Has anyone else found makeup 'ages' them as they get older?

[HepburnKNotA]

The obvious thing first: I have, and perhaps could even more, tweak my 'old' makeup. I have tried switching my old midnight-blue eyeliner and black mascara for browns. I've tried a different shade and format of blusher.

But these days when I put on makeup I feel I look older with it on, and not in a good way!

I'm 42 btw.

I have (and I'm not ashamed to say it, given the amount I've bloody spent on it in products and effort) really good skin for my age, very very few lines (apart from Number 11s) and since I gave up sugar (and started using Emma Hardie and Sunday Riley stuff) a couple of years ago my skin is smoother than it's ever been. I've never really needed any foundation, barely used tinted moisturiser and these days I don't wear any base at all, ever.

But I do like a bit of eye makeup (liner and mascara) on nights out etc and now I don't know what to try as whenever I put it on, I feel like I suddenly look haggard and over my real age instead of under it! And blusher used to 'freshen' me up, but now I don't know, it has the same ageing effect.

Still happy with my trusty nude lipsticks and glosses, tbf.

Should I just give up and at least enjoy the fact I have good skin (until inevitably that all falls off a cliff in a few years...)? Or should I keep trying different shades? Techniques? I spend all my 'beauty' money on bloody (admittedly amazing) Space NK products so don't have much left for experimenting with makeup if it's not going to work!

Does anyone else feel the same way and if so - did you give up on makeup and just go bare-faced? I feel it's not enough 'effort' for a night out! Though I've never been a big makeup person at all, really.

Maybe more satin actually.

As some others have already said, I believe what you eat affects how your skin looks. Lots of fruit and veg, water, good fats, I use coconut butter or oils on my face and do face exercises. Mascara blusher and lipgloss. I have also found having blond hair around the face really illuminates and throws light on it . When I had darker hair my face was full of shadows and looked much older and drawn.

39 here and I agree. I have toned down liner as I got older but upped anti on eyebrows (I had them microbladed by this amazing lady which means I don't have to do a thing with them and when I wear mascara I go to town on lashes.

My problem is foundation in lines under my eyes. But I know I could fiddle with what I do and products I use I'm just not massively skilled as I wear next to no make up anymore 4 out of 7 days a week.

My truck was getting used to seeing my face with virtually nothing and then the things I did apply looked much more high impact.

I'm also 39 and totally agree - I've tried all sorts of foundations over the past few months and I don't like how any of them look. I pretty much only wear mascara, a bit of Benefit highlighter and lipstick now. I've decided that I'm going to just ditch foundation and put more effort into making my skin look as good as it possibly can. And it's odd as, like a couple of other ppl have said, lipstick used to make me feel a bit ridiculous and was the one thing I rarely wore, but is now the one thing that I feel naked and colourless without!

I bought the BB colour corrector concealer, the peachy one, and it seriously brightens up the inner corner of your eye. I then follow with a dot of Collection Concealer in Light. Very impressed.

I find as you get older your make up should only really reproduce a slightly enhanced version of your natural face, rather than adding in totally different shades and shapes.

The MUA at the BB counter gave me a brilliant tip for wearing bright lipstick as you get older. Use a brush to just outline your Cupid's now and the centre of your bottom lip with the red lipstick, then smudge it out toward your outer corners. Blot and add a tiny dot of pink gloss in centre of bottom lip and blend it outward for fullness. Lastly, use the lipstick as your blusher (yes, really) because it's more flattering. She did it for me and it looked so good.

So sorry @HepburnKNotA I didn’t come ask and see your message until now.

For YouTubers I like:
AModelRecommends (Ruth Crilly)
Estee Lalonde, Allana Davison, ICovetThee and Jamie Paige are all late 20’s to early 30’s but focus a lot on good skincare and very minimal and natural looks
Speed Beauty by Caroline Barnes
Lisa Eldridge

For cream eyeshadow on the lash line I’ll draw it along my lash line if it’s in stick form and smudge it left to right and then fade upwards to the main part of my lid with a pencil brush or cotton bud, I do the same with pencil liners. If it’s potted I’ll use an angled brush to apply and then the pencil brush/cotton bud to smudge.

Colours wise I like to do a neutral skin toned shadow all over the lid, always matte shadow in the crease but I switched between shimmer and matte for the lid and I use a lot of purples/taupes/browns/mauve

Brand wise I like Kiko shadow sticks, really cheap but pack a good punch and last forever, MAC paint pots, Laura Mercier stickers and I’ve just found Trinny London and am really really enjoying her products. I like BareMinerals and Glossier too for really natural minimal looking products.

For everything I sway more to cream or liquid products and find I’m using less and less powders. I especially love cream blush and highlighter.

