! When I was in my 20’s, I used to pack on the makeup, using everything possible from fake eye lashes to lip liner; the whole works. Now I am 37, I wear just a bit of makeup and everyone thinks I am younger than my years. Love it 🙂
Well, I dropped a LITTLE of the 90s grunge once the 90s were over (no more silver lipstick or red mascara!). Other than that, my mom taught me from a young age to exfoliate, moisturize, and always wear sunscreen, so I haven’t changed my skincare routine other than to move to all hypoallergenic products.
I’m certainly better educated on skincare than I used to, not to mention WAY more obsessed with make-up. 😉
Yes, now I have to pluck white hair out of my lovely skull :/
I have several changes. First, like you, I can’t wear the shine so much any more, especially on my crepe-y eyelids and cheeks.
I have to be very careful about eyeliner – it’s starting to look too harsh. I’ve taken to lining the upper waterline instead. The result is that my colored eyeliner is useless, everything I put there just shows up black or brown.
Each morning I have to calculate the trade off to wearing under eye concealer, which will inevitability exaggerate my wrinkles vs. letting the dark circles show.
I have to pull back on the eyebrows, dramatic ones look creepy now.
On the plus, red lipstick actually starts to look better!
Oh yes, I used to just the mere basics. Now my routine is a lot more extensive, because I’ve learned a lot over the years and now realize how important it is to take good care of your skin.
Same here and this is especially true of powders for myself. I stay away from talc and anything that’s even mildly drying! I also go easy on jet black liner because I feel it can make me look more tired if Im already kinda tired.
I used to like a totally matte face, except for my lips. As I’ve got older, I’ve actually fallen more in love with pearl/frosted eye products and highlighters and like a dewier finish to my foundations. I still use a mattifying powder but that’s generally only on my nose part-way through the day and, curiously, it is only necessary when I wear my glasses. If I’m wearing contacts, an oily nose isn’t nearly so much a problem.
Absolutely, texture plays a large role in products I feel work or don’t on my skin. I mentioned this the other day, shimmer can be so beautiful on aging skin but it depends on the amount and quality of shimmer and the ‘thickness’ of the texture. I’ve learned to develop a much lighter hand in application, but more importantly to carefully look at your swatches and eye look pics because I have developed an eye for what will work and what is too much. Same story with matte or any products really. Finer texture melts into the skin and never looks heavy/cakey.
Not so sure if it’s my beauty routine so much as my skin – which in turn has led me to make a few changes. I’m 50 now but my skin has never been better – one of the few benefits of aging! I used to struggle with acne and hyper sensitive/reactive skin but for the past few years that has completely gone away. For the first time in my life I’m not scared to try new products – years ago I reacted to everything, so if I did find something that worked, I stayed with it forever (so boring). Now I seem to be past that. So recently I did revamp my entire skincare and makeup routine just because I could! I tried loads of new products, never reacted to any of them, and just ended up choosing the ones I liked best and that seemed to work best for me. It was so much fun!
Yes I’m much more diligent about my skincare routine now. I didn’t really used to stay on top of my cleansing and I didn’t exfoliate at all. Now I make sure to remove all of my makeup before bed and exfoliate once a week. Makeup wise, I’ve gotten a lot more lazy lol. I’m trying to get back into the groove of wearing makeup more often. I almost never feel like fussing with eyeshadow these days lol
Yes! Listen here all younger ladies under 35. Wear all the fun colors, loud, glitter or shimmer you want. Experiment with all the fun stuff now. Unless, you can afford all the Botox , fillers, eyelifts etc… All this will hault after a certain age.
You will have to be hunting for any and all matte eye colors because shimmery shades will not look good on you anymore. For instance the Naked palettes, too shimmery and not enough matte. I see a bunch of lid colors if I am lucky, when I see these.
Cat eye, or liquid eyeliner should not be worn anymore. Too harsh and it accentuates your eye area.
Foundations, depending on your skin will age you. Concealor, the worst.
So all young ladies reading this, take care of your skin now. Stop whatever you are doing to harm it.
Sun, smoke, etc.. that is if you want to continue to wear all the fun stuff for as long as you can.
Forgot to add. Lipsticks are a pain too. All those bold, bright colors with vibrant colors has to come to a hault too.
