How to become a competently made-up person in your 40s?

[grimupnorthLondon]

Am cautiously peeking my head in here to ask for help from you lovely people who understand make up. I was a bare-faced 20 something and just about mastered moisturiser and concealer in my 30s. As I enter my 40s this is clearly no longer going to work without people running away screaming, so I have been studiously watching make-up tutorials, buying brushes and practising eyeshadow, brows and foundation.

I can now just about do those basics but am terrified that I look like mutton trying to paint itself as lamb - whatever eye shadow I buy turns out to be inappropriately sparkly, even when I think it is matte in the shop, I am terrified about having 'orange lines' so overblend foundation until it basically disappears, and mascara tends to end up half way down my cheeks within half an hour. Blusher and lip liner are too terrifying to even contemplate. I work in the City and am 'the boss' so am wary of people sniggering as I inadvertently turn myself into an Aunt Sally.

The tutorials are good for techniques but there are so many out there and the product recommendations are so baffling that I just want a grown up to tell me how to develop a 10-15 minute routine to make myself look like an understated but put-together 41 year old.

Is there a magic place I can go where a fairy godmother will lead me around, tell me which skincare and make-up products to buy and show me how to apply them? Can any individual stand in a beauty hall/Space NK do that or will they just try to flog me their most expensive stuff? I am prepared to invest a reasonable amount (currently experimenting with MAC, Benefit, Nars, Clarins type ranges but might splash out for a miracle de-aging brand) and, if it's relevant, I have very pale, Irish skin, dark hair and the roundest/most hamster-cheeked face imaginable.

Thank you in advance from an incompetent human being

I would recommend Clinique CC foundation. Very natural, it just evens your skin out. I use a nude Bobbi Brown lipstick, a natural Lancôme mascara and Bobbi Brown blusher.
My make-up routine takes 5 minutes and I just look at bit more 'finished' rather than my usual 'pulled on clothes, left house' look.
The biggest challenge is getting used to wearing make up and not feeling self-conscious. Good luck.

Hello - has anyone mentioned Lisa Eldridge? She has a brilliant YouTube channel and is great for make up tutorials. She also recommends various products.

I've just turned 50 and I use Bobbi Brown eye shadow, YSL touche eclat under the eyes and Boots No7 foundation. It's the magic foundation that matches your skin tone. It tends to slide off though, so I slap on a bit of bronzing powder (summer) or neutral powder (winter) to help it stay put.

I once tried to copy Pippa Middleton's look and ended up looking like a drag queen.

My best ever concealer is Giorgio Armani precision touch. Check out the reviews here

May I lurk please? I used to do make up but stopped about 12 years ago and now I've lost confidence in my ability to apply eye liner

I didn't know about the Lisa Eldridge videos but they're fantastic! Thank you for the recommendation Vanilla. I think I need to hit the shops tomorrow. Totally inspired. I liked the idea of the MAC Face and Body Foundation she uses in the 'Mature Makeup Look' video. Does anyone else here use this MAC foundation that can give a second opinion? I have very pale skin so I hope they have a decent range of colours.
Loving this thread!

I always try to create the "natural but polished" look - I even out my skin with primer and concealer, use a tawny-coloured blusher, mascara, grey eye-liner, and a lip balm that's very close to my own lip colour. I rarely bother with eyeshadow and feel overdone if I wear noticeable lipstick.

With regards to skincare I am always chopping and changing but love Elizabeth Arden Ceramide capsules under my moisturiser du jour. I have dry sensitive skin and these seem to plump my skin without making it feel greasy.

I have tried various expensive foundations, the YSL Touché Eclat foundation was a favourite for ages but a friend said to get colour matched for No 7 Stay Perfect foundation and I was very impressed. The consultant suggested I didn't need to wear powder over it to retain more of glowy youthful look and actually she is right. I asked the No 7 lady to choose a lipstick for me as I always veer towards browny pinks and she chose a deep coral which is much brighter than I usually go for but which enhances my blue eyes and makes me immediately feel more "done".

I am pale skinned and fair haired and always feel my best about 3-4 days after a lash and brow tint ( I ALWAYS hate the brow tint for the first 3 days as I feel it's too dark despite insisting they wipe the lightest brown on and off almost straight away). Defined brows definitely make the biggest difference to my face as they are so pale naturally.

I am feeling an overhaul is probably in order so thanks OP. I have always loved make-up and had a few great suggestions from Space NK over the years but I feel my application is probably dated ..always struggle with eyeshadow looking too sparkly or clumping in the creases of my crepey eyelids. Am 46 and often feel my make-up looks good first thing but you can barely tell I'm wearing any by lunchtime...how to retain that groomed look throughout the day is a mystery to me!!

For professional info about skincare without having to pay for a dermatologist get Harold lancer's book 'Younger.' He is dermatologist to all the A-list stars, kardashians etc (say what you like about them but they have fantastic skin). He lays out his technique, skincare ingredients that actually work and products for every budget. My skin is so much better since following his tips. It's the only thing that's ever really made a difference.