Laura Mercier sticks*

Ooo I will try that Milly

Oh also, if it’s not mentioned already the Beauty and the Boutique website is fantastic and the makeup artist on there has great how to videos.

I feel like a drag queen when i put makeup on. i haven't a clue how to do it and don't feel particularly inclined to learn.... i don't like the expectation of women's grooming compared to men's. I'm fine with my bare face mostly.

The MUA at the BB counter gave me a brilliant tip for wearing bright lipstick as you get older. Use a brush to just outline your Cupid's now and the centre of your bottom lip with the red lipstick, then smudge it out toward your outer corners. Blot and add a tiny dot of pink gloss in centre of bottom lip and blend it outward for fullness.

Thanks Milly. Off to practise now!

@Merrydeath, if you have no interest in makeup and are going to be snotty about it, why post on a thread about it? It’s like me posting about football.

Merrydeath that's great for you. But I do have diagnosed anxiety and I need to manage the fact that I still dislike my appearance, not because I feel a need to conform to a male view but because my own view is distorted. I've had severe rosacea which made me look monstrous so make up has been my safety net until other people learn not to stare and judge what I perceived as my disgusting face...

I’ve found wearing Trinny London BFF cream is better day to day than foundation.

I then use either Bobbi Brown concealer or Trinny London Just A Touch where more coverage is needed.

Chanel do the best under-eye concealer. Not drying and doesn’t settle in lines.

Cream blusher, because powder settles in lines - I use Nars multiple in Orgasm.

I wake up my complexion a bit with Benefit Hoola Light Bronzer.

Softer eyeliner - Mac is good, and Clinique. I draw quite a thick line, then blur it a bit.

Always black mascara. I need definition.

Usually Trinny London highlighter under my eyebrows, which I now use Benefit Gimme Brow on to hide the grey ones and give my face some structure.

I don’t always wear lipstick, but if I do it’s as natural as possible. Marks and Spencer Rosie for Autograph in Supermodel Smile is my favourite.

That’s my day to day look these days.

pinkarsedfly I’m another Trinny convert! I kept going on the site for ages but finally took the plunge last week and bought the five minute makeover stacked, the colour matching is spot on and I spent enough to get the travel bag, lovely quality.

Have you tried her lip to cheek with some of her gloss over top, really really nice and subtle

I'm answering the OP not being snotty oh and i also have diagnosed anxiety, welcome!

I tend to look undead without any slap. So: Nars Orgasm blusher - gives a glow without looking too shiny or chalky. A good BB cream instead of foundation, or a bit of Nanoblur blended with moisturiser. A sheer loose powder. Powder eyeshadow drawn under the lower lashes is softer than eyeliner. Making sure my brows are ‘done’ as well. You can never go wrong with a red lippie - Kate Moss for Rimmel London is a really good one.

Oh do bore off @MerryDeath

America here and I agree with everybody! What looked good on you 10 years ago will need updating now. I don’t wear makeup every day - just when I go out. I use Laura Mercier primer - the illuminating one. I wash & moisturize my face then apply the primer. Then I mix primer & my face makeup together so that there isn’t a big slab of makeup on my face! I use NYX tinted moisturizer for blush - lightly. I give myself a VERY light powder with finishing powder. Then I do my eyebrow pencil and last I curl my eyelashes & apply good mascara. No eyeliner, no shadow. I use a VERY LIGHT TOUCH with everything. I just turned 63 and I’m accepting of my new silver hair and wrinkles - I earned them. Go get makeup lessons and a makeover - it’ll be really fun & you’ll look great.

Oh and I also use a whitish-pink matte pencil on the inside of my bottom eyelid - gives me an amazing lift to my look. It doesn’t bother my eyes & I really think it de-ages me.

Oh yeah to the nude eyeliner @DreamTheMoors, I used the IT cosmetics one, brightens up my eyes so much.

@DefinitelyAWeeGobshite I asked Way, Way up thread about the Trinny London stuff and was giving up hope of anyone having tried the stacks. So you'd recommend them then?

One thing I've changed is where I wear my blusher. Make sure you know where your cheekbones are. You can get away with anywhere in your youth but not when older. A make up lady asked me why I was putting it in the hollow of my cheeks when my cheek bones where actually an inch higher. She applied it, then put highlighter at the higher end of my cheekbones and I had an instant face lift!!!

If you feel where yours are, I bet you have been using blusher under them for years.

@CitadelsofScience, I would, I’m really enjoying mine. Very subtle but I just look fresher and that I’ve had some good sleep. I loathe washing brushes so I like the fact I can use all the products with hands/fingers too.

They have tools on the site you help you colour match and then every product you then look at it they’ll show you what matches you given your answers, everything was spot on for me. Really impressed with the whole ordering experience.

Trinny London stuff - I see they do a make up trial for 45 quid, discounted if you buy stuff.

Anyone recommend?