Not negating your experience, but I don’t think that’s universally the case. I’m almost 50 and I happily use a Naked palette (and some other lightly shimmery palettes), wear foundation (albeit not a heavy one) and love bold, bright lipsticks. There are colors and textures that I stay away from, of course, but I don’t feel like I have to play by any particular rules because of age. As with anything cosmetic, it will always depend on you, your skin and the kind of look you feel comfortable with.
Everyone is different. I’m 44 and I wear all those things with no problem. I do wear them in a more “adult” fashion than I did when I was in my teens and 20s, though (not so much glitter, or a bazillion bright colors at once– I grew up in the 80s).
Right now, I’m rocking revolution’s “Barely There” loose mineral eyeshadow from lid to brow, cobalt liquid eyeliner on my top lid, 3 coats of black mascara, and a super-bright pink lip.
I totally agree with you about taking care of your skin from early on.
I am 35 (turning 36 in 3 months) and my eyes (and the rest of my face) look very young (people often think I’m in my late 20s) so I have no issues with shimmer. I continue to prefer shimmer over matte colors. I don’t wear bold eyecolors or winged liner because they don’t mesh with my lifestyle. As a mom and professional, I don’t really have a time when I need winged black liquid liner or electric colored shadows. But I love smokey eyes and shimmer and even some glittery shades. I also like nice deep lipcolors. I guess there will be a time when I will no longer want to emphasize my eyes but my skin still looks young.
To younger ladies, focus on skincare. Start thinking about it early so you can increase the odds that you look young longer.
I beg to differ. I’ve just hit my 60’s (yikes) and I indulge in all the shimmery eyeshadows I want and blushes with a sheen to them as well. If anything, I find matte shadows to be aging. The Naked palettes – I have 1 and 2 and wear them happily all the time. I would be lost (or hide indoors) without concealer but the trick is to find one that works for you and your skin (this applies at any age, IMO – concealer can be tricky). Foundation evens out the redness and broken capillaries I have developed and makes my skin look great. Again, it’s a matter of finding the foundation that works for your skin. I’ve taken care of skin from a pretty young age and only smoked for 1 year when I was in highschool. I’ve always eschewed the sun and for decades now, sunscreen has been a part of my daily facial care routine. But I don’t think women over 35 (or over 55) need to avoid anything that they like and which they feel looks good on them.
I have to disagree. I am 36 & just because I am 36 I don’t feel like I have to quit having fun with makeup. I wear more makeup now than I did in my twenties & everyone thinks I am younger than I am. I use shimmer eyeshadow, cat eyeliner & whatever else I feel like wearing. Although your style may change with age it doesn’t mean you can’t use a certain item because you are over 35.
Feel the same way! If you can work it after 35, go for it!
I agree with you. I still love my bright vibrant lip and eye colors. I am 40 years old.
I’ll be 41 next week, and I wear it *all*! There are some in theor 20’s (and sometimes teens) who are just genetically predisposed to crepiness around the eyes, “smile” lines, etc…, and there are those of us who are fortunate to have won the “genetic lottery”, and don’t have the aforementioned issues. The only thing I don’t wear (regularly) is heavy/matte foundation, bit that’s more of a personal choice, and I don’t really need to. Also, I smoke, and take offense to the adage “smoking ages the skin”; as I said, I’m 40+, and I look like I’m in my mid-20s…
I don’t think anyone means to offend you, Xamyx, but smoking does speed up aging of the skin. The fact that you look young for your chronological age is probably a combination of lucky genes and other things you do to take care of your skin but just as it’s pretty irrefutable that smoking is a huge factor in things like lung cancer and heart disease, it also does age the skin because it constricts blood vessels and, therefore, oxygen supply. It’s great that you’re not showing the effects but in general, it’s pretty much an established medical fact.
I agree with some of what is said. A good skincare is essential at all ages. Taking care of our skin and bodies is important.
I do however not have the same experience with makeup. It’s quite hard to find the right products when it comes to concealers and foundation. But there are good ones out there that will suit you at whatever stage your face is. Best thing to do is to get samples, and try at home, look at the face in all kinds of light and get the ones that suits you.
I personally think using only matte eyeshadows ages me. I need a bit of a shine, or shimmer to brighten the look.
All in all I think we should enjoy makeup and use what we like and feel are flattering for us.
From fun and creative to damage control….
I plan on rocking bright lip colours and glitter nail polish well into my twilight years.
