Make up help, I just can't get it right now I'm over 40.

[HeffalumpsnWoozles]

No make up novice here but pretty stuck in my ways, browns on the eyes, winged black eyeliner & mascara. I use EA Double wear which suits my job in a hot atmosphere & hides many imperfections, my skin has huge pores & is a bit of a state to be honest. Creme blush & powder and I'm done. I think I might need a bit of lip colour to balance my face?

So the problems are (there's a few!) I have hooded eyes & now I'm older they are slowly getting worse so the winged liner is out as it drags my eyes down. Tried a darker brown shadow line instead of harsh black which looked better. But my eyes look really small without the cat eye look extending them....

Eyebrow pencil looks really harsh, can anyone recommend a good powder product? My brows are dark brown but my hair is dyed a dark blonde is this why they look so drag queen with a pencil?

I just want a softer look all over really, been on YouTube and looked at Lisa Eldridge videos to no avail. I'm in danger of looking like Shirley Carter (Eastenders)

Basically what I'm asking us how do I soften my features & get a more feminine look?

I got some great advice from a very glamorous older lady which has definitely worked for me:

"When you're young, spend five minutes on your base, and thirty on your eyes. When you get older, swop that around entirely."

But generally it seems like you're approaching it right, I would say - you just have to get more subtle. These days I get my eyelashes dyed so I can use less mascara, and use my eyelash curlers more. I also use a taupe eyeliner (I think it's Urban Decay) more than any other.

Drop the liquid eyeliner and try 'tightlining' on your upper lid with brown / grey / olive shade. Use eyeshadow to give your eyes definition. I go for a light neutral all over lid up to brow then shade with a gold brown along socket line with a lighter gold in the middle of my lid. Do you curl your lashes? This will lift your eyes. I have massive pores too. Invest in good serum and moisturiser. You don't mention foundation. I like either Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser or Bourjois Healthy Glow. I use Mac mattifying powder and have to blot a couple of times a day on nose and chin. Have you got a good light bronzer and a highlighter? Lipstick is essential in my book - I'm never without Start off with a warm neutral if you aren't used to it.

I am a lot older than you, and know exactly what you mean....

I use much less make up now, as I think I can look overdone. Much softer colours, well blended. I like the Liz Earle range, lovely powder blushers and soft eye shades. I use the Shavata eyebrow pencil (double ended, in Day and Night, but I only ever use the Day shade which is a lovely subtle taupe-brown shade). But my best find of all is a new product by Chanel, £££ though but so worth it - CC Cream (Complete Correction) which is a mix of a foundation/concealer and just evens up my complexion brilliantly. Have had so many compliments on my normally awful, large pored skin etc....

Sounds like good advice StAlpa, I can't work out whether to use less mascara or not as I think my eyes look really piggy au natural (another EE comparison in Sharon Watts or whatever her surname is now)

Sagging jowels have diminished any kind of face shape, getting older is not very flattering on me I watch all these videos & the make up looks great I try it & it never looks polished for want of a better word. Being a stone overweight and permanently knackered isn't helping much either.

Try the Brow Drama in medium brown from maybelline- it's a tinted mascara for eyebrows and it's so easy to use.

And

Lisa Eldridge has some good advice on anti-aging make-up, check out her YouTube videos. I use shadow to emphasise the crease in my eye sockets, bring my eyeliner up, rather than follow the line of my lid iyswim. I also changed from black liquid liner to a more subtle black/smoky kohl or charcoal/plum/navy liquid liner which has the same effect but is not so harsh.

Sparkle I tried tight lining but think I need to find a good waterproof pencil as it eventually found its way on to my lower waterline. I do curl lashes and found a good Max Factor mascara which adds length without clumping.
I love the sound of the shadow will definitely try that.

Gonegrey I'm off too Google the CC cream as Double wear can be a bit thick and settle into pores and under my eyes. Shavata isn't a brand I've tried so will hunt that down too. Thanks for all the advice, I'm strangely excited to get started.

Quirky how do you go about bringing eyeliner up successfully?

Mascara for brows sounds good too, I want the definition without the hard lines.

Oh, I see you checked out Lisa Eldridge already.

