40s - anyone else realised that their make up suddenly doesn’t suit them anymore?!

[Thurlow]

I used to be a fan of a full face at work - eyeliner, foundation, blusher, the lot. But then I just looked in the mirror and the other day and realised it looked wrong, it looked heavy and ageing and really old fashioned.

This week I’ve just moved to Nars concealer for eyes, nose and chin, Rosalique as a base, a slick of mascara and and eyebrow gel, and my beloved Benetint for some colour - and I’m surprised I think I look better for it!

Anyone else had to suddenly change? What are you wearing as you get older?

My face may be fine, but other people's comments about my face aren't fine and I prefer not to experience them, hence wearing makeup.

I found last year that my face looked 'flat' when it never used to. Sort of two dimensional. I always felt this way about wearing foundation and nothing on my eyes, it's as if my eyes disappear with foundation but come alive again with eyeshadow and mascara. So now I use bronzer, the smallest lightest dusting on temples and under cheekbones, also along the side of my nose. Then highlighter along my cheekbones, and down the bridge and on the tip of my nose. Apart from a slight sparkle in the highlighter you can't see I'm wearing anything, but my face looks three dimensional again.

I'm so glad it's not just me! I apply my Too Faced primer, ELDW foundation and overall I'm pleased with the look...UNTIL...I'm out. My foundation looks cakey, pale face with pink blusher splodges, eyes rimmed in thick black eyeliner, bronzer that's too bronzed oh and not forgetting the peri-menopausal sheen! I seriously look like I've been playing with the makeup box these days

Yes. I've stopped wearing makeup altogether, except a bit of mascara.

It's great!

My routine is rituals sunscreen, followed by the ordinary serum foundation- it’s so light. If I need a more ‘glam’ or longer lasting look I’ll put powder on before my foundation. But it’s all about the dewy look for me, I have dry skin so this helps me as I’m not putting loads on my skin.
I tight line my eyes if I want a done look otherwise it’s just mascara and a small bit of creme blusher.

Korean skincare and make up, especially moisture cushion is great alternative to the foundation or concealer, I’m 43 and loving most of the products.

I’ve definitely had to lay off the makeup as I’ve got older. I used to go heavy on the eyeliner, but now don’t use any on the bottom lids just the top, plus mascara on the top only. Use a Barry m fresh face cream blush and what sali Hughes recommended as an ourglass ambient light dupe from Revolution Pro. Use Dr paw paw tinted gloss rather than lipstick. Any attempt at foundation sits in my lines.

@ethelredonagoodday

Yes similar. I'm 43. It's foundation I'm really struggling with. It sits heavily on my skin. My skin is generally quite good, few wrinkles and pores starting to look a bit more noticeable, but the foundations I've tried of late seem to make this even more noticeable!

Any tips gladly received!

Try YSL le teint touche eclat. It is illuminating foundation and does not fill in the cracks. Just find your shade. It is really good

@Justilou1

Ha! I’m blonde and have gone the other way! According to my genetic counsellor friend, it’s a throwback Scandinavian genetic trait and has a name I can’t remember. I started as a polar bear kid - white blonde hair, translucent pink skin, ice blue eyes. Now as I get older I store bilirubin from my liver and my skin looks tan and my eyes are green. Obviously menopause has slowed my metabolism (the bastard) and people ask about my fake tanning technique. I have changed from a Spring to a Summer, I guess.

Hold on! So I’m not imagining it? My eyes were hazel and now at 50 they are very green - I keep admiring them! 😆 this is to do with my liver?

@Toomuchtrouble4me - it could be Gilbert Syndrome, but it is unlikely. rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/gilbert-syndrome/
The most likely scenario is actually aging. Unfortunately, we produce less melanin everywhere as we get older, so our skin gets paler (harder to tan evenly in the sun, more likely to get blotchy, brown spots, and they also contrast against the paler skin more as well), grey/white hair and paler, faded eyes. If your eyes look more opaque, then you need to go to an ophthalmologist as you may be showing symptoms of cataracts. (Especially of you have spent a lot of summer vacations without sunglasses with spf rating or you smoke.)

Pronounced metabolic changes are not a feature of ageing - we generally are less active and some people have thyroid issues.

Not in my 40's.. my 20's but had a rough few years, switched to cream contour and using lipstick for blush including blushing or darkening nose features to make them appear slimmer and eyeliner , it works vey well and highlights cheekbones

as above said before every makeup application smoother skin in moisturizer and wait to sink in

Thank God for this thread, I'm 55 & never looked my age until the last 2 years when I have become housebound due to disability. I haven't worn any makeup all the time I have been stuck inside. On the rare occasions I have been out to the hospital I have had to wear a mask so didn't bother with anything. I would love to have some sheer tinted moisturiser but obviously can't get to the shops to test which colour I need. I need a complete overhaul, I haven't had my hair cut or coloured for over 2 years so I have a combination of regrowth & grey, my hair is now down to my waist, I live in joggers & hoodies, I can't remember the last time I wore something nice, did my hair & makeup.