Yes, I don’t look as good in a full face of makeup. I used to get glammed out, especially at night, but I also did a full face during the day as well. Now that I’m older, I find I look really weird totally made up. My skin actually looks better now in my 40s than it ever has (yes, the oily skin curse eventually pays off!) so I’m all about glow-y skin, lashes, and lips now.
Now that I am 35 (almost 36) I am much more concerned with keeping my skin hydrated and avoiding wrinkles. My skin has always been very oily and acne prone. I always used rather harsh products from Neutrogena and Clinique, thinking that the best way to fight the oiliness. I learned a lot about skincare once I turned 30 and I now avoid a lot of the drying products I used when I was younger. I still break out sometimes, but I found that the shine is much more under control now that I use gentler products. My skin no longer tries to overcompensate for drying skincare by producing a lot of oil. In addition, I now make sure to use antioxidants in my skincare and I pay attention to packaging for my skincare. I no longer buy skincare products in jars. I use various brands for skincare, mostly Paula’s Choice now. My skin is much happier as a result.
Same here! 100%
My skin has gotten oilier as I’ve gotten older, so quite a bit of my beauty routine now revolves around making my skin look good, as opposed to just adding color.
I think the biggest one is that I’m no longer wearing heavy black eyeliner all around my eyes, but that might just be more of a “style” change. Main change has probably been the addition of SPF before I apply makeup and then looking for makeup products for additional protection. My skin will never look as good as it did the day before, so I need to take care of it!
I’m more careful on placement of products and blending then I was in the past. I also rarely wear dark shadow in the day time anymore. I have deep set eyes that are slightly hooded too so it’s night time only!
a big ditto on all your points here.
Yeah, me, too. I used to use darker color eye shadows and lately have discovered that natural colors – SHINY natural colors – look best for me. I’ve also recently found some Jane metallic eye liners that I LOVE to add more shine. I’ve always liked shine on my eyelids and don’t think I’m about to give it up any time soon! I just shifted to wearing lighter colors, especially for summer. Who knows what’s likely to catch my eye when all the new fall colors come out!
I calmed down on buying EVERYTHING from the drugstore (it’s all pretty much gone, with the exception of a couple products as I only buy high end) and toned down my makeup. If I wear blue eyeshadow, it’s generally a deep smokey eye or some liner on the top rather then an electric blue cut crease with glitter. I also stopped using really dark and bold mascaras (like the Le Voleme De Chanel) during the day. And I stopped contouring during the day, only at night now.
Mainly I’m just natural and flattering and if it’s anything heavier like red lipstick or 2 coats of mascara or contouring it’s only at nighttime.
I’m soo happy to be over with that phase I was going through with buying the whole drug store.. I’m over it , buying everything that looked good or was believed to be good. Too much money and time wasted. When everything I needed was already in my collection of high end products…!
Yeah, it went on a rollercoaster. It went from a full face in my teenage years to a powder and a mascara for most of my twenties, then full face again for about two years and now I’m starting to think I had it right with the powder and mascara ;))
I don’t subscribe to the silly absolutes that some SA/MA’s spout such as women over forty can only wear matte neutrals, but age does definitely influence how I apply my makeup and care for my skin. As we age, both our skin’s tone and texture change, our eyebrows and eyelashes thin, our eye color fades, and our facial features alter as they lose elasticity and underlying support. Sheesh! LOL But, you know what? It doesn’t happen overnight and so remaining fresh and modern in appearance is just a matter of updating our looks on a regular basis and being realistic about what suits the person we are at any given time as opposed to the person we used to be. At 70, I still consider myself a work in progress 🙂
My advice to those older women who never change anything is to start updating in subtle ways because nothing ages a woman’s appearance faster than wearing makeup from decades past. For example, if an older woman has always worn a bold red lip, perhaps it’s time to try a softer red with a different undertone, a smoother texture, or perhaps a sheerer finish. Subtle little shifts can actually make quite a difference in modernizing a woman’s appearance.
Well said.
I think it was Kevin Aucoin who said something like if someone says “you must” or ” you should never” stop listening, as there are on absoulute rules regarding makeup. I have been trying to find the quote in his books, but I’ve not had time to completely reread them.
I believe in looking at trends and take what I think will suit me, try it out, evaluate it and then make it my own.
Definitely. I find myself needing more hyrdration, even though I still suffer from some oiliness and mild acne. I use more gentle cleansers and try not to constantly strip my skin.
love matte products….always have so i dont think it has much to do with age. matte just looks better on me, and shine always seems to emphasize pores.
also, i have very dry skin, so under-eye concealer looks cakey. Christine, do u have any recommendations for concealers for dry skin?
thanks!
