Time to ditch the makeup?

[spencerspencer]

Having turned 34 my makeup routine no longer seems to be working for me. Where things like highlighter and eyeliner once looked crisp, defined and striking, I now find they look harsh and like I'm sort of.... trying to hard...for want of a better description.

Yes I could update my makeup in line with my age. Go for brown eyeliner instead of black etc, but having seen a photo of me all "done up" today where there's simply no discernible improvement to my face by merit of makeup, it's got me wondering whether I should just ditch it altogether! It seems a waste of time and product to spend ages every morning painting makeup on only to feel like I'm actually no better off looks-wise.

Has anyone ever done this and did you invest more in other things to enhance your natural beauty instead?

I'm wondering if I'd be happier paying more attention to making sure my teeth are white, perhaps get a lash lift, brows done, good hair colour etc. Basically, get the foundations looking ship-shape but then simply slap a bit of SPF on my face and leave it like that?

If you ditched the makeup did it make you happier/less happy with yourself in photos? Did it make you feel less polished at work? Did it affect your dating confidence?

Sorry if I'm not articulating this well. I guess essentially I'm just wondering if it would be easier to accept my looks for what they are rather than feeling like I'm battling against them with makeup and still not feeling 100% thrilled with the results.

I recently completely overhauled my makeup, just turned 40. I realised my "look" was actually aging me.
I went to the makeup counter and came away with a new, much more dewy foundation. I just now spf and serum, foundation mixed with moisturiser, a tiny fill in on my patchy brows with a pencil and a tubing mascara as I found all others were flaking. I finish with a little sweep of bronzer and that's it.
Any more just looks claggy and aging. I feel a million times better for it. Maybe if you want to keep wearing makeup you just need an overhaul.

Similarish story here. Ditched the make up and now I just lightly tan my face (well everywhere actually) once a week and tint my lashes and brows which saves using any products on them. Just throw on some lipstick / tint on in a morning and that's me done.

I understand how you feel. I'm about to turn 30, the make-up staple "look" that used to suit me through my 20s just looks harsh and overdone and quite aging on me now.

I've invested more in skincare so my skin is so much better than it was and I can get away with a bit of Glossier skin tint during the day, instead of heavy foundation. It's really just to even out my skin tone a bit and make me look more polished, but it's nice and light and dewy and much more flattering than matte foundation on me these days. I keep my eyebrows shaped and tinted and have a lash lift when I can be bothered. Otherwise, it's just a bit of mascara, liquid blusher, lip balm and I'm good to go. I think I look better like this. Heavy eye make up doesn't suit me any more and I find it just makes my eyes feel irritated now anyway. I'm much more comfortable in lighter make-up.

I've had to ditch makeup as I've been unwell and my skin is SO dry that any makeup just looks awful.

I never wore a lot anyway so I'm definitely no expert in this. However, after a few weeks of no foundation or tinted moisturiser my skin looks nicer than it has in ages.

To be honest I think I've just got to a point of realising that I've only been wearing make up because it's the done thing and now I've stopped bothering I'm not missing it.

If I had the money I'd definitely have my teeth whitened though!

I have never ever worn makeup...I use skincare and change it according to my skin's needs but just never liked the feel or look of slap.

I can’t believe what I’m reading. I’m 68 and they’ll wrest my makeup bag out of my cold dead hands. It’s become subtler as I’ve got older but I’ll never, ever give it up. I look ten years older without it.

I used to always wear foundation, now, at 42, I'm just using either an Elemis shimmery moisturiser or a Clinique bb cream that matches to your skin tone. My skin feels better and I don't think I look that different! I might splash out on a bit of foundation for a night out but that rare.

For eyes it's always brown eyeliner and a bit of mascara, feel like my eyes look better with something on,although happy to go makeup free much more regularly than in my younger days!

I can’t wear make up because of my autism so instead I make sure my brows are always done nicely , that I curl my eyelashes, whitened my teeth, started a really good skincare routine and got laser hair removal on chin and upper lip.

i know I look better with make up but it feels weird and I get a headache as tense my facial muscles differently when wearing it and then it irritates my skin and I just can’t concentrate !

Do what you want with your body but I’m not sure stating that certain looks (wearing black eyeliner / highlighter) isn’t appropriate when over a certain age is a very helpful or progressive statement.

I’m 45 and wear both and I don’t look like I’m ‘trying too hard’. I look like how I want to look