You may or may not know that my ambition from an early age was to be a make-up artist. Make up was my first love and I still light up like a kid in a sweet shop faced with new make up products to try. I qualified as a make-up artist back in the 1980’s but due to my lifelong dodgy hip, realised that a job that needed a lot of standing wasn’t going to be feasible so pivoted into the world of colour and textile design instead. 

 

I’ve always kept my hand in though and specialised in bridal make up for a long time. I did this alongside my 8-year stint with the Virgin cosmetics company. I know that not everyone wants to wear make-up but it is a nice thing to be able to help my clients with if they want update/refresh their routine or even to teach them from scratch. 

 

This week I’m sharing some general tips with you that are applicable as we get older. Doing your make up like the youngsters isn’t going to be flattering so you might want to think about a softer look to enhance your features. 

 

When applying make-up as you get older a ‘less is more attitude’ might be the best approach. Lighter, cream-based products that you can apply with your fingers will not look as cakey on your skin and are less likely to sit in any fine lines than powder products. Colours that are softer are going to work better as you lose pigment with age as those bold, bright colours reminiscent of the 80’s will appear severe. 

 

Using a cream blusher on the apples of your cheeks will give you a youthful glow. To avoid the aunt Sally look do a cheesy grin in the mirror, then using your second finger (the ones you stick up at bad drivers) apply the product by tapping it onto the apple of your cheek and blend upwards along your cheekbone towards your hairline. Build up the colour gradually – it’s easier to add than take away. 

 

Contouring is a great way to accentuate/create cheekbones and to minimise an extra chin. You can create more chiselled cheekbones by applying contour product just underneath your actual cheekbones towards your ears. Remember where we wore our blusher in the 80’s? Make sure you use a matte product and blend, blend, blend some more. 

 

To minimise a double chin, use the contour powder to create shadow. Use a large brush to apply the powder and start at the centre, just underneath your chin, sweeping backwards along your jawline towards your neck, work your way out towards your ears, making sure to keep the product off your face so that you are only using it under your jawline. Blend within an inch of your life. 

 

Using a lightweight cream concealer is a great way to minimise dark circles. Anything too heavy will sit on top of your skin and look cakey. Again, use your second finger to apply it. It will be better than a brush because the warmth of your skin will aid blending. Choose a shade that is slightly lighter than your foundation. Beware of going in heavy handed with the ones having light reflective particles otherwise you can end up with a reverse panda effect. 

 

There are several types of products that you can use on your eyes, from primer, to eyeshadow, to eyeliner to eyebrow products – it can be overwhelming. I could do a full day workshop just on eyes! For now, I’ll just cover the main things to be aware of. Matte products are going to be better than anything shimmery if you want to reduce the appearance of crepe skin. Browns, navy and grey are going to less severe than black for eyeliner. Using a dark shadow in the crease of your eyelid will give them a lift – you’ll need to put it a lot higher than you think so that you can still see it when your eyes are open. Eyelash curlers will help open up your eyes too. 

 

As you get older you might want to consider lightening up a little in the foundation department and by that, I mean in texture rather than colour. I like to think of foundation in denier like tights, a lighter, more sheer coverage will not sit in your lines or look heavy and cakey on your face. If you do still prefer a heavier coverage, consider one with luminescence to give your skin a lift and a dewy glow. You can set a powder and help your make up last longer by using a setting spray or a fine mist of water or your favourite toner will do the trick too. 

 

Glossy products are best used sparingly unless you want to look like you’ve stepped straight out of the 70’s disco. A dab of lip gloss in the centre of your lips will make them look fuller though. I’d suggest using a lip liner all over your lips, finishing just short of the outer corners to create definition and colour first. This will also stop glossy products bleeding into the fine lines around your lips. Find your best neutral shade by matching up to the colour on the inside of your bottom lip.Glossy products are best used sparingly unless you want to look like you’ve stepped straight out of the 70’s disco. A dab of lip gloss in the centre of your lips will make them look fuller though. I’d suggest using a lip liner all over your lips, finishing just short of the outer corners to create definition and colour first. This will also stop glossy products bleeding into the fine lines around your lips. Find your best neutral shade by matching up to the colour on the inside of your bottom lip. 

 

Highlighter is one of my favourite products for giving off a more youthful finish. Be careful not to go too mad though or you can just end up looking greasy. Many other base products, like foundations, concealers etc will already have illuminating particles so you might noy need further highlighting. If you do want to use highlighter, I’d recommend using a powder one if you’ve used any type of powder base product and a cream one if your base is cream. Take it along to top of your cheekbones, avoiding any fine line around the eye area, a dab on the tip of your nose and finish off with a tiny bit on cupid’s bow for a fuller pout. 

 

To be continued... 

I’ve deliberately steered clear of recommending brands as an ambassador for Tropic products I’m not that familiar with other products that are around at the moment – especially as I haven’t been able to try things in shops this past year or so. If you would like a personal consultation relating to Tropic products, I’d be happy to oblige – just book in a call with me here. 

 

Meanwhile if you’d like some practical hints and step by step demo videos to watch you could check out my You Tube channel and my Make up for Your Fab 40+ years course – immediate access to your phone/tablet or pc.