Same as PPs as have stopped using foundation; only used it for big nights out and there haven’t been any for almost two years! I use Bare Minerals concealer, Benefit Dandelion and Bare Minerals setting veil powder. I’m secretly proud that I can still use liquid eyeliner and do a flick! Will keep going until I would need to stretch eyelid to achieve. Still an 80s chick at heart and use coloured liquid eyeliners; I can still get away with a bright blue and get nice compliments when I wear plus queries re brand - very affordable Nyx. Dior used to do a lovely deep Blue but haven’t seen for years.

Rarely wear lipstick these days - just a swish of coloured lip balm or Clinique Chubby Stuck. However, when I do full make up I’ll outline and fill with MAC Spice lipliner, whatever colour lipstick on top, blot and another coat. No idea why but MAC Spice lipliner seems to work with every lip colour.

@Boomerang03 - am also massively with you regarding Korean skincare, but as my skin tone is deeper, I haven’t found a foundation that works. The cream blushes are outstanding though! (Especially if you’re lazy like me and like to use them for eyes and cheeks and sometimes lips too.)
Meanwhile, I watched Nadine Baggott and Jo Good chatting about their favourite products, and Jo Wood was talking about the Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel bucket o’bronzer that everyone raved about for years. I fell for the hype and hated it. Meanwhile, Jo Good uses it as a foundation. I thought that since it costs a million dollars here in Aus, and mine’s been sitting around in my cosmetic graveyard for years just taking up space, I’d give that a go today. (End of Winter, already 29’C… kill me now.) It was great!!! I’ve been using it wrong, it would seem! So today I had a healthy, sun-kissed look that stayed on all day, despite running around in the garden.

Yes! I find my Estée Lauder double wear sits in wrinkles that arent there when I don't wear it! Esp around the eyes.

I'm 38 and wearing less bit mainly due to working from home and then being pregnant and having a baby

I should probably make more effort!

@Boomerang03 me too, I use it as a foundation, it lasts all day on me,

I use Estée Lauder Sheer Tint Release Moisturiser which seems to even out my skin. The couple of times a week I wear foundation I use just a small amount of Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, which I love as it’s almost invisible on my skin.

I’ve started using brown eyeliner instead of black. But still black mascara. Bobbi Brown cream blush in Fresh Melon. I also like Burts Bees tinted lip balm.

Also switched up on the last year or two, am 43. Much more in the way of gel and cream formulas, eyeshadow sticks, deep browns more than blacks, cloud paint blush etc. Still love longwear lip etc as I can't be doing with reapplying every 5 mins.

Foundation wise, much less is more. I use a tiny bit of either IT cc cream, YSL touché eclat stick foundation or Bobbie brown longwear, but over very moisturised skin and spf, and only in the places that need it. Then minimal concealer / corrector if necc.

I wasn’t counting eyebrow products. Obviously I still need to put on my eyebrows. Damn the 90s

I’ve never worn tons of makeup; just powder and blush and mascara. Decided to go grey over lockdown (as you do) and that’s caused upheaval with makeup, clothes, everything! The only plus is that now I can wear a red lip where I couldn’t get away with it before. Can’t wear peach blush, swapped to pink. Have been getting lash extensions and eyebrow henna to help transition from thin eyebrows - plus it’s all you can see when I’m out and masked. The difference in my face by doing proper brows and having added lash length has been incredible and it’s my new thing. 50 and I have found an ‘eyebrow lady’ who can do fabulous things! I feel fresher for wearing less makeup given I’m ageing. My friends have said that I look almost 10 years younger than I am which I put down to a good haircut and shaped brows have me looking quite fresh and the brows (I think) make me look more alert which may be being perceived as ‘young’

Trinny cream formula especially the BFF destress which I’m using now on its own. Gives enough coverage but it’s lightweight. I’m 55 my 27 year old daughter uses it as well

Another vote for Korean skin care and makeup, I’m about to turn 42 and my skin hasn’t looked this good in years. I’m a huge fan of Holika Holika Jelly BB cream, the texture seems really odd at first but it’s wonderfully light whilst still giving decent coverage.

@Justilou1 have you tried a Korean foundation with a shade adjuster to make it darker? Revolution do some drops that are great for adjusting any foundation to your skin tone.

Glossier Futuredew has also really helped my skin and generally I am wearing formulations that are sheer and dewy. The only powder I now wear is Huda illuminating baking powder around my eyes to stop my eyeliner melting.