Age-appropriate makeup

If you’re like most women, applying makeup — even if it’s just a dab of lipstick or a coat or two of mascara — is a big part of your daily morning ritual.
Why do we wear makeup? As with the right clothes and accessories, makeup helps many women look and feel confident — it lets us literally put our best face forward. The right makeup can hide skin blemishes and wrinkles and highlight your most desirable facial features. Many cosmetics even contain SPF to help protect your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. These are all great reasons to stock up on beauty products.
But have you ever stopped to consider whether your makeup is age-appropriate? If you’re not careful, you could end up making some unflattering choices — ones that could even leave you looking years older.
It’s worth noting that when it comes to beauty there are certain things that apply to every age bracket. These include having a good skincare regimen; wearing makeup that complements your skin tone and wardrobe; and choosing cosmetics that work for the current condition of your skin.
In your 20s
At this age, oily skin and breakouts lingering from adolescence may be your primary skin concerns, so opting for a light foundation is a good idea. When applying makeup, you want the look to be as sheer and natural as possible.
Youthful skin is often already pretty rosy, so use a light hand when applying blush. That said, feel free to have fun with colours and shimmery accents. Go ahead and try that electric blue eyeliner, bubble-gum-pink lipstick, or glittery gold eye shadow — in your 20s, almost anything goes!
In your 30s
Women in their 30s can still play with their makeup looks. This is a time when it’s acceptable to wear heavier makeup. Think cat eyes — à la Audrey Hepburn or the more dramatic version worn by Sophia Loren.
To achieve the look, use liquid liner along the edge of your upper eyelids and extend the line just past the outer corner of your eyes. Create fuller, thicker lashes using professionally applied extensions. Also, keep eyebrows nicely shaped, but avoid overplucking! Take advantage of their fullness; hair growth tends to slow in your 40s, so you don’t want to be left with skimpy brows years down the line.
You may need to use a brightener to minimise under-eye shadows and give your cheeks an extra stroke of colour if you’ve lost that rosy glow. Add subtle colour to your lips in the daytime with a tinted lip balm. At night, go for the glamour — experiment with reds, corals, and terracotta hues.
In your 40s
When you hit 40, you may need to add more warmth to your skin tone. Tinted moisturisers and cream blushes will add a healthy glow. Choose products which give the appearance of colour coming from within.
If you’ve got fine lines, avoid heavy makeup, which tends to settle into creases. If your skin is fair, you may start seeing sun spots, so it’ll be especially important to wear sunblock every day (if you’re not, start today!).
Age also changes the shape of your eyes, so concentrate on defining them. Try using an eyelash curler and a long-lasting liner in navy (this colour makes any eye colour pop). Opt for a natural lip colour, and give your shimmery or frosted makeup to your daughter. These products tend settle in the fine lines and creases around your eyes and will only draw attention to what you are trying to disguise.
To help bring out any shadows on your face, use illuminating concealers, such as Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector.
In your 50s
At 50, the primary goal is to use colour wisely. Have beautiful honey-coloured skin? Use a tinted moisturizer with warm undertones to give it a nice overall glow.
Clarins Super Restorative Tinted Moisturisers are expressly formulated for the changes taking place in your skin during your 50s and beyond. If you’ve got great lips, accentuate them with a bright lip colour. But if you have many wrinkles around your mouth, don’t go there — or else you’ll bring attention to those lines. Emphasise beautiful brows by filling them in with a brow pencil.
Before applying foundation, fill in fine lines and smooth out skin with Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch. This miracle product makes creases literally disappear. When you need a touch-up, use blotting papers instead of adding more powder to avoid a cakey appearance.
In your 60s and beyond
If you’re in this age bracket, you’ll want to use wrinkle fillers and plumping products as much as possible.
Because your blood circulation changes later in life, you’ll need blush to help restore the flush you had when you were younger. Skin also gets drier as you age, so stick with creamier products. If your eyes need definition, use a long-lasting gel or liquid liner in a soft brown or gray (black is too harsh) at your lash line.
Fill in sparse brows with a brow pencil in a taupe color. To reduce redness in and around the eyes, use an eye-brightening pencil on the inner rim of the eye. To plump up thinning lips, use Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector.
Here are some final words of advice: As you mature, it’s most important to focus on taking care of your skin and making the best of what you have.
Fight the effects of aging by reducing your stress levels, getting enough sleep, and exercising. The more real and natural you look at any age, the better.
Life is more beautiful with Clarins.