I can't find makeup that suits me

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My eyes, nose and lips are big but my chin recedes:(
My skin is a bit sallow with dark under eye shadows. I look best in those "kind" shades of blue and green and in gentler orange.
Mascara looks good until I smudge it.
Is there any hope/point?
My hair is thin.
I now have wrinkles too.

It does affect me professionally as most people are quite spruced up in my profession.

On the plus side, I am quite slim with a small chest and long thin arms and legs....

I think you just need to adjust to the idea of yourself in makeup. Everyone feels ridiculous in it and as though it doesn't suit them if they don't wear it.

Go to a decent counter - Bobbi Brown is great if your budget allows - and ask for a starter look that you can build up from.

I am of your lips and if I had those I'd spend all my money on lipstick to show them off.

Have a look on instagram at Hannah Martin who is one of the make up artists for Bobbi Brown. She has similar features to you and does really quick looks that you can copy.

This is her in a before/after natural makeup in case you didn't believe what I said about you having similar features.

Hey thanks Leviticus.

A "starter" look does sound less scary.

I had forgotten that my lips are, when moisturised, nice!

Start simple.
BB cream, concealer, eye shadow stick, blush, lips

for grown up women.

Yes your lips are good, make them the thing that people notice.

Do you know what made the biggest difference to me? I got my ‘colours’ done - you know, the rather 90s concept of seeing what season you should wear?! Honestly, I decided I fancied it after my Dad had his done. I didn’t know if it would really make a difference but the lady was great and showed me the difference between the colours and I was surprised at the difference! Now I finally know what colours suit me, what kind of colour clothes suit me close to my face. I’ve had compliments saying I look well (I’ve actually been ill) and I’ve lost weight (I haven’t!). I’ve sorted my wardrobe, shopping is easier because I know what colours to look for and everything co-ordinates! The lady I saw also does makeup (but that’s another session!). It wasn’t cheap but it was money better spent than most makeup I’ve tried!

I find keeping my eyebrows in shape helps the most. Even without make up my face doesn’t look as bad if they are neat. I just mean waxed and tidied up - not dyed or anything. Cannot bear the thick dark eyebrow trend.

Also if you have great lips then something like this would be perfect. Its a lip crayon in a colour called ‘Proudly Naked’. It’s a natural slightly pinkish nude colour with a lovely texture and you just swipe it on like a lip balm. Much easier than a lipstick. Gives a hint of colour and a lovely sheen. Really adds to looking ‘polished’ I think even without much other make up on.

www.superdrug.com/Make-Up/Lips/Lipstick/Bourjois-Color-Boost-Lip-Crayon-Proudly-Naked/p/358601

You are being too hard on yourself. You have very good skin and pretty features. Go for a natural look to enhance what you have.
I'd try a few make up counters for suggestion then go for what you feel happiest with.

Bright red lipstick would brighten your whole face and make you look younger and fresher. Try it. Sometimes you only need to make a couple of tiny changes.

Thanks for these lovely positive comments, they are appreciated.

perhaps i need to go to a few different makeup artists/makeup counters until I find someone who gets me? (I find it hard to have the conversation in real life because it brings out lots of insecurities).

I think that when I was skinny and in my youth I could get away with what dh calls my "urchin" look but that isn't possible in your late forties! And I do want to forge ahead at work....

re the colours: I have made good progress with this thanks to MarieKondo, Trinny and Susannah, etc. Do you find that in a changing room there are certain colours that make your eyes "wake up" and then others that make your eyes go to sleep? I do.

However, I'm only just getting to grips with scarves, which I think need to be a big part of my future.

You have fairly symmetrical features and stunning lips, OP. I would just even out your skin with a decent tinted moisturizer, define your brows with a brow mascara, mascara (No 7 gold tube, never smudges), a pretty nudish/rose lip product and a touch of blusher like Benefit Dandelion, Bourgeois Rose Brun or Nars Orgasm.

Hannah Martin does Caroline Hirons. You have better eyes and lips, you will look better

I'm far too long sighted to do my own eyebrows now. I get them done by the lovely girls at our local Benefit counter. It does make life easier and makes you look a bit done before you even start. They will even dye the subtly if you want.

Aim for groomed and a bit polished. Keep it mainly natural, do think about a va va voom lip when you are feeling more confident.

Trinny does make up £££££s, but they have a "match to me" that will help with colours.

You don't need a full face of makeup to change your look. You could try some B.B. creams - ppl have said No 7 one is good as there are options for different skin types.

Undereye concealer, a bit of mascara maybe. If hair and eyebrows are "done", hair is clean and shiny, gets cut on a regular basis, then you can look fairly polished without too much effort.

You could also do a personal shopper thing at John Lewis or Debenhams. No pressure to buy but it makes you consider things you might never have even tried on.

Meant to say that I don't wear makeup often, but a bit of concealer, tiny bit of mascara and lipstick does make a huge difference to how I look - even if my lipstick never stays on for long!

OP you have lovely eyes and lips, you just need a few key products to look polished.

I would second a consultation at a Bobbie Brown counter, or a Laura Mercier one. Both do flattering, polished, not-overly-made-up looks.

I have deep-set eyes with oily skin, and found mascara a nightmare, as it would smudge every time. That problem has been solved by usuknf eyelid primer and mascara primer, and now it never budges. The Bareminerals and urban decay eyelid primers are great. For a mascara primer I use Tarte Openkng Act. It seems expensive, but pays for itself, as you need way less mascara after using it.

You have nice big lips and lovely colour eyes

I think you would look much better with basic make up like a good light base, mascara and a bit of blusher.

Eyebrow shape would make a big difference too x

I think you look lovely but I think the first thing you need to put on your face is a smile! It would make all the difference. You look so downcast in your picture and I am sure your face will leap into life if you were to crack a smile.

thanks for all the supportive advice. it is much appreciated.

I might do a bit of a splurge on a range of the products suggested here and then try them out at home.

Then perhaps brave the Bobbie Brown counter (people will be passing by though which I find intiidating)

When I got my colours done, they advise on ‘90 second make up routine’. Apparently primer, a good foundation and lipstick is the only bare essentials you need! I use Body Shop BB cream which is cheap but gives a lovely finish. One fab lipstick is a Barry M one my friend recommended, it’s called ‘Genie’. It’s a green lipstick that turns pink when you put it on, to the shade of pink that suits you. It’s quite bright in colour but you can pull it off!

I would agree that a couple of make up lessons would help. MAC are good as well as Bobbi Brown.

You are lucky enough to have nice strong eyebrows as well as good lips. Having them professionally shaped and tinted would really lift your eyes and give a great frame to your face.

I highly recommend Fenty Stunna lipstick.

does Caroline Hirons, correct link

I really recommend Bobbi Brown - I booked my Mum in for a makeover once and she absolutely loved it! I've gone myself too on more than one occasion.
Honestly, don't be worried about passers by. The beauty of makeup is that it all comes off. So if you don't like how it looks, it can come off straight away. Make a booking for early one morning if you want it to be a bit more quiet.