44 and makeup just settles in wrinkles help!

[GlowFlo]

I'm 44 just lost a lot of weight and finding that my face is quite lined now. I think makeup just settles in my wrinkles. Looks like I have to ditch foundation altogether. Does anyone have any advice? Makeup is supposed to help me look better but mine... is not!!

I'd switch to a BB cream. Foundation is too heavy as we age.

Or mix your foundation with moisturizer for a lighter finish.

Agree with @savvy7 - I have oily skin too and found regular foundation not only settles in wrinkles it also slides off so I look a mess. If you have drier skin I think BB creams or mixing with moisturizer may help. For my oily skin I’ve been using pressed powders which absorb the oil and don’t seem to settle into the creases as much. Loose powder didn’t work well though - almost worse than foundation for me. The best pressed powders I’ve found are Charlotte Tilbury and Laura Mercier.

What does your skincare routine look like? Often that can be the solution, look at the skincare and then foundation second.

Agree. I’m 52 and foundation goes on fine. I think tretinoin has made my face so smooth the settling just doesn’t happen.

oh god I’m right here with you. Sorry this will not be a useful response but I put foundation on for the first time in a while last week. Looked in the mirror 10 mins later and it had all caked up in my smile lines/creases. Literally ruined my self esteem for the first night out I’ve had in a couple of years because I was so conscious of how it looked all night, so really interested to see what gets suggested here.

I really love this BB cream from L’Oréal as it has great coverage but doesn’t sit in my lines

https://www.boots.com/loreal-paris-age-perfector-bb-cream-04-medium-vanilla-30ml-10315713?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc--seasonal_promotions--Beauty-_-UK_Boots_Standard+Shopping_Beauty&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADrIajUmK8P50BTnojb3Ic1XNGl0x&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIicX-5KXYhwMVCo5QBh3coCejEAQYASABEgI3W_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I usually wash my face with just water then apply Nuxe oil to my face neck and hands. Sometimes I also follow this with another oil. Then I use Nuxe Crene Produgieuse Boost correction cream. Let that sit for a bit then very lightly apply loreal true match which looks OK when it goes on but a few photos recently have given me a bit of a shock 😬
I use a stick blusher that's quite creamy but a powder bronzer.
My 11s are like deep ridges and I must look permanently worried or cross. Now I also have lines going horizontally across ylmy forehead. I am genuinely going to wear my hair in a tight ponytail today to get a face-lift effect!!

I agree with PPs. Focus on skincare. Some people find they don’t need a base product at all. Light formula make up. You could also try using a beauty blender to remove any excess. I rate the Bare Minerals tinted moisturiser in summer though as I have oily skin actually prefer their mineral foundation which you can really buff in.

I’ve never been a fan of foundation, it masks the beauty of youthful skin and then isn’t great for older skin either.

I agree with trying to up your skincare, rather than focusing on make up. There are some great products which help with lines and can give your skin more of a glow.

Also, I have been mixing my foundation with moisturiser for a few years now - it's far too mask like on it's own.

Please can you recommend some products that help with lines, I'm mid range budget.
Thank you!

What (if any) products do you currently use?

I would keep it simple and use a daily sunscreen to protect your skin from more damage, and then use a retinol product. I use La Roche Posay SPF 50+, it's usually on sale in Boots, or they do 3 for 2.

There are some good mid range brands like The Ordinary and Geek and Gorgeous. The problem is they have so many products it's hard to know where to start and can get a bit overwhelming. Unfortunately you wont find Geek & Gorgeous in shops, you have to buy it from their website, but their prices are good, I've been buying from them for a few years.

I actually use the prescription tretinoin stuff now, which you could try if you wanted - there are many threads on here about Dermatica or Skin & Me. It depends on how much time/effort/ money you want to commit to. They are subscription services that send out the prescription strength stuff - but be warned it can be very irritating, so I would recommend starting out using over the counter stuff like retinol/ retinal.

