Top 3 Beauty Products to Look Fabulous After 40
Just as we’ve learned to navigate life’s twists and turns, your beauty routine requires some tweaks along the way, too—especially as we enter early menopause and beyond. Makeup artistry has been my passion for over 40 years. I’ve helped countless women select and apply makeup and skincare products that address every concern from increased dryness and fine lines to sagging eyelids and undefined cheekbones. That’s why I’m sharing all my favorite makeup secrets and tips to help you look fabulous over 40 and make the best of what you’ve got—including the top 3 beauty products every menopausal woman needs on her radar, right now!
What Happens to Our Skin after 40?
I’ve worked with women of all ages, and I’ve personally gone through menopause—so I understand all the phases women go through and what we need to do to adapt our beauty routine as we age. One of the biggest changes we see once we reach our 40s and through the years after menopause is a softening of our face structure.
It’s All About Sculpting
For most women in their menopausal years and beyond, makeup becomes less about following trends and more about bringing back the shape of your face that has softened over time. When we’re talking about looking fabulous after 40 you should be asking yourself: How do I make my eyes, cheekbones and the shape of my lips pop? Here’s how: Line your eyes, fill in your brows and add mascara for a more wide-awake look. Finish with blush at the cheekbones and line your lips to sculpt your mouth for more definition.
3 Essential Beauty Products for Menopausal Women
And now what you’ve been waiting for—the must-have beauty products every woman needs in her makeup bag to look fabulous after 40.
1. Skin Primer
Hydration becomes more and more important as we age, especially for mature skin. When your skin is supple and soft your makeup applies evenly and blends effortlessly. The good news: Your skin loves moisturizer. The not so good news: When your skin sucks it all in, it also takes your makeup with it! This is why I love a skin primer that creates a second skin. Primers are developed in a way that they hover on the skin and don’t allow the makeup to penetrate so it lasts longer, doesn’t separate and looks smoother. I apply it all over my face, even all the way up to the under-eye area.
2. Creamy Foundation
If you use dry powders on your face, your face will look dry. Consider transitioning to a creamy foundation that moves with your skin. A creamy texture is great for wrinkles and uneven textures because it works with, not against the dryness of your skin. I love my Baked Foundation—it starts as a cream before we bake it so it applies with the ease of a powder without looking dry.
3. Bronzer + Blush
We begin to lose pigment in our skin after the age of 40—it’s all a part of aging. Softly sweeping the right bronzer across your face has the power to beautifully light up your complexion. Followed by a dab of pink blush on the apples of the cheeks and you’ve got yourself an instant healthy glow. The glow of pink also adds volume to your cheeks while sculpting the cheekbones—it’s the answer to everything at 40, 50, 60 and beyond!
All Eyes on You!
Now for 4 bonus eye makeup tips I couldn’t resist sharing with you!
1. Don’t Ignore Your Brows
If you don’t fill in your eyebrows your eye makeup won’t pop. Enter taupe brow makeup—your thinning brows’ new best friend. Take some time to try out different pencils, powders and brow markers to find what works best for you—it’s never too late to play with makeup.
2. The Secret of Shimmer Shadow
Don’t shy away from subtle shimmer on your eyelids—it works magic for downplaying the look of dry, crepey lids. Beware of matte shadows that can sometimes exacerbate a crepey lid. Eye primer is a great first step when applying eye shadow. Even worn alone, primer instantly evens out and brightens your eyelids.
3. Makeup for Hooded Lids
Always, always apply liner to the base of your upper lashes even if your hooded eyelids appear to be covering them. This will help bring back structure to the eye and make it look almond-shaped again.
4. The 10x Makeup Mirror Challenge
Makeup blunders aren’t always the result of an application mistake. Sometimes it comes down to not seeing your face clearly. Good lighting, a comfortable seated position and a 10X mirror are key! If you can look good in a magnified mirror, you’ll look great anywhere!
Tell Us: Do you have makeup secrets and tips to share that make you look and feel fabulous over 40? Share in the comments below!