Make up recs for mid 40’s please

[Littlemiss74]

I’ve lost my way a bit over the past year. Working from home, I haven’t really bothered wearing much make up apart from the odd zoom call. I have a bag full of old make up & I’d like to treat myself to some nice new & preferably flattering products.

My skin is ok & mostly clear but I do have dark circles under the eyes & feel as if my eyes look smaller. I’ve never really worn eyeshadow, would this help or make things worse?

What products should I be looking at to help with a fairly natural, healthy look? I am a bit sensitive to some things so have often bought clinique which I seem to get on ok with. I love the look of Benefit products but I’m worried about wasting money if they don’t work for me.

Any other brands or particular product recs would be much appreciated. Also any suggestions for make up videos for my age - had a look online and there were tons!!

For dark eyes I'd go for a peach colour corrector before/ instead of concealer. Bobbi Brown creamy corrector is good. I'm not qualified to advise on most of what you asked about because I'm massively out of my depth on here and just winging it myself

IT Cosmetics CC Cream and the goodbye under eye concealer are amazing. I've tried everything and these are the only products I've repeat bought in many years. Bloody love them.

I'm 42. I tend to wear just a primer on my skin - I've got a dear-ish one by This Works, which is ok, but I really prefer a cheap one from Superdrug's Collection range which gives my skin a lovely peach glow. In the summer I may wear a tinted moisturiser instead - I've always been happy with Nivea's one.

I still love Benetint cheek stain by Benefit - just a dot or two brings a gorgeous, natural flush to your cheeks, and because you need so little it lasts ages. Their face brightening powders are good too - I'm using dandelion atm, which is pinky, but they also do a peach one I like for the summer. Their Highbeam highlighter is good too.

I have to fill in my over-plucked 90s brows a bit. The Glossier Boy Brow brow mascara is the best and most natural option I've found for this.

On my eyes I usually only bother with mascara, and it has to be a tubing one. The best I've found is the No.7 one in a gold tube (Stay Perfect, I think it's called). Clinique and Glossier both do tubing mascaras that look more natural but have less staying power. Sometimes I line my upper water line with a black or brown eye pencil (tip I read for getting the extra definition eye liner gives without it sinking into the fine lines and "dragging" your eyes down - it works!)

I've never been one for lipstick, but will use a tinted lip balm (Burts Bees do lovely ones, the Pomegranate one suits me best), or Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Black Honey.

I don't often wear eyeshadow and don't feel able to offer advice on them as when I do I just swirl on whatever I think looks pretty with no real skill or technique!

Also recommend IT Cosmetics CC cream. Have a look on the QVC website as you can usually get an extra or two for the same price you would pay in Boots or similar. A make up brush or matching concealer for example.

I put on half a pump with my moisturiser in the daytime and apply more with a brush if I’m going out.

A brow and lash tint can work wonders too. Your eyes will be more defined before you even apply any make up.

I’m a similar age to you and I prefer liquid base and blusher now. It suits older drier skins I think. Go for a tinted moisturiser if you’re new to foundation or ‘dilute’ a regular one with a primer or serum. Go for a ‘juicier’ look rather than a dry/powdery look. It’s much less aging.
I even mix my blusher with a dab of Vaseline to make my skin look ‘juicier’
I use Daniel Sandler liquid blush and Glossier Cloud Paint. Blush is my desert island make up choice as I just look so palid without it.
I’d say yes try out some eyeshadow if you’re worried your eyes look peeky. I’d never leave the house without a mid brown shade.
One last tip is eyebrows. Glossier Boy Brow I love. It holds and defines. But if in doubt go a shade lighter than you think you need.

Trinny London BFF is good as a light base and the lip to cheek colours are great too. I also like Beauty Pie's blush and bronzer. I have Mac mascara and some (rarely used) Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal what is tubing mascara and why is it good? With the Benefit face brightening powder do you put it all over the face or just like blusher? I really like the look of tightlining but have never been able to do it, I haven't mastered the technique & the pencils I’ve used don’t seem to show up - what should I use so that it shows up & goes on easily? Should I use something different to a pencil?

@AllisoninWunderland which eyeshadow do you use please? Do you just apply to the lids?

Question about bronzer - do people use this all year round? I struggle to get the right shade - either too dark & heavy or too light it’s not noticeable. Any recommendations please?

Hi @Littlemiss74!

Tubing mascara literally coats the lashes in little "tubes" of colour. It gives a more natural look - you're not going to get the thick, false lash effect you will with volumising mascara, but neither will it leave you with panda eyes. It doesn't budge, until you want it to - then it comes off really easily with warm water and a soft cloth.

I use the brightening powder all over my face, with a bit more on my cheeks, IYSWIM.

Can't help with bronzer, I've never found one that doesn't just make my face look dirty, even when I have a bit of a tan!

Oh, and I just use any old eye liner pencil, so long as it's quite a soft one. Think my current ones are Elizabeth Arden and a Tesco's one!

Following!

I’m not convinced I like any of my make up anymore.

