It is a real concern for women as they start to age—should I even wear makeup, and if so, will it make me look younger or older?
To help with this dilemma, I spoke to Rae Morris, who is considered one of Australia’s leading makeup artists. Rae has been voted Australian Makeup Artist of the Year four times and has received many accolades globally for her work. You name a famous photographer or celebrity, and Rae would have done their makeup. Rae has written five makeup books and now also offers online educational courses. Her goat’s hair Jishaku, or magnetic makeup brushes, are a must-have for makeup artists and women everywhere.
Rae is very firm in her belief that the more mature woman should not give up her makeup but rather refine it and make subtle changes. With the right makeup, they will look younger.
Here are some of her tips for the perfect mature makeup.
Firstly, you should have the right base, which means the right skincare. The face should be cleaned really well, then a moisturiser that is hydrating and plumping should be applied. Do not apply makeup straight on top of your moisturiser; wait until it has been absorbed; otherwise, your makeup will dissipate very quickly. You may use a primer after this—one that is also hydrating—to give a really good base.
Use a makeup brush or sponge to apply your foundation, not your fingers. The foundation should also contain a moisturiser and be light in texture and properly colour-matched because the wrong colour foundation for you will be ageing. You can even add a drop of face serum to your foundation to give you a really dewy, healthy skin look. Do not set with powder, as this will only get into lines and wrinkles, actually accentuating them.
If you want to use a loose powder to help makeup stay on longer, only use it on areas of your face that are more mobile. None of the makeup products you use should be too matte or too shimmery. Give up contouring, as this only emphasises any defects, but blush is a must. The blush used should be a cream rather than a powder, as once again, you want to soften and bring a healthy glow to your face. Soft pastel shades are best. Keep the luminosity around the side of your face, which gives an overall healthier look.
Yes, you can still use eye makeup. Make sure the eyeshadow is a cream rather than a powder to enhance positives rather than focusing on the negatives, such as lines and wrinkles on upper eyes. Softer colours are more flattering, and the shadow should be applied with the appropriate eyeshadow brush to ensure even coverage.
Use eyeliner minimally. You can extend the eyeliner slightly, and this will give your eyes a more youthful appearance. Try a brown eyeliner, as this can look softer. A good mascara is a must, as we tend to lose some of the thickness in our eyelashes as we age, so bulking up the lashes we have will definitely give a more youthful appearance to the eyes. A good waterproof mascara can work well, as it will not smudge or run easily.
Rae stresses making sure we attend to our brows, as once again, we lose brow hairs as we age. Practise using good brow application products, as you want the look to be totally natural, feathering the product on and using a brown rather than a harsh black. Brows do give definition to the face. In her books and online tutorials, Rae shows in great detail how to achieve the ideal brows for your face.
Now, let’s look at the lips. Using a lip liner before applying your lipstick is a must, as the edges of our lips become slightly irregular and can also have some fine lining. Applying lipstick without lining first can look ageing. Make sure that the lip liner is a similar colour to the lipstick you will be wearing so that the lips look totally natural. Ensure that the lipstick is not too shimmery or frosty. Do not be afraid to wear red lipstick as you age, because the right red lipstick can be an asset to your overall facial appearance. The lipstick should also be applied with a lip brush. Not only does it give the made-up lips a more natural look, but using a brush means that you can use the lipstick right to the bottom of the container.
The perfect makeup for the more mature is a combination of using the right products and the right technique, said Rae. Today, beauty companies make sure they offer a really diverse range of products to be used by all ages. Makeup should be an asset, but using it should also be fun. Learning the right way to apply it and a bit of practice will ensure it never becomes a chore and is always an asset to your appearance.
This article was first published in the Spring issue of Retail Beauty:
- For more news and updates, subscribe to our weekly newsletter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Like us on Facebook
- Connect with us on LinkedIn