From how to stay hydrated to perfecting your foundation
Finding the right makeup as you age can be a pretty difficult feat: It can be tough to sort through all of the information out there, and find ways to accentuate your own natural, unique beauty.
To help you out, we connected with our favorite makeup expert, Bobbi Brown, to explain some of the best ways you can take care of your skin, and perfect your makeup, as you get older — and wiser, of course.
KCM: What are your absolute musts for skincare for older women?
I’m 64, and I’ve found that the real game changer for skin is staying hydrated. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day. I fill up a big water bottle and I set alarms on my watch that buzz throughout the day, reminding me to drink it – that’s how important it is. I keep my skincare routine very simple. At night, I wash my face with a non-drying natural cleanser. My favorite is coconut oil. I then apply an eye cream and finally, a rich moisturizer like the Jones Road Miracle Cream. That works like an intense overnight moisture mask. On very dry days, I even use a face oil that does the trick.
What’s the best way to lighten dark spots on your face?
Everyone has pigmentation on their faces, regardless of how old you are. Use a concealer or face pencil to spot and correct any dark spots on your skin. I also believe in laser treatments to reduce hyperpigmentation. Other than that, I haven’t found a magic elixir that really works.
Should we be wearing foundation in our late fifties? I feel like it settles and cakes and makes me look older.
I don’t wear a full face of foundation anymore. As I’ve gotten older, I’m wearing less makeup in general and like the way I look way better even for photos and Zoom! I recommend using a concealer under your eyes to cover darkness and brighten the recessed areas. I also use a spot corrector anywhere else you might have some redness, like on and around your nose, where we all have some hyperpigmentation.
Then, instead of foundation, I use a multi-purpose balm like the Jones Road Miracle Balm. This balm is both a skin highlighter and a hydrator because it is full of natural and nourishing ingredients like jojoba seed oil, argan oil and Vitamin E. I take a little bit on my fingers. I rub them together and then gently pat it into both of my cheeks. It immediately gives you a healthy glow. Our balm comes in four shades. The Au Natural is translucent and works on everyone. If you have light skin, try the dusty rose. If you’re more medium, go with either the dusty rose or the tawny. And for darker skin, try bronze or tawny.
What’s a good moisturizer for sun-damaged 64-year-old skin?
There are two I swear by. My go-to product is the Jones Road Miracle Cream. I just break the seal on the top of the cream, warm it up in my hands and then generously apply it to my face at night. I also swear by the Cream by Augustinus Bader. I also recommend the coconut oil you use to clean your face as a moisturizer, too.
How do I correctly use a concealer so that it doesn’t look cakey?
The right concealer is one that doesn’t embed itself in the fine lines we have around our eyes and is one shade lighter than your skin. Before concealer, start with just the right amount of eye cream to moisturize the skin around those fine lines. Let it set for a minute or so. Then, apply the concealer on top of that. If you’re properly hydrating under your eyes, the concealer shouldn’t smear or settle inside the lines.
Do you have a favorite drugstore moisturizer for the 60-plus crowd?
Either an almond oil or coconut oil. It’s hyper-moisturizing, multi-purpose and I use it for everything from cleaning my face to removing makeup. You can even use a little bit on the ends of your hair that tend to get dry from the sun.
As I age, putting on eyeshadow is becoming a challenge due to all the little lines and folds — any advice?
Choose shadows that are the right texture for your skin. A powder-based shadow may work better than a liquid one, since a creamy shadow can sometimes pool in little lines. Finally, choose subtle, neutral colors that brighten and open up your eyes. Stay away from super heavy-pigmented shimmers or frosts.
How do you make small eyes appear bigger?
As a rule, lighter colors make things stand out and darker colors make them recede. To make eyes appear larger, you want to choose a cream/ivory colored shadow and apply it to the inner lid, closest to your nose, and again right under the brow bone. This will make the eyes pop. Then, line your eyes with a dark brown, navy or black eyeliner on the top and bottom of the lash lines. Fill in your brows with an eyebrow pencil that matches your brow color. And finally, finish the eye with a coat or two of rich black mascara.
How do I choose the right neutral eye shadow?
When choosing a neutral shadow for your eyes, look first at the natural color of your eyelid. If you have some red in your lid, then you want to neutralize it and choose cooler shadow shades like a cool grey. Avoid any red-based shades because that only accentuates the pigmentation.and look for one that doesn’t have to blend.
What can I do for my sad, thinning eyebrows? How to fill them in and get them to grow?
The trick with the brows is that you want to first fill them in with a pencil that matches the color of your brows. Then, to make them appear thicker, use a brush and apply shadow on top of the pencil. This makes the brows look fuller.
To get your brows to grow faster, you want to take a vitamin that contains biotin, keratin, and collagen – all ingredients that promote hair growth. I take EVOLUTION_18’s Beauty Grow vitamins every day. Or, if you don’t love taking capsules, it also comes in a gummy. And bonus, these “good-for-you” ingredients strengthen your nails along with your hair.
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