Over 40? These makeup tips are tailor-made for you! (SheFinds Feature)

So...you're over 40....do you really need to do your  makeup differently?  The answer is...yes! Many of the same looks that worked when you were younger may not be the most flattering now, so at the minimum, you'll want to make a few adjustments.  I'm in my forties too, so when fab beauty/lifestyle blog She Finds asked me for tips to share, I had plenty...working with my clients AND from personal experience!

Read on to find out what YOU could be doing wrong, as well as some great tips to help you choose the best products for your gorgeous, over 40 self....

(PS, thanks for the feature SheFinds!!)

9 Makeup Tips Women In Their Forties Should Commit To Memory

It’s really no secret that women in their twenties do not face the same skincare challenges as women in their forties. That’s the beauty of aging, right? So just as your style and sensibilities evolve as you get older, so should your daily makeup routine. When you’re 20, you can put just about anything on your face and get away with it, but that’s probably not that case once you hit 40. Luckily, Jennifer Trotter of Lip Service Makeup, pro makeup artist and beauty expert, and Kate O’Brien, founder of Alima Pure, are here to share their best tried and true makeup tips for women 40 and over.

1. Look for highly pigmented products. “You can use less product and still get color payoff,” Trotter says. “The older we get, we don’t want to pack on makeup, so this tip is important.”

2. Be careful with color choice. “Avoid dull or overly vivid colors,” Trotter says. “Right in the middle is where you want to be. Rosy/peachy/plum shades for lips and cheeks always look young and fresh.”

3. Less is more. While coverage is good, more is not always better, O’Brien says. “Moisturize well, and let it absorb thoroughly before applying foundation. Then apply with a light hand, going back over spots that need a little extra coverage without over-applying.”

4. Prime your lids. “Matte and (surprise!) shimmer eyeshadows often work better for eyes over-40 than pearly eyeshadows which can emphasize lines,” O’Brien says. “A touch of primer or BB cream on the lid before shadow application can help shadows stay in place.”

5. Skip trends. “Trends, for the most part, have the reverse effect and can make you look older,” Trotter says. “Giant drugstore brands quickly jump onto trends to capture their audience, but be wary–often, these products are not geared towards those over 30 and should be skipped. Examples include super vivid colors, the spiky lash trend and glitter. Subtle shimmer is fine at any age, but glitter where you can actually see the particles… NO. Watch out for this in shadows, blushes, highlighters and lipsticks,” Trotter says.

6. Choose emollient products. “Seek out products that plump and moisturize and avoid anything that is too dry,” Trotter says. “A too matte lipstick is aging, a too dry eye pencil will drag and pull on your eye, and a too dry foundation won’t give you that seamless glow.”

7. Focus on brows. “This is a great time for strong brows,” O’Brien says. “A well defined brow can help a face of any age look bright and awake. Choose a color somewhat lighter than natural brow hair and work soft strokes in through the natural brow line.”

8. Beware of cheap eyeshadow. “Across the board, watch out for drugstore brand shadows–they just don’t cut it.,” Trotter says. “The reason is because the ratio of filler to pigment is too high, which results in not enough color, not enough staying power and a dry, chalky look, which is aging.”

9. Shop smart. Smashbox, Lorac and Laura Mercier are all great brands for women in their forties because they offer colors with plenty of boldness, but not too many over the top choices, Trotter says. “Their lipsticks and shadows are highly pigmented, which is really what you want at any age.”

Mineral makeup brands like Alima Pure are also great for women in their forties because the colors reflect those occur in nature and all of the products are made without harsh chemicals like sulfates and parabens.

Lastly, IT Cosmetics is actually geared towards women 30 and up, Trotter says. “My favorite products include No. 50 Anti-Aging Primer because it plumps up and hydrates mature skin, Bye Bye Redness Correcting Creme for covering blotchiness, Brow Power Universal Eye Brow Pencil to build up sparse brows and Your Skin but Better CC Cream, which is an emollient tinted moisturizer that is fabulous on dry skin, plus it has SPF 50 to protect you from the sun. Even better, all of the skin products are formulated with good-for-you ingredients, which is a definite must for beauty shoppers over 40!”

For more beauty tips, check out the 8 essentials every woman should have in her makeup bag and all the minor plastic surgery procedures every woman should know about.

(Written by Lisa Fogarty for SheFinds)

Learning with Lip Service - Group Makeup Classes!

