Where does one even start with makeup??

[dubyalass]

Help me, oh stylish ones. I haven’t worn makeup beyond mascara (and maybe a swipe of blusher and lipgloss if I was really making an effort) for at least 10 years, and in that time I’ve gone very grey and, let’s face it, wrinkly too (I’m mid 40s and paying for all the sunbathing and occasional smoking I did in my youth).

The colours I wore in my 20s just don’t suit me any more. I see lots of stylish grey-haired women rocking a red lip, but I just tried it with a cheap supermarket lipstick to see if it would work and it looked awful. Do I need to go to a makeup counter and ask them? I don’t want foundation or anything like that, just something that will make me look less…. Dead?

Bobbi brown counter would be a good shout, they do quite neutral makeup
Emphasise what you have so nothing wrong with a bit of mascara and blush!

I think if you haven't worn bright lipstick before it can be a bit shocking and hard to get used to. I'd give it more of a chance if you like the look. If you're cool toned go for a cool red/ pink and if warm a warmer red.

Get a basic BB cream (it's kinda like tinted moisturiser). Yes, the staff on beauty counters will help you. Ask them for a small free sample or ask them to put it on your skin before you buy anything so you can make sure you like it

Thanks! I have nice eyes and am blessed with eyelashes like a cow so maybe I should emphasise them. I think I also need to learn how to apply lipstick etc properly. Practice, I suppose! And does one choose gloss or matte??

My skin tone is definitely cool - I wear silver rather than gold, don’t suit oranges and yellows. I can’t wear black next to my face any more, it drains all the remaining colour in my face.

I second bb cream, and possibly an illuminating one.

I don't think lipstick alone looks great - normally you need a little bb cream or some kind of coverage plus mascara to set it off, otherwise it can look too harsh.

Do you think an under eye concealer could be helpful? I'm 40's too and I know I definitely need it!

Why don't you search for YouTube videos on simple make up for 40 year olds or similar. There will be loads of ideas on there!

Good idea, I will take a look at YouTube. My under-eye area is not a problem, I've got slightly droopy eyelids and some dark patches from sun damage but nothing that makes me recoil in horror! I will see if I can get some BB cream this week - Boots is my only option for makeup counters as I live a long way from any cities!

Get yourself a neutral/cool toned bronzer. No 7 do some nice ones while you're in Boots. Elf does a nice one too - primer infused bronzer - sunkissed. A few swipes of bronzer really puts the colour back, and if you have blue eyes, it makes them pop. And it's,easy to top up during the day. A bit of blusher, mascara and a neutral lip.

You need foundation or something to sort out your skin tone if you want to look fresher faced. If you wear eyeshadow, blusher etc without a decent foundation, you'll look like Barbara Cartland.

I'm in my 40s too. IME BB cream and tinted moisturiser don't cut it. I need something with better coverage now. I used to be able to get away with BB cream a decade ago but not anymore.

Going to a make up counter is really a good idea. It's scary but they love to help and are there for advice. Bare minerals, CT and IT cosmetics would be appropriate for you wants xxx

I don't want to look like Barbara Cartland

I do however have pretty sensitive skin and I really hate the look of foundation - am quite happy with my skin in general and I have freckles so don't want to cover them up. I really don't want to go from no makeup to full panstick, I'd just like a bit of a lift. I'll see what the BB cream does; I might hate that too!

If you go to boots ask for a voucher for No7. They currently do £7 of a £15 spend which is a good saving (they just had a pile of the vouchers at the No 7 desk at our Boots) valid till the 30th.

N7 counter at Boots does mini make up consultations when they look at your skin tone and advice about one thing e.g lipstick or foundation. You don’t need to book them, just come in a quieter time. I’ve found them really good.

I agree you don't need foundation based on what you've said OP. It would be too full on. BB cream would be better. I've tried most and my recommendations to try would be:
Clarins bb detox cream - this is lovely!
It Cosmetics Your Skin but Better
Or for a budget version Garnier bb cream.

Also have a look at Trinny Woodall's videos on Facebook / YouTube. Trinny London is the name of her range which is specifically for "older" skin. She does some good tutorials. Her BB cream (called BFF) is actually lovely - very VERY light coverage though, but lovely. A cross between a moisturiser and a bb cream really.

Go to a department store (or Boots) and ask one of the make up girls for advice. Get them to write down what they used. If you don’t like the effect you can go back and try another one.

You don't need to go panstick. Try the bb cream but I prefer bare minerals. It's a powder foundation but you just buff on a tiny amount and you wouldn't know you were wearing it. Am 42 and recently started wearing make up again.

Boots are good in my experience,they will show you what colours suit you and write down the names of items for future purchases. They are excellent at returns if you don't get on withe the products too.

I'm similar. What works for me:

An intenser version of my natural lip colour, so for me that's a rose pink that's like my lips but a richer colour.

a little eye liner with the mascara, a soft Pearly colour is easiest and most forgiving. I swipe on some soft green or purple on the outer corners.

A big brush blusher over my temples, eye sockets, under my jaw. Sweep like a number 3 from above the eyes, to cheekbones, to jawline. I say blusher- bronzer is too shiny brown for me, I do better with peaches and pinks. Body shop used to do peach toned bronzing balls that worked well.

The other thing I use a lot is a neutral lip crayon- but I use it in my eye sockets and on my cheeks. It tackles the hood without looking like make up.

You can add a bit of dewy highlight/shimmer cream into your moisturiser. That works well, too.

I'm all for looking slightly more groomed/healthy without looking 'made up'.

@MovingHome22

Also have a look at Trinny Woodall's videos on Facebook / YouTube. Trinny London is the name of her range which is specifically for "older" skin. She does some good tutorials. Her BB cream (called BFF) is actually lovely - very VERY light coverage though, but lovely. A cross between a moisturiser and a bb cream really.

Heard great things about her makeup. Also heard you can book a live video tutorial and offset the cost against products. Wonder if anyone's tried this?

OP, I'm 48, completely silver and wear bright lipstick, though trying to improve my technique so I don't look like Picasso. I like this woman, Nikol from Beauty Reinvented:

This is useful

I'm not into makeup at all, but I like the Clinque chubby sticks to add a little colour to my lips when I'm not wearing foundation. They're more subtle than lipstick and feel more like a lip balm. I feel like they just liven me up a little.

Thanks to pp just sought out this Trinny series. In this episode she's showing a woman how to apply bold lipstick.

@picklemewalnuts
What neutral lip crayon do you use on your eyes and cheeks ?

I’m going to go against the grain here and recommend staying away from counters. In my experience I’ve genuinely never seen anyone come away from them knowing anything really, looking nothing like themselves but £100 poorer.

YouTube is such a great resource as other posters have said.

I’m not an expert but concealer, powder blush (you say you’ve got some wrinkles so stay away from liquids as much as possible) and a natural looking pink toned lipstick would look great.

I recently went to a stylist and had a colour consultation done (was Xmas present) it was excellent. I can now see why some colours look awful and now have a little colour swatch to take shopping.

She did some light makeup on me and I do not suit red lipstick! I need to wear lipstick with an orangey tinge rather than pure red, and blusher needs to be bronzey rather than pink.

I wish I'd had this done in my early 20's!