In my most recent closet cleanse, I came across some shirts that revealed a penchant for showing some belly. Perhaps at the time (in my pre-baby body) they weren’t so short, but now they’re not my best expression. So it was bye-bye little tops!
Similar to how certain items in the closet may no longer appeal to our current style, our beauty routines from younger days may not fit so well anymore either.
My girlfriends and I used to be obsessed with Glitz, this shimmery shadow from MAC, that we’d apply with a wet brush for extra drama. Now I’m noticing that shimmer, particularly lighter shades, does nothing good for my eyes. And highlighter around my brow bones only calls attention to my burgeoning crows feet. My face is evolving, and so should my make up.
I called on make up artist Noelle Marinelli to share some tips. She often works with women over 35 on lifestyle and catalog shoots, as well as with many sports figures and hosts for CBS Sports Network. She’s a wealth of info on the topic, and will hopefully provide some inspo for those looking to enhance their make up routine.
EL: What should women over 35 be looking for from their beauty products?
NM: I believe that women over 35 should be looking for beauty products that nourish and feed their skin, free of nasty things like petroleum and talc. This is the time to move up from dusty, cheap makeup to refined, grown up, highly-pigmented, high-quality products with staying power that also nurture good skin.
EL: What 3 products do you rely on when working with women over 35?
NM: A great moisturizer and eye cream, an eyelash curler to open up the area around the eyes, and a balm to moisturizer the lips.
EL: What 3 products do you always skip when working with women in this age range?
NM: Anything with too much shimmer, especially around the eye area. I find that getting the right color “tone” is really important: anything too muddy, too orange, or too gray on the face can be a big problem for women over 35, so I am careful with foundations, concealers, and especially bronzers. I seek foundations and concealers that feel fabulous, melt into the skin, but provide great coverage and don’t seep into and accentuate wrinkles. I am careful to avoid chalky textures as well. I also skip stains as they tend to settle into pores or bleed.
EL: What’s the trick to applying foundation so it doesn’t seep into wrinkles?
NM: I love a damp beauty blender sponge (I wet and wring out before application) for applying foundation which gives the perfect amount of coverage and “slip” for the product. Also, I avoid heavy powder foundations which tend to settle into wrinkles over the course of a few hours or a day.
EL: Any other tips on makeup application you could share?
NM: A lot of women over 35 can really look amazing with a pop of color on the cheeks (avoids that grayish tone I was talking about, especially with women of color). Blush can brighten up your whole face. I love a warm, coralish or peachy-pink cream blush, with the edges very well-blended. Another good tip is to avoid liner under the eye, but instead go with a minky brown powder shadow applied with an angled brush. This gives a much softer, more flattering effect.
Ooh! Another great tip: don’t apply eye makeup (especially mascara!) until all skincare products like eye cream and moisturizer have been completely absorbed. Otherwise, your eye makeup will melt and flake.
EL: What color palettes do you tend to use on women with aging skin? Are there any you avoid?
NM: This all depends on the particular woman’s skin tone, as any icy blonde or woman with gray hair can look amazing in cooler-toned eye shadows, which could be completely wrong for a women with brown hair and olive skin. That said, if you feel great, you look great and there are no rules so long as application is deft. Have fun with color (but blend!). I prefer richer tones to paler pastels, especially with blues. Blues can be tough for women over 35 to pull off.
EL: What beauty trends are most flattering for women over 35?
NM: Lots of lashes and great brows. I believe the lash is having a moment, and as we tend to lose lashes as we age, a pretty, fluttery, feathery lash and brow looks great on an older woman. Gently shaping one’s brow and filling in where sparse can give a real boost to a face. Also, cream colors are very flattering, and the newer formulations make applying them very easy.
EL: What’s the biggest mistake you see women over 35 do with their make up?
NM: Not blending, and sticking with the same old products that may have worked for them years ago (but not so much any more).
EL: What about women from this age group who don’t like to wear much make-up, but going completely without is out of the question…what can she do to freshen her everyday look?
NM: This is all about the grooming and using really excellent tools: groom the brows, invest in skincare (which can include a wonderful tinted moisturizer), apply some concealer just where you need it, and dab on that cream blush and a little mascara.
Thank you, Noelle!
To check out Noelle’s work click here.
(Image by terrydoylephoto.com)
Grab the free style guide to help you figure out what styles and silhouettes look best on you by clicking here.
Excellent information! I love the idea of looking more closely at colors as our skin ages. You have me thinking 🙂
Thanks, Susie! Enjoy the holiday weekend!
I tried the dampening my application sponge technique, loved it! Thanks for sharing!
Thank You for letting me know! So happy these tips are helpful.