Someone please explain make up to me

[NellyNoMates]

I am 45 and wear very minimal
make up. If I am just pottering around the house/grocery store etc then I don’t bother wearing any at all. On days that I work or am spending time in company (usually 4-5 days a week) then I wear light foundation to even out my skin tone, and a small amount of blusher.

I don’t wear anything around my eyes unless for a very special occasion because I have allergies which mean my eyes are regularly itchy, and I wear glasses anyway so eye make up is less noticeable than if they were on full display as it were.

I feel like the whole blusher thing is really dated now and it’s all about bronzer? Also - the foundation (which I have been wearing for the last 20 odd years) seems a bit dry on my skin now and therefore a bit more noticeable than I would like.

I really just want the absolute basics, but am naturally quite pale and feel that foundation makes that even more noticeable hence the blusher, but I think that’s wrong now.

What do I need to look presentable but not looking like I’m wearing make up? Genuinely natural look is what I’m after but need to cover the slightly red patches I have on my cheeks/nose and the dark circles under my eyes.

I currently use Clinique CN20 foundation and a YSL blusher that I bought from JL - no idea of the colour.

I don’t want to go to a make up counter because I’ve tried that before and either been railroaded into buying a ton of stuff I don’t want or need, or being shown stuff that is way too made up for me.

someone more knowledgeable must be able to help! Please!

Cream products might give you the look you want without being too drying or looking noticeable. Maybe switch to a tinted moisturiser or a dewy finish foundation.
for bronzer look at a cool toned one so you don’t look too tanned/orange. blend the bronzer in with a sponge for a more seamless look. You can still add a slight hint of blush for a flush of colour just opt for a sheer colour to look fresh rather than cakey

Look at No 7 tinted moisturisers plus their Glow Artist lip and cheek thing.

https://www.boots.com/no7-pro-artist-colour-and-glow-lip-and-cheek-multi-stick-10358291

Don’t hide your eyes. Let them shine through your glasses. A base shadow. And eye liner and mascara. Will transform your face.

something for brows too but that’s the next step.

Personally I prefer mascara and eyeliner. Cream blushers and bronzers are good.

I don’t bother with brows as they’re a good natural shape. Plus when they’ve been dyed before it’s sometimes been too dark.

There have been so many similar threads to this recently, especially about foundation for 40+ skin - scroll through the S&B board. Ones I like that also get mentioned a lot are Erborian cc/bb cream and L'Oreal tinted serum. You can test them out in Boots.

There are lots of liquid/cream blushers on the market, look for one in the right shade for you but just apply lightly, eg by tapping in with your finger, until you get the look you like. Aim for looking glowy rather than having an obvious blusher colour.

I'm the same as you with eye makeup but recently discovered tubing mascara (many brands do one, I have one from Revolution) and it's amazing - doesn't budge no matter what.

You might find this range good. This moisturiser come SPF adapts to your natural colour.

https://www.perriconemd.co.uk/p/high-potency-face-finishing-and-firming-tinted-moisturizer-spf-30-59ml/13110006/

And this for redness

primer will be your best friend!! That’s literally all I know! Loving this thread though!

This is all so helpful. Off to do some googling. Thank you!

Hi OP. You'd probably benefit from switching to something more hydrating like a tinted moisturizer, BB cream, or a foundation with hyaluronic acid and glycerin in the formula rather than a traditional matte foundation. For covering redness and dark circles without looking heavy, a color-correcting concealer in peach or salmon tones under a light layer of tinted moisturizer works better than piling on foundation, since color correctors neutralize the discoloration before you even add coverage. As for the blusher versus bronzer thing, that's really more about trends and personal preference, there's no "wrong" choice if it makes you feel good!

Blusher is very much needed but you need to understand your colour palette - are you cool or warm? I know a PP said brows are for later but i disagree. They frame your face. Get them tame/threaded and shade them so they are full without looking fake. Primer evens out tone before applying your foundation or bb/cc cream. Because of my colouring I can use a subtle bronzer all year round to add some colour but this wouldn’t work on an English rose. Dry line your eyes. Some mascara and then lips - do what you want! Sometimes strong, other times a hint of colour and some salve.

but, before all this, serum, moisturiser and then SPF!! Then primer and then above!

Using this atm It is excellent. I am very fair with some meno spots and this does an amazing job. Quite glowy too.

