SLIP ON A SHADOW BASE TO TURN HOT LIDS COOL. Deep recessed lids, or eyes with a hooded overhang are called hot lids- they make a warm perfect environment for eye makeup to turn mushy. A shadow base works like a slip- so your perfectly applied shadows, liners and mascara don’t turn smudgy and messy by the time you leave the house.
COUNTERACT DARK CIRCLES WITH AN ORANGE-Y CONCEALER. A peach or apricot color counteracts blue, brown or purple discolorations around the eyes better than a skin tone shade- it also visually flattens puffiness. Although some dark circles are hereditary, others worsen with age as the skin in the eye area becomes thinner and the supporting fat pad skips lower down on the face leaving the eye area virtually transparent.
MAKE TIRED EYES SPARKLE WITH A BRUSH ON BRIGHTENER. Dab a light sheer pinky-peach highlighter at the inner and outer eye corners right as a final step in your makeup. You’ll look like you got eight hours sleep. Then add more as a touch up during the day. A sliver blended right below the arch of the brows really pops eyes open too.
WEAR EYELINER FOR BIGGER FIRMER WIDE AWAKE EYES. Liner powers up saggy droopy lids but women often skip it thinking mascara alone can do the job. It can’t.
THE FASTEST EYE LIFT IS A PENCIL AWAY. Sketch a richly pigmented dark brown or black pencil along your top lids working from the inner eye outward. Use small back and forth movements. Start thickening the line about ¾ of the way from the end so you have a slight wedge shape, but stop at the outer eye corner. Then kick the line up slightly with a cotton swab but don’t wing it or smudge it.
INTENSIFY EYES WITH A TOPCOAT OF DARK SHADOW MATCHING YOUR LINER. Smokey eyes can look messy on softened, crinkled eyes. Instead apply a dark brown or black shadow directly over your liner, using a firm tipped flat liner brush or a tapered foam-tip applicator to keep the line clean.
WAKE-UP TIRED EYES WITH A SHIMMERY SOFT SHADOW…NOT MATTE BROWN! Matte brown eye shadow (and we all have dozens stashed away) can exacerbate the sleepy look of red, stressed eyes. Switch to a peach, apricot, banana, honey, golden sand, celadon, amethyst, or mauve for a fresh look and you might not even need caffeine.
KEEP AN EYE MASK IN THE FRIDGE FOR NIGHT-AFTERS .The gel filled plastic kind shaped like sunglasses rely on the cold to flatten and sooth, while pre-saturated pads with caffeine constrict blood vessels to reduce inflammation and puffiness. Perfect before meetings, events and after late-nights.
FILL IN AND CORRECT SKIMPY BALDING BROWS. Thicker gently arched brows look more youthful. If you’ve over plucked yours and they never grew back try a waxy balm and powder brow filler combo for a realistic look that stays put.
TRY A REGROWTH RX FOR BROWS AND LASHES. In cases where lash and brows are truly sparse ask your doctor if the prescription regrowth product Latisse is for you-it does work miracles.
SWITCH FROM NUDES TO COLOR FOR A PRETTIER SHAPELIER MOUTH. Beige lipsticks and nude gloss are great when you’re young but they’re not your best friend now. Shades close to your skin tone make thin flat lips look thinner and smaller and disappear when you smile.
LIPSTAIN SOLVES SMOKER LINES. If smoker’s lines frame your lips nude shades will only make the creases more prominent. Try a marker-type lip stain instead of a traditional lipstick or gloss.
USE LIP LINER TO CORRECT ASYMMETRIES NOT TO INCREASE LIP SIZE. Frankly it just looks fake to draw on a bigger mouth-you’re not fooling anyone. A nude lip pencil used after lipstick application can help balance an uneven top lip without looking phony.
SOFT ROSE, RED, BERRY OR PINK LIPCOLOR PLAYS UP A GREAT SMILE BEST. Don’t be afraid to wear real lipstick instead of gloss. Highly pigmented lipsticks will give you a killer smile and blue-toned shades will make teeth appear whiter too. Give up darks for good-no matter what the trend.
APPLY LIPSTICK WITH A BRUSH FOR A SOFT YOUTHFUL MOUTH. Pros always use a lip brush to apply lipstick because it helps control application and build color in thin layers. If you have small thin lips this will make a luscious not tight-looking mouth. Start brushing on color at the center of the mouth and work outwards towards the edges so you don’t have a cookie-cutter sharp shape, just a soft enhanced mouth.
VERY SMALL OR THIN LIPS BENEFIT FROM SHIMMER OR GLOSS. If your lips are super-slim try shimmery lipstick, a lip stain or a highly pigmented gloss that’s not too shiny. A sheer hi-pigment color or lip stain can enable the thinnest lips to easily wear full-strength reds or berries. They’re an understated way to wear color and can be applied straight from the tube.
MOVE YOUR BLUSH FROM APPLES TO CHEEKBONES. Your cheeks probably aren’t where they used to be when you stop smiling – as your skin loses collagen and elastin, your cheek s drop. Forget about apples and apply your blush higher on the cheekbone so it lifts your face.
