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.

I agree about the gloomy weather being flattering. Ive looked fabulous the last few days 🤣

I wouldn’t stress about it Cash as much as this thread has been interesting and had some good tips I can fully understand why it’s made you feel insecure about make up, It did me a bit, I don’t have the best skin so unfortunately for me I have to have a foundation with good coverage so it made me feel pretty bad that I can’t just use a raindrop size of tinted moisturiser! and that I must look really old, but after critiquing myself truthfully in broad daylight, canvassing opinion from my brutally honest DH who basically said what the fuck are you talking about you’re gorgeous, I came to the realisation that just because we are older we do not all look the same, what suits me won’t suit someone else so the “rules” will work for some and not others, I think the phrase of the moment on mumsnet is “You do you” It’s good to take stock and reasses but we should not feel bad about the choices we make because other people think it’s wrong.

I wouldn’t stress about it Cash as much as this thread has been interesting and had some good tips I can fully understand why it’s made you feel insecure about make up, It did me a bit, I don’t have the best skin so unfortunately for me I have to have a foundation with good coverage so it made me feel pretty bad that I can’t just use a raindrop size of tinted moisturiser! and that I must look really old, but after critiquing myself truthfully in broad daylight, canvassing opinion from my brutally honest DH who basically said what the fuck are you talking about you’re gorgeous, I came to the realisation that just because we are older we do not all look the same, what suits me won’t suit someone else so the “rules” will work for some and not others, I think the phrase of the moment on mumsnet is “You do you” It’s good to take stock and reasses but we should not feel bad about the choices we make because other people think it’s wrong.

I’ve been following Trinny Woodall on Instagram for a while now. Thinking of investing in some of her makeup. I think it’s aimed at older skin and she looks amazing. She is a skin obsessive. Definately recommend following her.

Thing is though Trinny doesn’t look particularly good for her age 🥴. I love her crazy personality but whatever she’s done to her face isn’t great.

Whatever she's done to her face hasn't come out of a jar. Her lips look way overfilled.

She’s pretty open about what she has had done and lip fillers isn’t one of them.her lips aren’t that big and she attributes their fullness to her genes and recent dental work that lifts the upper lip.
She has had Botox and loads of other stuff which she talks about so I believe her.
Anyway I am talking about her makeup which I do think looks nice.

While we are on celebrities I quite like Sophie stanbury’s makeup looks on insta for inspiration. She goes for a natural look and advocate a pinky nude lip as you get older.

She’s pretty open about what she has had done and lip fillers isn’t one of them.her lips aren’t that big and she attributes their fullness to her genes and recent dental work that lifts the upper lip.

Sounds legit...

I mean whose lips don't get fuller with age!

Ear I'm about the same age as her and I still have full lips, they've not started deflating yet. But if I want even fuller lips then I'll whack some lip plumper on

Trinny is a nice woman but her face has been botoxed to the hilt, and her cheeks and lips filled.

Personally I don’t think it’s been somebody very well.

Liz Hurley has the same work done but it looks much more natural.

The Frugality said that Trinny made her cry when she worked on a job with Trinny so she won't support her in any way. Trinny face looks cat like in the same way so many other women who have gone down the fillers Botox route. Looks awful and she used to look so lovely. Her style is whacky now whereas it used to be so elegant. It's hard to take advice on beauty skin products etc from someone who has tampered with their face to such an extent. If she had left her face alone I would have been more interested in what she has to say.

It’s the same weird think that Cheryl Cole has done recently. I think it’s cheek related but they end up looking very strange.

This is the second thread I've been on this week that has turned into critiquing other women's appearances. Rather than tips and helping each other out. I don't like it very much.

recent dental work that lifts the upper lip

What would that be?

I’m of the opinion that the increasing trend for cosmetic surgery affects us all by giving people (mainly women) an unrealistic idea of what ageing means. So when someone, who presumably makes a very good living from selling women a certain image, claims they haven’t had a certain procedure when they clearly have I think calling them out is fair.

But maybe that belongs in a separate thread, so I'll depart.

I think Kylie’s make up looks lovely here and shock horror she is over 50 and she is wearing eyeliner, top and bottom, clearly she has not read this thread.

She’s had shedloads of work though.

You’ll have to prise my eyeliner out of my cold, dead grasp.

In my very late thirties I read that I should try to give it up as it was ageing. I lasted 24 hours - I was sick of people asking me if I was ok/had I been crying/was I ill.

My eyes are like pissholes in the snow without it.

Yes she has, but it’s always being said on threads like these that “work” makes celebs look older/worse so either they are not on a level playing field with us mere mortals because work makes them look younger or does it make them look older? Can’t have it both ways. Whatever, if Kylie had no work she would still be a beautiful women over 50 with lovely make up.

It’s ok to critique Trinny’s appearance as she is actively trying to persuade us to buy the products she is flogging and claims to use herself. She has not been completely honest about her use of fillers including lip augmentation.

@Pinkarsedfly same here
I line my upper waterline and do eyeliner on top lid, sometimes with a small flick

I agree EarClipper

Enidbutton Trinny sells her products by using her face. I'm a similar age to her and can't believe anything she says or promotes as she has had so much work done. I love it when she has women in who haven't had work done as I can then see how the products really look. In the end they are just the same as any other products out there.