I’ve embraced the shine and stopped trying to matte my face down every possible way. My new favorite thing is a bit of sun protection oil (VICHY SPF 30) patted into my cheeks – looks dewy and healthy.
Definitely! When I was younger, I’d only wear terrible, un-blended eyeshadows and liners and lipstick with no face products or a powder foundation that didn’t match me. I’ve learned a lot about doing a full face and blending eyeshadows and stuff. Still much to learn!
Less is more!!!
Now it’s more about fighting fine lines than super-oily skin (though it’s still kind of oily). I know what works for better now that I’m older, and I know more about makeup brands. So I use a wider range of better quality cosmetics.
I am much more careful with face washing and makeup removal. I use gentle products that are more effective. I choose moisturizers and serums with additional benefits like retinol, AHAs or niacinamide.I I’ve had a pre malignant spot removed from my face several years ago so I’m a freak about sunscreen.
I think I use lighter coverage make up in a way but do use concealer with it. I still like sparkling eye shadow but always use matte in the crease to avoid emphasizing any crepeiness.My skin has few wrinkles but have Rosacea (mild) but it has left some spider veins. I’ve had them and some facial hair zapped but I really don’t think it is worth the cost.
I will be 65 in early August.
I would have to say I’m more aware of how to properly take care of my oily skin.. It took time for me to figure out my makeup style. At 30 I’ve finally got it down pack.. Neutral, natural makeup suits me beat. Love that look!!! So no matter what collection come out and I don’t care by who.. If it doesn’t fit my style it doesn’t get purchased.. And I’ve learned that if it ain’t broke don’t try to fix it..!
Most definitely! The days where I’d wear baby oil or coconut oil as sunscreen ( i still can’t believe I did that!) are long long gone. I always wear moisturiser or foundation with SPF in them (wearing foundation everyday is something I do too now that I’m getting older as it covers up the pigmentation I seem to be getting. Nothing too heavy tho’) and no matter what time of year it is I always have my sunglasses with me as squinting in the sun does your eyes no favours. Exfoliating regularly is a must nowadays too. I also treat myself to a facial every couple months or so at a salon. I guess as far as makeup is concerned I think the way I apply it is different to when I was in my 20’s (there are so many amazing tutorials out there it’d be rude not to try the techniques available!) but as far as colours go I think in some ways I’ve gone a little darker (eyeshadow and lipstick-wise). Go figure!
Hell yes! I think the older you get, the more you try to turn back the years! I see to spend longer cleansing and toning and moisturising, and longer with my make-up, blend, blend, blending, making sure there are no harsh lines. I try to ensure I’m using the right make-up for my age. Although, every now and then, I do throw caution to the wind! If nothing else, my routine has changed because of the ever-changing range of new products out there.
My beauty routine hasn’t changed over the years – I was blessed with normal skin and all I have ever done is wash my face every night. I tried LaMer once because it was SO trendy – no difference so I just keep doing my thing. No moisturizers ever. Just my skin.
my skin care is a lot more involved. retin-a, chemical peels, copious amounts of high spf sunscreen. and makeup now is more about subtly camouflaging skin now than about intense eye looks.
I spend more time on skin care than I did when I was in my 20’s and 30’s. Makeup has really evolved over the last 10 years with the advent of HD powders, the last 20 with the advent of primers and with that my routine has evoled to accomodate these changes and my look has become more polished because of it. Color choices have remained steady beacause my hair has not yet changed with age. That’s something I guess I’ll have to address in my 60’s 🙂
Like a lot of others have mentioned I take better care of my skin now that I am older. I stay out of the sun, drink lots of water, all that good stuff. I have noticed though that my skin has gotten oilier, I use all kinds of things like primers, oil-free foundation, powder shadows, you name it to curb the shine. It seems like I need to really prep my skin much more now than before.
More attention to skincare–mostly anti-aging, sensitivity and ingredients. I’ve worn spf moisturizer and eye cream since my teen years but now I always wear an antioxidant serum and an actual bonafide sunscreen when I’m out now. I pay attention to sunscreen formulations and how long they last–whether or not they’re truly broad spectrum, etc. I’m looking into buying more sunhats and upf clothing for weekends outside. Once we move into winter, I’ll start looking into more exfoliation products.