CHANGE UP YOUR BLUSH FROM A POWDER or BRONZER TO A CREAM. Your face will have a healthy glow that looks authentic. This is a good time to cut out the bronzing powder too. After a certain age bronzer settles in lines or just makes your face look dirty.
HOT FLASH- PROOF YOUR FACE WITH A MATTIFYING BASE. Fresh and dewy is one thing, but a hot flash can leave you looking like you walked thru a carwash on a humid day. If menopausal heat waves are a problem this sweat-proof underbase will keep your makeup intact since it absorbs excess oil.
GET TRENDY AS YOU LIKE WITH NAIL POLISH. This is where you can keep your edge with dark inky blues, blackened plums or metallic golds and silvers especially on your toes.
USE A PRIMER TO MAKE MAKEUP EASY. Dry, thin unevenly textured skin makes wearing foundation a challenge. A primer gives your skin a velvety surface so foundation glides on smoothly and won’t crease, puddle in expression lines or look chalky and flaky later in the day. Reapply your primer over makeup instead of powder as touchup especially in the T-zone.
WEAR A BROAD SPECTRUM UVA/UVB SUNSCREEN DAILY ALL YEAR ROUND. Look at your nude derriere-that’s how your face would look if you’d been covering up for the last 40 years !UVA rays (the aging ones )penetrate glass so if you work in a sunny office, drive daily don’t even think about skipping even in January even in Maine.
USE A TINTED MOISTURIZER TO COUNTERACT ROSACEA. Rosacea reddens skin tone and can give your face a blotchy flushed look – get a calm uniform color with a subtle hydrating tint instead of aiming for full-coverage makeup.
GET SERIOUS ABOUT SKINCARE. Pay attention to moles, pre-cancerous lesions, brown spots, facial hair and let a dermatologist take charge of your skin health including head to toe skin cancer checks. Eliminate facial hair- get rid of a mustache, or chin hairs that may be a result of hormonal shifts! Ask your doctor about lasers to improve age spots, broken blood vessels, cellulite, leg veins, wrinkles, scars, facial hair, and moles. Any facial doo-dads add 10 years to your looks so get on it!
RETHINK YOUR OTC SKINCARE TO ADDRESS YOUR CURRENT SKIN ISSUES. Menopause usually means thinner, drier skin, a loss of elasticity and a need to re-evaluate your skincare strategy. Look for products with proven de-agers like retinol, AHAs, and antioxidants that resurface skin texture, plump up lines and minimize pigmentation changes and discolorations.
EXFOLIATE SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK WITH A GENTLE POLISHING CLEANSER or MASK. You have to eliminate flakes and dead cells especially around your nose, lips, brows where they tend to grab makeup and make application look sloppy.
GLOW IS THE NEW TAN. Stop your tan addiction –whether real or salon baked it‘s just about the most aging thing you can do. It also shows a lack of respect for your body and makes you seem irresponsible about your health and out of touch. Use a gradual self tanner to just bump up your natural color slightly – it will blur freckles, brown spots, spider veins and discolorations on legs, chest and arms too.
NO MORE BLATANT FAKERY (with the exception of fabulous chunky statement jewelry and your new super-high platform heels). Eyelash and hair extensions and long artificial nails are looking cheap not chic. Cut out the trout pout lip injections and haircolor that screams dye job while you’re at it.
INCLUDE YOUR NECK, DECOLLETE IN YOUR SKINCARE REGIMEN. That means a daily dose of sunscreen and moisturizers and a pre-bed firming / wrinkle treatment too.
USE A FOUNDATION BRUSH FOR YOUNGER-LOOKING SKIN. A foundation brush beats sponges or fingers for getting a sheer wash of color. It also helps you layer another coat for extra coverage where needed without resulting in a heavy cakey look. Get your hands on one today!
THE RIGHT FOUNDATION TEXTURE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE RIGHT SHADE. I’ll bet you didn’t know older celebs use a darker foundation on the Red Carpet because the flash of the paparazzi bleaches out skin tones so they look ghastly in photos. You want a sheer highly pigmented wash of color that’s buildable when and where you need it- find the texture that works first, then choose a shade that’s a close match. Go slightly warmer or deeper rather than lighter.
CUT LONG FULL FEATHERY BANGS TO ACCENT EYES AND HIDE FOREHEAD LINES INSTEAD OF BOTOX Long feathery bangs they take ten years off your face, hide forehead and between the brow creases, and can be worn straight or brushed out of the way to the side. Bangs dress up your face even when the rest of your hair is pulled back; they hide badly shaped, skimpy brows too!
USE HAIRCOLOR AS 24/7 MAKEUP Go warmer or add highlights to soften facial lines and make up for pigment loss. If you’re currently a brunette think tortoiseshell with a few multi-color highlights of caramel, butterscotch or cognac that are low-key. If you’re blonding already keep the color broken up not solid for a natural sunny effect.
COLOR TRANSFORMS THIN FINE HAIR .Color bulks up the hair shaft to actually thicken hair texture while a dimensional look achieved with multi-color highlights boosts the effect even more. For women with serious thinning issues along the hairline highlights can help camouflage the recession.
