Why your makeup stopped working, and the five swaps that fix it
One morning you look in the mirror and your makeup just looks wrong. The foundation settles into lines you didn't know you had. Your eyes look smaller. Your face looks tired, even when you aren't.
So you wear less. Then nothing at all. And quietly, you stop feeling like yourself.
It isn't you. It's your skin.
As we move through our late 30s, 40s and beyond, skin tends to become drier and thinner, fine lines appear, and brows and lashes often fade. The makeup and techniques that suited you at 25 were made for different skin.
The good news: you don't need more products. You need a few smart swaps.
Swap 1: Powder for cream
Powder foundation sits on top of dry skin and gathers in lines. A cream or serum foundation melts into the skin instead. Warm it on your fingertips and press it in, rather than wiping it on.
Swap 2: Full coverage for targeted coverage
Covering your whole face hides your skin, and your skin is what makes you look fresh. Use a light base, then a little concealer only where you need it: around the nose, under the eyes and on any spots.
Swap 3: Blush on the apples for blush on the cheekbones
Blush on the apples of the cheeks can drag the face down. Smile, find the top of your cheekbone, and blend upwards towards your temple. It lifts the whole face in seconds.
Swap 4: Harsh eyeliner for soft definition
A hard line can make eyes look smaller. Instead, smudge a soft brown or charcoal pencil into the roots of your top lashes, then apply mascara to the top lashes only.
Swap 5: Old shades for your shades
The colours you wore years ago may no longer suit your skin, hair and eyes. Wearing the right shades is the quickest way to look healthy and awake. That's where colour analysis comes in, and it's what we'll explore next week.
Great makeup starts with great skin
Makeup only looks as good as the skin underneath it. If your skin feels dry, sensitive or dull, start there. I shared my own skin story last week: read it here, and you can see how I care for skin on my skincare page.
Choose yourself, five minutes a day
I've been a beauty specialist since 1981, and I worked as a senior makeup artist in Monaco. I've seen what five good minutes in front of the mirror can do for a woman's confidence. You don't need a crisis or a special occasion to look after yourself. You just need a plan that works for you.
See what my clients say in my client reviews.