I love doing makeup on people....creating looks for photo shoots, wearable looks for headshots, and of course, dreamy bridal makeup.  I also throw in a few tips and tricks and am happy to answer questions, but my main goal is to create the gorgeousness.  Sometimes, women get a taste and want to know more, and that's the perfect time to book a makeup class!  Unlike a wedding or special even, the whole purpose of a class is to slow down and teach you step by step...whatever you want to learn about makeup.  Over the years I've done group lessons for groups of teens who want to learn Makeup 101, for 20-somethings entering the work force and wanting to polish up their look, for 40-somethings who need an update...you name it!  I've even taught an entire high school dance team, as well as a regional section of a beauty company that specializes in skin care...I taught their consultants makeup 101 to enable them to sell their color cosmetics in a knowledgeable way. Each class is custom designed, and includes handouts with notes and tips for each participant to take home.

 I taught a class a few months ago for several wedding professionals....I just love this pic someone snapped of everyone taking selfies near the end of class!

Love those smiles!

 

After seeing my work at weddings and on social media...they decided they wanted to take a little time for themselves and have fun while learning some tricks they could apply to their own beauty routines! We had snacks and wine, and each girl brought her own cosmetics from home for practice with while I was teaching.  I like it when people bring their own cosmetics because they can ask me questions about shades and formulas of what they're using...especially important if they aren't getting good results with what they have.  I usually have one or two volunteers sit in my chair so I can teach step by step techniques...in this case, part one of the class focused on how to create flawless skin and using subtle highlight and contour techniques to sculpt the face....

 

Notice, it's SUBTLE highlight and contour?  That's the key...very blended, very wearable, and you can learn to do it yourself with the right tools, products and instruction.  I'd like to add, the next time I saw Stacey (our model above) at a party, her makeup looked FABULOUS!  Love that....

 

I taught another group class recently...this one was a gift from a venue coordinator to her friends and family.  I taught makeup 101 for the first section, and then led into "The Smoky Eye Demystified", one of my favorite topics!  There are so many ways to do a smoky eye, from classic to extreme...let's face it, it's a trend that is no longer a trend...it's a look that's here to stay!  Just check out my lovely volunteer for this one:

Heidi could not believe how glamorous she looked, and was amazed at how the plum shadows brought out the unique gold/green hue in her eyes!  With the balance of softer cheeks and lips, this look is not at all goth, but very sophisticated...this look would be perfect for a black tie event or special night out that called for amped up glamour.  Note - I bumped into her husband just last week and he STILL is raving about how hot she looked!  So fun, and this class really inspired everyone to look at their "inner goddess" and realize...she's in there, and just needs to be coaxed out from time to time.

 

My most recent class was just two weeks ago...about 50 ladies in a church group had a spa night with snacks, chick flicks, massages, manicures and makeup...what a great idea!  I was set up in a room and taught three different topics, and the ladies could choose and rotate through.  The most popular section was "Is your Makeup Aging You?  Makeup for over 35....".  These ladies were very open minded and were really anxious to update their look and makeup routines.  Many told me that they hadn't updated their look in 10+ years, or just stopped wearing makeup years ago and lost touch with  their beauty routine.  After talking about the absolute need for primer and insisting everyone toss their brown lipsticks, I used this ginger (love redheads!!) volunteer to demonstrate a great balance of a natural look that still has polish, while avoiding typically aging traps....

 

 I loved this look!  So many times women think that any makeup at all is just too heavy and this is great proof that well chosen products in the right colors can make you look naturally gorgeous.  Would you guess this volunteer is in her 40s?  With the right makeup, age truly is just a number....she just looks fresh and pretty...period. 

 

Do you have a group that would love to learn some makeup tips and tricks?  Lip Service classes are fun and relaxed....and I'm very patient with questions!  Finally, you can find out all the things you want to know about makeup.  I use a realistic mix of  specialty high end brands as well as drugstore finds, so you can be inspired to try new products yourself regardless of your budget.  I don't sell or represent any brands, but I am happy to share with you the makeup, tools and products that I've extensively tested and used on my clients with great results...cosmetics that WORK...and I'll show you exactly how to apply them yourself at home!

 

Classes are priced according to number of participants, length of the class and what topics you want to cover and are scheduled by appointment only.  Contact me through the "ready to chat?" page on lipservicemakeup.com, email me at lipservicemakeup@gmail.com, or call me at 972-345-0655.  This is class you definitely won't want to skip, and everyone gets an A!