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’m with madcatlady. Red lipstick used to look good on me. Now I just look like Cruella da Ville if I put it on so I go for more rose/burgundy colours. Foundation doesn’t look as good either.

You know what? I find this thread so depressing especially as started by a 40-ish yr old.

All this bloody moaning about looking older.

Never have women had it so easy in terms of help out there.
You can get products to lighten sun damage.
Fillers for wrinkles.
Really good make up that doesn't look like orange cement.

Those posters who say they can't or don't wear foundation, you're not looking hard enough at the right counters.

My mum is in her early 90s. I buy her make up online for her (though she gets out sometimes.) She used Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser as a foundation, light blusher, brown mascara, uses Rapidbrow to help her eyebrows grow, then a grey toned brow pencil and a soft pink lipstick (Clinique.) Sometimes she will use a very neutral grey eyeshadow.

She does look fantastic and at least 10 yrs younger anyway.

But the point is, everyone needs to tweak their make up as they get older, but it's not THAT hard! I use more now than I did in my 20s but it's very subtle.

I've had the same experience this week. I've used Bourjois Healthy Balance Unifying Powder as a foundation for a few years but the other day after applying it I went into the bathroom and was shocked at my undereye saggy wrinkles in the different light!! Is it too matt? Too powdery? What is the problem do you think?
And MissKitty - I don't think you look overdone at all. You look great. Is the make-up in the two photos the same though?As you say you only do one face. They don't look the same. Maybe use look 2 for walking the dog?

I'm a lot older than you OP but I still wear make up and I know it makes me look better because people always tell me I look nice when I was it. However I wear less than I used to. I do still wear eyeliner because my skin has got paler and it helps define my eyes. i also no longer do the cars eye flicks. I've also had my brows microbladed which although not entirely successful has made a difference massive difference to my face. I wear very little eyeshadow and only in muted shades. My skin is still oily so I wear Estée Lauder DW for going out but I mix it with a lighter foundation and some highlighter cream so it still lasts all day but it's not as heavy.

I don’t think the thread is depressing, it’s a fact of life that your skin will go through a lot of changes during your lifetime so it’s logical that you’ll need to adapt your makeup (and skincare and possibly hair colour and clothing etc) to suit the skin you have now. It’s annoying when things you used to love no longer suit you, and it can take some trial and error & be a bit expensive finding things that do suit, but I don’t find it depressing.

whats depressing about women wearing less makeup?

Thanks MissKitty
I'd need to go into Belfast for BB stuff but will take a trip up at payday, thanks Jingling

It was Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation that I finally identified as the main problem with my make up, not the colour match - which was good, just the painted effect. And while I agree that the woman on that counter have always been lovely, not one of them ever said to me, 'Are you sure it's foundation you want cos your skin looks pretty decent as it is?' At the end of the day, they're selling.

I think one difficulty is that all these changes are incremental so you don't always spot them straight away. It was the same with body changes - I didn't notice my boobs had got bigger, all I knew was that my clothes weren't flattering any more.

I wear Laura Mercier candle glow foundation, it's quite sheer and obviously gives a glow. It won't cover much but I have pretty good skin. I then use Benefit Bo-ing hydrating concealer under my eyes as they are very very dry. Like dehydrated and sore looking. This combo works well for me, on areas that need it (sore areas under my jaw line where I've picked a hair etc) I use Estée Lauder double wear. Or if my checks are very red.

Oh and I always use a glowing primer, currently Maybeline baby skin in the pink tube which I don't think they sell in the uk!

Regarding red lipstick or strong colours, I will still wear them occasionally but I mute them by wearing a balm first, usually Dior cremates de rose, then apply the tee lipstick but then gently blot it.

It’s a much softer effect than wearing red lipstick straight from the tube as I used to do as a young woman.

I never wore purple when I was younger but find a purple around the eyes can be more flattering than brown or grey.