You just have to trick the eye so it looks as if your eyes are still going up at the end not drooping down. I definitely wear more make-up now but it looks like less.

Brilliant thanks Quirky.

With the eyeliner, I mostly follow the line of my eyelid and then make it go up in a little flick as if my eyelid still went up, before it droops down. I also sometimes put black kohl under the liquid liner so it looks softer. I use a bourjois pencil and No 7 liquid liners which come in lots of colours and have very thin brushes.

Still looking for good eyebrow make-up, I used not to need it but my once black eyebrows have faded .

This is the result of tight lining no wing, my eyelids droop so much it's really hard finding the right place for the wing to be seen under all the skin. A bit of lipstick added, I must admit I look less hard

I think you look great

You look absolutely gorgeous !

You could perhaps do with a bit more blusher though it's hard to tell on the web.

I use a Bobbi Brown shadow for my brows in Cement which is a mid-brown beige- and it's the right colour for me. My hair is your colourish, slightly darker, naturally.

I know you didn't ask about hair, but have you thought of having a trim? You have really pretty hair but I think you might look more youthful and it would lift your face a bit more if you brought the overall length up to your shorter layers- - so about an inch or so above your shoulders.

a pixiwoo tutorial on winged liner for hooded lids. Might be worth a go with some softer colours?

Probably could have done with more blusher, I do look a bit washed out & flat in the pic now I look again.

I've had my hair shoulder length before & hated it, but i might try again if its going to make me look younger

Thanks for the link MooMin, at least I can still use eyeliner on a night out.

Gone & Cheesy thank you, you made me smile.

I went to space NK and had a makeover from one of their over 40s staff. They have some brilliant people and products (many of the ones listed above). I spent £70 on bits and I have never switched back to my old look.

I learned: drop dark liquid eyeliner, go for mauves and purples for shadow and pencil liners, they lift the eye, use a slightly darker shade to create a "false" eye crease above your folded crease. Use tinted moisturiser not foundation (I mix mine with more moisturiser to get even less pigment) use cream/stick blusher on the apples of your cheeks. Avoid pearly shadows they look crepey. Avoid haircuts that give you straight lines on either side of your face.

If you have lippie on in the pic it looks a good colour for you but you also might suit a semi gloss style or something like Clinique Chubby Sticks or something more sheer.

Re. hair, I think that once past the shoulders it doesn't 'do' anything for anyone (except the uber young with gorgeous thick hair) because once it's past shoulder length the extra hair is 'redundant' really.

You have - from the pix- a long face and your long straight hair just elongates the look further.
I think if you had 6 inches chopped off and maybe got some long layers giving you volume just as it hits your shoulders, you'd look lovely.

This kind of hair length

ann-lifestylez.blogspot.co.uk/2014_04_01_archive.html

Considering biting the bullet & getting the chop now I do like the styles in the link, I remember the last time it was shorter I looked quite masculine so I'm a bit scared but having had a similar style for years why not. It's hair, it will grow back.

I've got a chubby stick in a pale pink but will get something a little darker. The lippy in the pic is Mac Twig and its very matt.

Tinted moisturiser isn't for me as I say my skin is awful and anything less than full coverage looks awful on me.

Purple liner would look good I think as I have green eyes, I use a cream blush as I realised quite fast that powder is no longer my friend. Stopped using anything pearly too as it made my eyes look even more hooded & gave me a drag queen effect

Thanks for all your advice ladies, its much appreciated.

I am 40 this year and matte or dark lips don't suit me. I wear Mac Patisserie at work and Dior Addict Lip Glow when I'm in sahm mode which is gorgeous.

Good luck op

Re hair, I think if you avoid having too many layers it might work. You have nice hair but it's been thinned/ layered/ so much that the bottom sections look thin whereas it could look a lot thicker and more bouncy with a better cut. You almost need some width to it rather than the straight up and down look.

You are really very harsh on yourself. You are gorgeous and have such beautiful eyes.
Agree about the long hair. I got mine cut last year and it did take years off me.

You've all talked me into it now the hair will be cut! No idea when I'm going to have the time to get it done but I'm quite looking forward too it now.