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Mar 28, 2024

The Best Makeup for Mature Skin Per Makeup Artists over 50

Our editors handpick the products that we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page. Our skin changes as we age; our makeup routine should, too. We often hear from friends and

Our editors handpick the products that we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.

Our skin changes as we age; our makeup routine should, too.

We often hear from friends and Insiders that they’re using less makeup as they get older. Some say they’re finding that it doesn’t apply as evenly anymore and tends to settle and cake. Others say that the colors just don't look right or that they'd rather focus on skincare.

Let us tell you what happens when you mention these observations to some of the most experienced over-50 makeup artists in the beauty industry: "Don't give up on makeup! It's such a useful tool to help us look and feel our best—even more so after 50. It makes my eyes look bigger and my jawline more defined. You are never too old, and it's never too late," says makeup artist Laura Geller, whose eponymous brand is made for women 40 and older. When it comes to shying away from color, makeup artist Jeanine Lobell (who founded Stila Cosmetics and now owns Neen) says: "Beauty rules around aging make me annoyed—wear what you want! A royal blue eyeliner is going to look amazing. An older woman with a matte fuchsia lip is so cool." Makeup artist Sandy Linter shares that many people give up on cosmetics because they don't know what to use. You have to refresh your cosmetics bag, she says. What used to be go-to formulas may not work for mature, often dry skin and features that have changed over time. What will work? Keep scrolling.

Some of the most important products in your makeup bag are skincare, says celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg: "You have to start with clean skin or your products can pill easily." Then, apply moisturizer. Greenberg also has an eye prep protocol ("It's such an overlooked step but tired eyes drag us down," she says). She uses Lumify eye drops to whiten the eyes, applies eye cream under the eyes to help plump fine lines, and then places her reusable silicone masks on top "to help the product marinate" for a few minutes.

The biggest mistake you can make, according to Geller? Skipping primer. “After 50, it’s an important everyday step. It stops your makeup from creasing or settling into wrinkles, and it helps colors look richer.” The Hydrate version from Geller's iconic primer collection is like a moisturizer and primer in one.

"When skin is particularly dry, it will 'drink' up some of the foundation you apply," Lobell says. "I always prep the skin with La Mer. It has an almost tacky, dewy texture that I prefer over primer. It grabs the foundation perfectly and keeps it from absorbing."

“The texture of our skin changes as we age, but don’t let that feel like a downside to aging! It just means that you need to switch up your routine,” Lobell says. One swap she’s made: “I prefer using a tinted moisturizer instead of foundation. This is my go-to; it gives enough coverage without being shiny or cakey.”

“If you have mature skin, these are the key words you have to look out for on a foundation label: hydrating, dewy, moisturizing, radiant, or glowy. Matte is no longer for you," says celebrity makeup artist Sam Fine. "This formula in particular is beautifully hydrating.”

You'll likely need a concealer, but it can be hard to find one that doesn't cake or settle into crinkles. "This diminishes darkness around the eyes without ever looking heavy," Linter says.

After Lobell blends in her tinted moisturizer, she covers any still-visible brown spots or broken capillaries with this creamy, super-pigmented concealer. Applying it to the under-eye area “can be tricky. The days of just sweeping it on are long gone,” she says. “I use a small makeup brush to feather it and then set it with pressed powder—always pressed, not loose.”

“Translucent powder is the enemy! It sits in every single pore and wrinkle—and magnifies them,” says makeup artist Mally Roncal. This sheer balm is a smart alternative; tap it on with the included sponge to diffuse pores and fine lines.

“Sometimes you may need extra coverage in certain areas or to set your makeup under your eyes. That’s when you can use this cream-to-powder formula," Fine says. "But, to be clear, don’t powder the entire face.”

Overall, less is more, which is why it’s important to find tools that apply your makeup in sheer, blendable layers. “I swear by the Beauty Blender,” Greenberg says. Make sure you wet it, squeeze out the excess water, deposit makeup on it, and then “tap it onto the skin to work the product in seamlessly,” she says.

“On older women, it's nice to apply the same color on the cheeks and mouth. You’ll get a slightly different tone because your lips are naturally darker, and it's going to end up blending together nicely," says makeup artist and founder of RMS Beauty Rose-Marie Swift. We love her creamy color pots, especially in the "Illusive" shade, a warm berry nude.

“When I’m working on Queen Latifah, Vanessa Williams, or Gabrielle Union, I’m reaching for dewy, but not shimmery, finishes. We don’t want to fake the glow with shimmery highlighter or glittery blush. We want a hydrating formula that gives a real glow—that’s what this blush does,” Fine says.

Do replace your powders with cream versions, but don’t feel as if you have to change the color. “As we age, we may tell ourselves that we are too old for a certain color or that it's ‘inappropriate,’” Lobell says. “Ladies, I am here to tell you that shimmer eyeshadows, highlighters, bold lips, and bright cheeks are amazing for older women. Have fun!” Example A: this berry blush from Lobell’s brand, Neen.

"Most over-50 women look great with bronzer, and this lightweight cream formula is very easy to blend." Linter says.

"A cream, no-shimmer highlighter gives a dewy, light-reflective glow that signals youthfulness. That said, I can’t handle this 'dolphin skin' trend where the highlighter is allover. It looks like a greasy wrestler," says Swift. "Place it strategically—the cheekbones, bow of the lips, eyelid, browbone, and a little down the center of the nose.”

Sure, you can skip eyeliner, Geller says (although she herself applies it daily). Even mascara is optional. "But never skip your brows," she says. This powder-in-pencil formula defines their shape without looking too harsh.

For even more motivation to make time for our eyebrows, Fine notes that “when our brow hairs thin and lighten they no longer frame our face. So fill them in with a brow pencil. Choose one that’s at least one shade lighter than your hair.”

“As I’ve gotten older, my lipcolor bleeds a little more easily and seeps into lip lines. But that’s nothing a little lip liner can’t fix,” Geller says. “Outlining the lips frames them and makes them look plumper while also keeping my lipcolor in place.”

“I love a lip gloss. But don’t bring it all the way to the edge of the lip. If you have vertical lines around your mouth, the color will bleed into them,” Roncal says. “Keep your application focused on the center of your lips; you will still get a gorgeous, shiny pout.”

"After making the skin look healthy, the second most important feature I enhance is the lashes," says celebrity makeup artist Brigitte Reiss-Andersen. "A good eyelash curler and then a swipe of mascara give you a sexy flair."

Kate Sandoval Box (she/her) is the Beauty Director at Oprah Daily. She has over 18 years of experience at national women’s media brands; and, in fact, started her publishing career at O, The Oprah Magazine. She’s also held beauty editor roles at Shape, Self, Latina, and Cosmopolitan. Kate tests hundreds and hundreds of beauty products that cross her desk each year and interviews many top experts, celebrities, and indie brand founders to bring you the best in beauty. Follow her on Instagram.

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