Clinique chubby sticks are ideal for older eyes as they look soft when you apply them so don’t need blending and the colours are great. Portly is my favourite

m.clinique.co.uk/product/1598/22855/makeup/eye-shadows/chubby-sticktm-shadow-tint-for-eyes

I love blusher too, normally I'd say a Cream but these have transformed my make up routine, I thought the middle one was very pale and boring but I actually use it the most as it gives a beautiful natural glow. They aren't flat matte and they aren't shimmery either, they just give a gorgeous radiance. They are by The Balm. The bronzer is great to use under your chin to help disguise any excess puffiness! 😬

There's a picture of a young woman wearing the nars finland in this article and tbh the before and after she looks the same so on that basis i wouldn't bother.

I know nothing about Nars as I buy cheap make-up but I think that looks pretty good. I can see a very subtle "improvement" which is all I want can expect.

I don't know what's ''depressing'' about women re-assessing their make up and what's worked for them in the past.

I used the Boots Botanical BB cream today, it was discontinued years ago so probably should be in the bin .
I never used any concealer and very little bronzer, I use Max Factor in light gold. I put the blusher higher up as someone suggested and it looked good. It was a peachy cream one from an old Glossybox.
ELF pencil Shadow and mascara. It looked ok and nobody told me I looked ill or tired
Soola is the staying power good on the Chubby sticks? The ELF one tends to disappear.

I would say the main difference in that before and after Nars pic is that her freckles are less visible, which seems a shame to me, although I accept that some people with freckles might disagree.

MissKitty I've recently done the same, I've abandoned my usual block dark colour which always looked fabulous just not flattering on 50 something skin, but I'm not prepared to go grey just yet. So I had some lighter highlights woven through the top to blend the minimal grey I do have I'm still quite vain and it's transformed my look, it's softened my face and I love it.

I should have added that I've been using CT lip colour in pillow talk (not the Matt one) and it's such a flattering shade on an older skin.

JinglingHellsBells I agree. I see photos of my Nan wearing Max Factor powder and lipstick and I think she looked so old, even at 40. Now, we have SO MUCH CHOICE. Maybe, too much. We’re always looking for the wonder product that’ll make the big difference. I know in the past I’ve bought something or other after mooching around the counters, only to find it’s a mess on me.

I know young women of today, if they look after their skin (sun/smoking/sugar/alcohol) should look bloody marvellous at 60, when THEIR time comes.

I don’t know any men, on the other hand, who spend so much time and money on fretting about how they look. It’s a huge conspiracy.

I've had to give up on under eye concealer altogether in my 40s. I had to choose between looking wrinkly or tired and I chose tired. I think it was the lesser of two evils. I also agree with whoever mentioned above that a bold ish lip colour can detract from a sagging jawline. Also, I can't do dewy any more. Now it just looks greasy.

You lot wearing hard black eyeliner. Stop unless you’re very dark. Or black.

It’s not kind

does anyone fancy including some photos? I don’t think blanket comments are that helpful as I can still get away with wearing black wing eyeliner in my forties. It looks okay!

Having always done make up in under two minutes, it takes longer at 63. I'm not following the Barbara Cartland example of sticking with what used to look OK. Again, for clarity, my sight is not what it was (20/20) so I look in several mirrors in different lights, and still shudder at my face in the rear view mirror at the traffic lights in full sun.

@sheshootssheimplores I would wear winged eyeliner but my eyes have become so hooded it just eventually smudges. I'm considering having a thin line of soft smudgy eyeliner tattooed on.

Re eyeliner, I found a wee trick that works to make my eyes larger. I use a soft pencil (usually grey as that works best for my colouring but I also do this with purple, teal and brown) and line on the outer half of my upper lid ONLY. I then smudge it softly so the colour drifts every so slightly further towards my inner corner. I don't wing it at all, or extend it beyond my lashes on the outside corner. Absolutely no liner on the inner half of my lid, and none on the lower lashes. I don't even use mascara on the lower lashes as that looks awful on me.

This really works for my eye shape, making them look much larger and makes my lashes look very thick as well.

My eye products were fine, it was the technique I was using that needed a kick up the bum.