Less attention to makeup trends–I no longer have to have the next “it” color. It’s not bc I’ve grown out of it or anything–it’s more bc my skin is so fussy. A product can work fine today but my skin might not be able to stand it tomorrow. So really, makeup buying is more about replacing my old HG’s and about being careful to patch test. It’s tedious.
My reply would totally mirror yours.
I have become more acclimated to a strict skin care routine.
One thing that has NOT changed for me is I’ve always taken good care of my skin. That said, products have evolved and I have updated my routine. I feel like I now spend more time on skincare and makeup, not using more but perhaps applying it more strategically. Now that my kids are adults I have more time to research and experiment with different products and I’m really enjoying that!
I’ve been blessed with descent skin and have not varied my routine much since I was a teenager. I remove my makeup as soon as I get home from work so I don’t make the mistake of falling asleep with it on. Besides, I’m combating hot flashes and all I wish for at the end of the day is clean skin. I follow the same course as my grandmother; Noxema and Pond’s Dry Skin cream. I exfoliate with the extra gentle Buf Puf as needed (not part of her routine, but in the winter I have some dry patches). She still had wonderfully smooth skin when she passed away at 98. If things change, I will change. Until then I will stick with what works.
definitely. when i was in high school, i was an outsider punk/goth kid, and i wanted everyone to know that with one look at me! over the years, i think i’ve been able to sort of keep that mentality and stay true to myself, but more grown up and refined. i still like my look to be noticed, but in a positive way and not in a crazy way! i specifically remember wearing these sort of cream eyeshadows from hot topic that were neon green and pink and the texture was so thick that they would flake off at the end of the day. yikes. and i actually take care of my skin now! ironically, i had amazing skin back when i never took my makeup off before bed, but i guess i’m paying for it now!
oh yes!!! I have learned the true meaning of “less is more”. Texture, color, intensity and application have all changed for me. I’ve also learned the value of a really great concealer!
Definitely better about taking care of my skin!
Lines, lines, lines around my eyes. They absolutely wreck any fun in doing makeup. For foundations/concealers anti-aging is the first thing I see. I’m in my 20s so I don’t know what I’m going to do when I’m older. At least I’ll have more practice before everyone else.
I think I’ve gotten better at applying makeup…When I was younger, I would pile on the lipstick, blush, and didn’t really know how to apply eyeshadow and how to blend it. Now that I’m in my mid-30’s, I still have a lot of fun with color (especially bright, bold lips) but I know how to apply it better. There’s always more to learn but overall I’ve learned that ‘less is more’ when it comes to applying makeup and the importance of blending so there aren’t any harsh lines.
Not so much changed as grown. Whereas before it consisted of maybe lipstick and spot concealing, now I have gained experience in using lots of other interesting things like blush! Eyeliner! Foundation! 😉
Yes and no.
I have taken care of my skin and the various concerns it’s had since I was a teen. I still do, but skincare has evolved a lot, and now I use more products like serums two step cleansing and oils, I have combination skin and was scared of adding oils to it when I was younger. 🙂
When it comes to makeup the thing I think I still live by is the, “there are no rules” idea. However I can’t do a real statement eyeliner, feline flick anymore as my eyes are more hooded and the line gets wonky.
Yes!!!
When i’m starting to use skincare products at 13 age i use products for oily skin and a cleansing gel. Now i’m 26 and i’m using a serum, an eye cream, products whin some ingredients for wrinkles…. more products than i use in the past no doubts.
With love,
The pink lemonade
I’m 50, and my answer to this question is a resounding, “YES!”
My skin is still insanely oily in the T-zone, but I actually have some dry patches on my cheeks.
In fact, in the past year or so, I’ve switched from mineral powder foundation, my HG for years, to a liquid, because the former just doesn’t go on as smoothly as it once did.
Also, I actually use a lip plumper, a product I thought I’d NEVER touch my “too full” lips with, for the sake of smoothness. I still don’t really need the volume, but my lips do need more help than they used to to look smooth.
I am 40 and I wear my makeup exactly the same way I wore it when I was 12. It looks good to me, but my son has mentioned that I look like I am going through a mid-life crisis. I have no plans on stopping.
Definitely my skin care routine has changed. I am much better now at cleansing and moisturising my skin on a daily basis. I moisturize before I add my makeup primer in the morning as I found that my skin was looking too dry by the afternoon. I changed my makeup and I am more careful about the products I use so as not to inflame my sensitive skin.