Maybe you can just ditch it all and wear your face? It's ok as it is.
Or just a right colour corrector if it makes you feel better.

There is no need for violence against your eyebrows .

Honestly- chat GPT, upload a picture of your face, tell it what you want to achieve, outline your budget and tell it the products you currently use. It is amazing. Tell it to ask you questions, upload images of first attempts and ask it to critique product placement etc.

You sound like you have similar toned skin to me! I also use Clinique Even Better CN20 (I initially started with their redness solutions product but over time moved to this and it’s very similar). I do think if you find it drying on your skin, this could obviously be age related (I’m suffering the same), but it’s also very important to have a good base to work with - what skincare / moisturisers do you use? Over the past year (I’m 45) I’ve really started making an effort with a more thoughtful skincare routine - my key products are nothing too complex - I use a hyaluronic acid serum each morning before topping with a moisturiser which contains SPF 50. In the evening I generally use the same serum again followed by a peptide moisturiser. I’ve been loving the Trinny London products for this (Plump Up and Bounce Back, See the Light is the SPF moisturiser) but there are loads of great options out there. I’ve had lots of compliments on my skin (considering I hate my skin!) so it’s doing something.

I do like the Erborian cc red correct but find it doesn’t stay very well on my nose. Similar with the Dr Jart’s version. Also I’ve conversely found that the Erborian under my foundation it can make me look even paler! I’ve been trying a Trinny concealer which is less slidey. They also have a BFF foundation which is light and moisturising. It’s absolutely lovely but not as much coverage as Clinique. The colour I use is Jemima if helpful. I find if I use a make up setting spray such as the Charlotte Tilbury one on top it will last longer. I do generally revert to Clinique though (a much smaller and easier to use bottle / container too, the Trinny BFF has a squirty dispenser!).

Sorry if this sounds like a Trinny London advert - it really isn’t as I do use other products and generally my Clinique foundation and mascara are my go tos Lash power mascara, not irritating and washes off with warm water)! I also love the Elemis cleansing balm (I used to avoid it thinking it would make spots and therefore redness worse but it’s been fine).

In terms of addressing redness, I’ve been trying to introduce azaelic acid into my routine. Early days!

look-up jones Road beauty. they do nice kits of make up that are flattering for more mature skin

Go to boots and ask for help. We can’t really advise you as we are all different types of skin.

Im allergic to most eye products too but wear brown instead of black mascara. I got my eyebrows micro bladed and don’t have to do anything with them, they are lovely.

Second this for any redness, it’s an absolute game changer. I’ve been wearing it either by itself if I’m just pottering or as a bit of a primer before skin tint.
I’ve been using the maybeline skin tint lately which seems to sit nicely and not as heavy as a foundation. I’m also super pale with red hair but brown eyes, so I’ve found that warming up my skin with a slightly deeper shade seems to make me look more alive then one that matches my neck.
Got my eye on a new blusher from Mac called copper tone, which looks like a bronzer/blush hybrid. There’s MUA called Katie Jane Hughes on Tik Tok and Instagram who does really good tutorials about priming the brush with product before application that have been really helpful if you want that no make up, make up look.

Just checked my make up bag and the Trinny London BFF is called BFF De-stress. It’s not their foundation, which I have tried, and found too dry. Whichever foundation you choose I would recommend avoiding anything too matte.

Also read your OP again and I do think you might like the Clinique lash power mascara as it doesn’t smear all over your face (a problem I have with many mascaras!), it’s a tubing mascara so much more sturdy yet also gentle.

I'm older than you by a long way.

I like Bobbi Brown Weightless Skin foundation but you do need to be colour matched as there are around 45 shades.

Blusher- I never use bronzer. The best blusher for me is Nars , Sex Appeal. It's powder but very sheer and a pale pink-peach. They also do it as a cream blusher stick.

Also, think about lipstick- Mac, Clinique, Bobbi Brown etc .
Sheer or satin finish not matte.

I love blushers u can create so many looks !! And I have laminated brows they make a huge difference to the face !
Some days I were bright lippy other days I were neutral shades I even use fake freckles nothing is DATED people need to get out of this mindset and use and apply what actually suits your face and vibe !!!And as you get older it's not the sheerness or lightness of a foundation it's the skin prep if your skin is dry u need a good moisturizer or serum clogged pores liquid exfoliating redness azeliac acid ! Used consistently makes up will go on lovely and urban decay all nighter setting spray is THE BEST !