I am late 40s but with quite good skin. I go for the less is more approach. I use a tinted moisturiser (Boots number 7 or Dermalogica), light touch of brown eye liner, mascara (Boots number 7) and I use Benetint on my cheeks and lashes. Still haven’t found a product better than Benetint. The Glossier cloud paint made me look like a 🤡 I sometimes use a bit of eye shadow and I really like the shades by Trinny London.

Thank you @GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal I think I’m nervous of the tightlining & poking myself in the eye or pulling the delicate skin! Maybe I should look at some videos to see how to do it - I guess it
becomes easier with practice.?

I think because I've worn contact lenses for so long I'm alright with poking around in my eyes to be honest!

Am 45 and bother to much with make up. Brunette with blue eyes. I live the clinique mascara - think it is just their waterproof one. Always come back to it, but only do upper lashes. Have got an aubergine no7 eyeliner that I use under lower lashes and smudge. It's not as harsh as black. Use the amber or lilac clinique eye chubby stick, and garnier bb cream for face, blended at the end with a brush.Blush just makes me look funny though! Recently bought glossier under eye cream (can't remember the name), but only need a little dab,and glossier brow boy as eyebrows are shaped but now going a bit grey so try to give a little definition. I dont like the big eye brow look, and this just coats some if the existing hairs - rather than drawing them in. That is enough to show an effort, but not over the top as sont wear it every day. Just a better version of me!

Have a look at the Trinny London you tube videos. All multi tasking products and gives a nice natural finish. Cream/liquid products are much more natural/less ageing.

Cream eyeshadows are much easier than powder in my opinion. The Laura Mercier caviar sticks are fantastic - again you tube for quick tutorials.

I love the new Maybelline Sky High mascara. It doesnt flake or smudge and although not waterproof I need to use eye make up remover to get it off.

Trinny and Fenty both do well reviewed cream bronzers. I'm about to try the Daniel Sandler water colour illuminator for bronzer this year as the water colour products can be really subtle or built up and they last well.

@Littlemiss74

This is the one I’m using at the moment. I buy it from a local health food shop.

www.pravera.co.uk/shop/benecos-natural-and-organic-make-up-and-toiletries/natural-makeup/natural-eyeshadow/benecos-quattro-eyeshadow-coffee-and-cream-8g

Yes I just use it on lids. I blend the darker shade with the lighter. And use the very pale shade on inner eyes to brighten.

I use a felt tip eye liner to tight line. The eyeko one is very good. Not cheap but it’s available in various beauty boxes so you could get some other bits and still pay less than the cost of one.

I’m in the second half of my forties and love make up. I think it’s because it doesn’t matter how fat I am, make up still fits. I am definitely spending more on make up now than when I was younger.

I used to be brand loyal but not anymore.

I too like benefit and it’s worth trying a few things out.

I have a few NARS items which I am very pleased with.

I am currently having fun with some Stila eyeshadow sets.

I have many other brands that I have bits and pieces of.

As I have got older I have found that I am more prepared to mess about with make up, mix and match, try different things. If you can afford it try different stuff out and enjoy experimenting.

I am really enjoying Clarins skin illusion foundation. It feels lovely to wear, has serum like qualities so good for drier skin, and you can build coverage, so it can be light-medium coverage depending on how much you apply. It feels right for me as a foundation to wear when at home, but good enough for zoom calls.

I also second the recommendation for a brightening under eye concealer. I use Murad a vitamin C under eye serum, and this is the first eye cream that has actually brightened my super dark eye circles. Then I use the Sisley eye concealer. The price is a little high, but dark circles are my only real skin problem so prepared to spend whatever it takes!

What is your skin care routine like? I do lots to brighten and clear my skin so that it looks decent without make up, so would explore that as a first step too!

The benefit products that I like

Dandelion blusher
Hoola lite bronzer
Gold rush blush - for going out out, rather than everyday
Boing concealer - not so keen on the newest version of this.

Other favored brands
Clinique, some Charlotte Tilbury, Bare minerals, MAC, Urban Decay.

Why oh why did I look at the Murad website? I had never heard of it before and now I feel the need.

Thank you @SlatternIsMyMiddleName i’ve just had an email with 20% off for clinique so thinking about getting a foundation but which one?! I have no clue anymore but I used to wear their foundation & I liked it because it didn’t irritate me & had no smell (i am sensitive about smells😃).
Any recommendations for clinique foundation?

Has anyone got eyebrow product from Benefit? They seem to be the expert on all things brows but again so much choice I don’t know what to pick. Everything I’ve bought in the past for brows has been the wrong colour so looks too false. I want natural me but better😊

Oh I forgot - I have benefit eye brow stuff. I’ll poke about and see what there is.

Cant help on Clinique foundation but I have really lovely Clinique blusher and their chubby sticks are easy to use.

I have the following benefit eyebrow stuff
Browvo conditioning primer
High brow glow (a highlighter for under the arch, not sure I would get it again)
Goof proof brow pencil no.3
Brow microfilming pen medium brown

I don’t use the first 2 items every day, just when I can be bothered. The second 2 are either/or, not both at same time, but I think both look natural and not overdone.

I like the Clinique Even Better Glow foundation. It's very light coverage though, don't know if that's what you want?