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What makeup advice would you give your older self?


What makeup advice would you give your older self? Share! (Without the benefit of hindsight, what advice do you hope you’ll remember to take?)

Age gracefully but have fun – wear what you feel works best for you, whether it’s age-appropriate… or not.

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41 Comments

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Chester Avatar

Laugh a lot and try to find something to enjoy in each day. An older woman who knows how to enjoy life always looks younger, happier and more beautiful than a worrywart the same age.
And moisturize and wear sun screen!

The Beauty Queen from Mars Avatar

Thank you for your comment Chester, that is my opinion put in a nutshell. No makeup in the world can give a worrywart the same bright appearance a truly happy woman has.

Hend Avatar

To give up powders and use dewy foundations instead, and I should give more attention to even my complexion out rather than lining my eyes or adding several coats of mascara 😀

nina Avatar

don’t freak out everytime you see a rinkle!it’s ok!!just moisturize and keep it positive, makeup will always be there to hide everything 😉

ChristineD Avatar

I would tell myself a number of things….
1) DONT SMOKE!!!!!
2) Quality is important, by good skin care items its worth the investemet; and start using them before you start getting those first fine lines
3)Use what is good for you, not what everyone is using…and dont be afraid to spend a little on yourself you are worth it!

jamie @ publicservicebeauty.com Avatar

always be beautiful on the inside! smile lines and crows feet are a sign of a life full of laughter!! always make time for you, put on moisturizer and SPF every day….oh, and stop making excuses: diet coke is NOT a substitute for water, no matter how you try to rationalize it. 😉

Lee Avatar

I’m turning 44 this year and I’ve been thinking about this a lot.

1) Don’t “give up” and stop caring about your appearance. It seems like a lot of older ladies fall into a rut of thinking it doesn’t matter anymore and stop wearing make-up and start wearing sweat pants everywhere. I wanna be a polished, well-put together old lady.

2) But don’t over-do it. We’ve all seen those old ladies who just trowel on the make-up and look ridiculous. Extreme looks and really bright colors are fun but really only work for the young. The older you get, the more neutral and softer I think your make-up need to be. I’ll still wear pink lipstick but Show Orchid may be a bit too bright.

3) Don’t get stuck in the make-up rut of your youth; adapt with changing styles. I don’t want to look like I’ve been wearing the exact same make-up since high school.

Whippetlady Avatar

Tone it down and don’t forget to add a little Ooomph to your brows. Oh and it might be time to give away the red lipstick. No one wants to have grandmom mistaken for The Joker.

ANETTE Avatar

Surely I work with the skins ageing lines (moisturize)- but I have also come to realise that darker colours work a lot better for me by the end of my thirties than previously…. It looks a lot more sophisticated. I am more courageous now than i used to be when i was younger.

But beware of shimmer – it tends to enhance fine lines in my opinion. If you use shiny products make sure it is fine milled in a neutral shade close to your skin tone…..

Nichole Avatar

Wear the make up, don’t let it wear you. For the love of all thats holy…
– do not heavily apply your foundation
– pick the right shade of foundation and not one that is multiple shades lighter or darker than your skin tone.

penelope Avatar

Invest in good anti-age skincare products especially the eyes,face and neck. Also, wear more neutral or brown tone eye shadows and avoid anything blue, orange, or yellow. Always wear spf 20 or higher daily.

Nella Avatar

1. sunscreen
2. plenty of vitamin D&C&E&A
3. always conceal and highlight (age appropriately)
4. never wear red nail polish
5. mascara is a must
6. light blush is a must
7. plenty of water
8. think happy thoughts
9. keep rocking dark nail polish (as dark is only color i have ever worn and ever will)
10. exercise, exercise, exercise!
11. no matter the age, sex is good because of the hormones released in the body!
12. take care of the hands, neck&decolte just like you did of the face.
13. never drink alcohol or smoke!
14. stay away from sugar.

Kat Avatar

Do what I think looks good on me, regardless if it’s “age-appropriate” or not. And remember to take it all off at night and just take good care of my skin in general. But no obsessing 🙂

Lyss Avatar

I like this question because it’s like talking to my mom, really. She and I trade make up advice regularly. She makes sure I’m taking care of my skin and gave me my appreciation for neutral colours. I keep her adventurous and keep telling her that colour is not exclusive to those under 30.

Alix Avatar

Dear 16-year-old Alix:

Buying an eyeshadow quad doesn’t obligate you to wear all four shades at once. Just sayin’.

Also, accept your eyebrow shape. All the plucking in the world won’t turn them into somebody else’s.

Keep up with the sun protection and floss, floss, floss!

Michilicious ~ Avatar

Take care of your skin to make it age beautifully and remain young for a longer time, and when it comes to make up – do whatever the fuck you want, personality and creativity has no expiration date 😀

Yvonne Avatar

First of all, take good care of your skin, with cosmetics but even more so with a healthy diet,plenty of water and enough sleep…
And about make up….well,wear what flatters you and what compliments your outfit (in terms of colours), and don’t ever forget the miraculous power of blush for your pale skin tone!

Niki Avatar

You finally know who you are, the kind of makeup you like to wear and you FINALLY have the skills to to back up it, so girlfriend, be bold, be beautiful, be flawless and just BE YOU!

ak Avatar

I want to have the same spirit of dress sense as Vivienne Westwood or Anna Piaggi when I get older! I want hot ‘granny chic’! Or like Blanche from The Golden Girls. I don’t want to shrivel up and die, regardless of whether I ever get plastic surgery or not. I don’t see why other women shouldn’t feel the same way.

I want to look eccentric and artsy. I would still want to have fun with my makeup without looking clownish, and getting myself ready to go out and leave the house.

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