BOOK YOUR ROOT TOUCHUPS LIKE CLOCKWORK. Dark roots on blonde hair are funky white but grey regrowth on colored hair says “old.” A choppy cut with bangs, long layers and pieces helps hide roots so do highlights.
USE COLOR ENHANCING SHAMPOOS BETWEEN TOUCHUPS .This will prevent color from fading and some products do deposit a tiny amount of color. Add a glaze to keep dry hair looking shiny and healthy.
KEEP YOU HAIR STYLE UNCOIFFED AND CONTEMPORARY EVEN IF IT’S GREY Movement and a relaxed sexy hair attitude is key to your looks whether you keep your hair long, layered in a bob or short and tousled.
CONDITION HAIR MORE, HEAT STYLE LESS. Especially if your hair is color-treated, straightened chemically, long or blown and flat-ironed straight treat hair like skin. Age-related thinning and dryness plus heat and chemical processing can be deadly unless you make the switch.
DO 2 OUT OF 3 WHEN IT COMES TO EYES, CHEEKS AND LIPS. The key is to not wear color everywhere-target lips and cheeks or eyes and cheeks, and play down the third-never emphasize all three- the effect is clown-like and dated.
GET A NEW PAIR OF BIG DARK SUNGLASSES EVERY YEAR. Shapes change but Jackie O, Audrey Hepburn style frames always look chic and are large enough to protect your eyes and eye area from sun damage. Let them sub for concealer and eye makeup when you run errands or walk the dog
HIDE YOUR 7X MAGNIFYING MIRROR. Checking every new crinkle and sag daily can become obsessive. No one is ever going to get that close to you unless they’re a medical expert or have romance in mind…and then believe me they are not checking out your crow’s feet or liplines.
WEAR A NEW SCENT. You’ll smell brand new and add to your feminine arsenal. Some new scents have the smoky appeal of incense, or the spicy aroma of chai tea. The older I get the sexier I want my fragrances to be and I spray my coat and jacket linings too so the scent drifts with me into my closet. A study suggests grapefruit scents smell “young” but I think they smell like room deodorizer.
REWARD YOURSELF WITH SOME KIND OF EXERCISE EVERYDAY. You heard me –reward- your clothes will fit better and you’ll be able to wear whatever you want. If you loathe the gym or canceled your membership get out there and walk (a good time to rescue a shelter dog). Use workout bands, mini dumbbells, or walk on the treadmill while watching the news.
SCHEDULE TIME FOR DENTAL CHECKUPS. Even the most expensive lipstick can’t compensate for poor dental hygiene, tooth loss or damage.
GET TO SLEEP OR USE 2:00 A. M. WAKEUPS AS SPA TIME. Sleep deprivation leads to weight gain, general crankiness and the urge to splurge on designer bags on the web at 2 A.M. Use nights you’re wide awake to do good. Apply a hydrating facial mask, deep condition your hair, or soak in soothing bath salts to eliminate bloat and ease achy muscles. And if you do get to bed remember that sleep is when your skin is most receptive to regeneration and cell renewal so use a nighttime treatment and eye cream.
DON’T GET OBSESSIVE ABOUT THE 5 LAST POUNDS .Carrying a little extra weight in your face can plump up wrinkles and depressions the way injectible filler. To paraphrase Marilyn Monroe –at some point you choose between your face and your derriere.
TRUE STYLE IS AGELESS. Get inspired by the next generation and the one before that but don’t be a carbon copy. Lots of us shop with our daughters or granddaughters in the same shops. Just choose the less extreme version. You can rock platform pumps or booties, a belt to define the waist, a leather biker jacket, a long cardigan in color-of-the-minute purple or a draped jersey dress can’t you?
WEAR COLOR AND PRINTS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD. How much black can you wear? Take a break from neutrals and try pale shades of ivory and vanilla- the white acts as a giant reflector bouncing light off your face to blur wrinkles. Choose dresses, tops, or even a coat in a clear shade of pink, red, violet or coral and see how your skin glows. And never give up on animal prints from leopard to cheetah to zebra –it’s our version of plaid.
WE’VE STILL GOT IT AND WE’RE FLAUNTING IT .We simply cannot pass up a great pair of shoes and we love cool tees, sexy jeans and really good bags. Frame your neck and face with draped or V necklines, a statement necklace. Play up great legs (they really are the last to go in many cases) by wearing more skirts and killer heels than pants and when you do wear jeans go for the skinnies!
LOSE 5 POUNDS IN TWO MINUTES WITH A SHAPEWEAR BODYSUIT.I use ones with built-in molded bras on celebrity photo shoots. The compression sucks in tummy, thighs and muffin tops and you can treat yourself to Ben & Jerry’s whenever you want (almost).
STAY SEXY AND LOOK THINNER IN FITTED CLOTHES. Lean tapered classics like dark jeans, knee length pencil skirts and tailored sheaths, ankle cropped pants with flats, crisp white shirts, and waist defining trench coats defy age and flatter everyone. Skip anything baggy, bulky, boxy, or layered to death