And as a result of having better skin my makeup looks so much better, even if I don't wear much. For makeup tutorials I love Jaclyn Hill on YouTube, but you may find her a bit young. Tanya burr and Lisa Eldridge also good.

Good luck and have fun!

Benefit Pore minimiser is like a face lift. It's amazing stuff. Then, a little concealer, a little powder (I like Laura Mercier), some bronzer on cheekbones, side of temples and on nose (yes, really). Eyes as you like them, and lipstick. If you go for strong eyes, then go nude on the lipstick, and often vicev. I have never suited strong lipstick, and so wanted to. So you have to work out your best bits.

PS I have NEVER found a makeup artist who does my eyes as well as I can - you have to understand what suits you.

I find Bobbi Brown's eye brightener worked better for me than touche eclat. I'm black hair white skin.

Mac do pretty much every colour going op, they are the best imp. Face and body is great and has staying power but can be quite greasy so use a setting powder( I have very oily skin though so could just be me!)

Not setting powder on your body just on the face!

I used to use touché eclat, but it started to make my skin dry, red and itchy - necessitating further concealer (!) - but Clinique do their own version of touché eclat, which is brilliant, a touch more creamy and no irritation.

I've worn make up since Duran Duran were in the charts, but still feel over-done if I use foundation, so BB creams (my fave is Boots No 7) are my salvation.

See if Ulta carries Tarte make-up (I'm a Sephora shopper, so couldn't say) but it's wonderful stuff, more on the natural side.

Peter Thomas Roth has excellent products. You 100% need to buy Sunday Riley's lunar oil, which contains a gentle retinoid and really evens out skin tone without making your skin red or peel.

I'm 39 and am doing things in reverse, going hell for leather with skincare and just putting make-up on either my lips and eyes and avoiding foundation altogether. If you need a bit of coverage, an excellent concealer applied in the right spots looks better. Cle De Pea has a good one. It is heinously expensive but lasts ages.

Touche Eclat is actually a highlighter not a concealer. I used it for years then realised I was getting the reverse of panda eyes.

I like B Brown creamy concealer and if I've got time I use their under eye brightener or whatever it's called first, then powder VERY lightly on top.

Thank you for starting this thread! I've never worn much makeup and really need a bit of help, so many tips here

Just have one comment - Clinique really messed up my skin - a long time ago but it's made me wary of using again and have read similar comments from others (prob on MN)

I too feel like I missed a meeting at some point, but actually I'm pretty glad I didn't waste my teens and 20s fretting about hair and makeup. It is definitely more of a thing now, and I don't think that's a positive change. One piece of advice I would add - and I am a similar age to you - is that annoyingly, there is no real substitute for a healthy diet, exercise and sleep to make your skin look good, esp if you live in a city, whatever the makeup counter ladies would have you believe. But I am a big believer in the power of a good lipstick - having not worn any for years, I discovered it in my mid thirties and have never looked back. Enjoy experimenting!

I just wanted to pop back and say thank you to everyone who gave me such helpful tips .

I had a "project beauty" weekend that included a binge of Lisa Eldridge videos and then an eye make-up lesson at Bobbi Brown and have finally found a base and nice matte shadows that don't slide off my eyes by mid-morning. They also introduced me to gel eye liner that works much better for me than the smudgy pencils I was using before - I love the way that they do one eye for you and then watch you do the other so you feel confident in application before you leave - I would have had no idea what to do with the gel liner without the lesson.

Also thanks to whoever suggested a beauty blender - the TK max version (and some more youtube videos on how to use it) has really given me some confidence with foundation - no more brush lines on the jawbone.

I have also made my Ulta/Sephora list and am going to prioritise Peter Thomas Roth skincare products and some good concealer while I'm in the US.

Who knew this stuff could be fun! :)

I'm looking for a product to hide my dark eye circles but doesn't crease with the wrinkles.

PollyPerky, I've been looking into the Bobbi Brown tinted brightener you mentioned but worried about the 'tinted' element- is the colour strong enough to hide dark circles? Do you use the B Brown creamy concealer under your eyes? (Only asking because I know some concealers can be too thick for under-eye).

What is it with people and matte eye shadow? Away with the matte dullness! I have just bought the Urban Decay Moondust palette and I intend to twinkle like a little star.

Seriously OP , enjoy all your new products and techniques. Make up is one of the things that make me happy not to be a man.

It is fun! (Glad you liked the videos :))

Peter Thomas Roth - last year I stayed in a hotel in Brussels and PTR products were in the bathroom. I totally fell in love with the shampoo & conditioner. I googled UK stockists and could only find QVC as a means to buy PTR.

Does anyone else know where I can get these products? I've even kept a tube of body lotion in my drawer so that I wouldn't forget the name!

Thanks

crazy I find the colour does work with the under eye brightener. Mine is a really pinky shade which looks weird in the pan, but when it's on it works then I use the creamy concealer in Porcelain over it. I don't use both every day- most days I use just the concealer but if I'm making a real effort I use both and then a tiny dusting of their finishing powder over .

Cult beauty stock the Roth stuff