Update Your Makeup Look as You Age

Keeping Your Look Up to Date

Why a Top Ten Cosmetics List for Age Warriors?

Not all makeup trends are suitable; but many are adaptable for age warriors.

I've gotten very positive feedback on having a Top Ten Cosmetics list for us Age Warriors, but every once in a while, someone will write to ask why we need a special list.

They typically ask some variation of "Shouldn't Age Warriors try to follow the latest makeup trends?" or "Can't Age Warriors use the same products as everybody else?"

Let's take each question separately.

Shouldn't Age Warriors Try to Follow the Latest Makeup Trends?

It's always good to stay abreast of makeup fashion trends; but never good to blindly follow them. What looks edgy and fashionable on a 20-year old may be clownish on a 60-year old.

We can't cover all the visible signs of aging skin with heavy makeup, but we can camouflage and soften their appearance with subtle makeup application.

Do: Pay attention to gradual changes in skin tone and adjust foundation accordingly.

Skin tone lightens with age.

If you have a hard time being objective when you look in the mirror or if less than 20/20 eyesight makes it physically difficult, go to a department store and look for a makeup saleslady closer to your age who applies her own makeup with a subtle touch.

Have her analyze your skin tone.

She should tell you whether it has red, yellow or green undertones. Then she should select the two or three shades closest to your facial skin in your undertone family to try.

The goal is to have foundation cover any unevenness in tone (age spots, dark circles) and to blend seamlessly into the skin of the neck.

Do: As we tone down the foundation, it makes sense to tone down our other makeup colors as well.

The stark contrast of very bright colors on eyelids and lips against paler skin can look garish.

As well, too much contrast draws the eye to the brighter area - not a good strategy if you want people to focus on you rather than the fine lines around your eyes and mouth.

Despite what some say, you can still wear shimmer on lids and lips. In fact, reflective particles can be used to visually soften lines.

Just keep the colors softer. Try Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadows. [I love the Precious Metals quad for my cool skin tone.]

Do: Try new application tools and formulations. Makeup science has come a long way.

Long-lasting lipsticks used to be dark, dull and drying. Now there are formulas with lovely colors and glossy finishes that even moisturize.

Try Revlon's Colorstay Lipsticks. There's a two-step (5-star rated) version - Overtime - and the one-step (4 ½-star rated) Ultimate.

Don't: Leave lines of demarcation where your foundation ends. It's a clear sign that your makeup shade is too dark or light compared to your own skin.

Also avoid heavy layers of foundation or the wrong formulation that cakes into lines and wrinkles.

I've only heard from one Age Warrior who is happy with mineral powder foundations. Her skin is oily at 65.

Ninety percent of us need a moisturizing foundation because we have drier skin which is more typical for our age.

Don't: Have sharp lines of demarcation on eyes or lips either. Avoid exaggerated eyeliner.

Eyeliner should be used to frame the eye and accentuate upper and lower lashes which may have thinned with age. No Cleopatra eyes please!

Avoid exaggerated lipliner. Choose a tone close to your lipstick color. The object of lipliner is to define the lips and create a "dam" which keeps the lipstick where you want it.

Lipliner should not be visible after your lipstick is applied.

Don't: Get carried away with contouring. The face loses volume as we age.

Think more of highlighting now, rather than shading.

Unless your face is very full, too much shading below the cheekbone can make you look skeletal.

Can't Age Warriors Use the Same Products as "Everybody Else"?

First of all, who is "everybody else"?

Not only is our Age Warrior skin different from when we were younger, it is unique to each one of us.

Could you ever wear any makeup product you desired? Weren't some too oily or too drying? Didn't some products make you break out while "all your friends" could use them?

At any age, it's necessary to select products formulated for your skin type at that point in time.

For those of us who have attained Age Warrior status, that probably means using creamier products: liquid or cream foundations; cream eyeshadows and blushes; lip and eyeliners with soft leads.

Second, we have many more choices today and it's getting easier to find makeup products for skin with visible signs of aging. Some are even specifically formulated for Age Warriors.

For example, Olay and Cover Girl have joined forces to develop an anti-aging foundation which includes award-winning Olay Regenerist Serum as well as SPF 22.

Cover Girl says the foundation "stays suspended over fine lines and wrinkles, unlike the leading anti-aging department store foundation that can gather in wrinkles and make skin look older".

Sounds like just the thing. We bought some for testing, so you can expect my review soon.

Upate: Here's the Cover Girl & Olay Simply Ageless Foundation Review I promised.