I started out using the Ordinary retinol and then Geek and Gorgeous retinal cream and then built up over time to using stronger stuff.

You could try using it maybe a couple of nights a week to start with and building up use:
https://geekgorgeous.co.uk/products/a-game-5

They also have a stronger one you could work up to. Just be aware it has a yellowish tint to it, so I would put it on a good while before bed to let it absorb in or you will find yellow marks on your pillow.

The Ordinary also do lots of retinols that are pretty cheap, you can get them in Boots - they are great to start off with. Just pick one and start using it a few nights a week on a clean face. Here is a link to their Retinal serum (which is slightly stronger than retinol - I know, very confusing)

https://www.boots.com/the-ordinary-retinal-0-2-emulsion-serum-15ml-10340633

If you get irritation then use it less often, and try building up slowly to using it every night/ every other night. It should start to smooth out your skin and give it a little more bounce - bit it takes time unfortunately.

Just make sure if you're using any retinol product that you use sunscreen everyday.

Also (sorry for the essay), if you want to try a Vitamin C serum in the morning under your sunscreen.

Again Geek and Gorgeous do a reasonably priced one called C-Glow. I find it makes me skin glow when I use it.

https://geekgorgeous.co.uk/products/c-glow

I've been using Max Factor Facefinity compact applied with a bigger brush NOT the sponge it comes with. It's great, just evens everything out nicely and you don't need much.

This is great thank you so much

Botox

Get botox in your 11s and forehead.
I use armani luminous silk foundation I'm 44

I’m 44 and spend all my budget on skin&me (£25 ish each month and mine contains tretinoin, azaleic acid and niacinimide). I then go cheap and basic for other products (cerave cleanser and moisturiser, castor oil). It has helped massively but is a long term thing so you won’t see immediate results.

I also just use the tiniest dab of foundation really buffed in with a brush or dabbed in with a damp sponge. That seems to help with the settling in lines.

I can recommend Jones Road WTF (What The Foundation) - it is different to use as it's quite oily and took me a bit of time to get to grips with it but now I don't use anything else. Depending on your skin type (I have combination but T-zone is oily), you don't need to use any moisturiser underneath it although I have found that a primer is essential to make it last all day.

Im using Laura Geller , seriously the only place it settles is the deep crease I have under my bottom lip, but everything settles there. It holds for the day, even when I get break through shine, it still holds on. I use the double take on my t zone and balance and brighten everywhere else

Like you, weight loss has made the lines a bit more pronounced. To top it all I have very reactive skin so have to keep the skin care pretty basic, I use peptides rather then retinol as its a lot kinder to me and I dont get a reaction

The Ordinary products are very good for the price. If you go to their website you can build a regime by taking a quiz, filling in your skin concerns and what sort of product textures you prefer

If it’s something you would consider, get Botox. It’s a game changer. Erborian CC cream is awesome - sort of half skin care, half moisturiser - instead of foundation.

While working out the new skincare approach (it takes on average 8-12 weeks to see results from new routine - cell turnover and all that), use a primer or make up base. It fills in the wrinkles and pores, so skin surface is more even and the foundation goes on and stays on better. But those products are mostly silicone based, so you will need to double cleanse in the evening.

Switch to tinted moisturiser. Use a cream or liquid blush.

I too love Laura geller balance and brighten, I use it over the top of eborian bb or the cc cream, just a light covering, it lasts all day , its the only foundation that when I clean it off at bedtime, there is lots left on my face cloths, all other foundations I have used even the eborian without the balance and brighten on top, is nearly all worn off at bedtime.

To prevent foundation from settling into wrinkles, start by hydrating your skin well and using a smoothing primer. Opt for a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturizer applied with a damp beauty sponge for a natural, seamless finish. Avoid heavy coverage and instead use concealer only where needed. Skip powder and set your makeup with a hydrating setting spray to keep your skin looking fresh. Alternatively, you could focus on enhancing your eyes, brows, and lips, skipping foundation altogether for a more youthful look. https://theordinary.pk/