1) Make sure your face is moisturized & you apply sunscreen (can be the same product) about 15 minutes before you apply your makeup.
2) Go easy on the foundation as it can settle into wrinkles. Instead, if possible, pat concealers onto problem areas & then use loose powder with a big brush. This will de-emphasize any wrinkles.
3) Use a creme blush & apply it UNDER your powder. This will give you a long-lasting effect, while giving you a rosy-cheeked look instead of a Mommy Dearest look.
4) USE BRUSHES!!! If you're still using those horrible little applicators that come in eyeshadows STOP & use brushes for application as well. Those small applicators not noly use too much makeup, they only skim over the surface of skin, which *emphasizes* wrinkles. Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad.
5) Use an eyeshawdow primer. This will keep even the cheapest & most irridescent shadows from "settling into the crease" on your lid. They are WELL worth the investment.
6) Use eyeshadow to blend the edges of eyeliner -- this will lessen then hard line look of eyeliner, which can have an aging effect.
7) Fake eyelashes are your friend. A lot of women have thinner eyelashes as they get older, so don't be afraid to apply some! You don't need to be a cabaret dancer to use fake eyelashes (IMO, fake eyelashes & eyeliner are the 2 elements that transcend ALL genres of BD).
8) Re-evaluate your color palette. A lot of women see their skin not only change texture as they age but color as well, so what worked for you when you were 25, may not work for you now & may actually be making you look older.

That's what I can think of off the top of my head - if I think of more, I'll add more later.

ps...all of these tips are good tips for girls of ANY age.

Hi Ronda,

I am sure you have heard "less is more," which is true with makeup for a "certain age" skin. You still wear makeup but adjust your application and your color choices. (Keeping with colors that accentuate your natural skin tone & eyes.)

How you apply your concealer and foundation is important. (Light coverage powders, a light moisturizing foundation- not matte) Highlighting is also great. Highlighting naturally brightens the skin. Nars makes some great luminizing powders---just brush over the T-zone (forehead, down bridge of the nose, side of nose, and over the cheek bones). I have used Machu Picchu and Venus. Kevin Aucoin also, has a wonderful book that goes into more depth about highlighting and other tips called "Making Faces," you might want to check out. You should be able to find it at your local library.

Another tip, creme blushes wear well and don't look dry. I use Nars creme blush, in Cactus Flower & Gold Member. Cactus Flower looks bright in the pallet but with a light application (fingers), then apply Gold Member over it. It gives you a natural flushed look with a light golden highlight. Nars also makes a stick blush in "orgasm", that's gorgeous on. I find it looks great on most skin tones. (It also comes in a regular powder, if you don't like the stick.)

As for eye shadows, neutrals (navy blue, browns, smoky greys, peaches, pinks, taupe, etc.) look great on mature skin, rather than strong bright hues. You can have a light shimmer on the lids which will create a soft highlight effect, but not a heavy frost, it will accentuate lines. I have used Doir's Sunset Cafe, Spring Bouquet, & Earth Reflection. I would recommend you test any eyeshadow you want to buy, first. You can never tell how it will look on, just by what it looks like in the pallet.

This is an article for makeup for mature brides (a little older than 45), but the pictures and tips are relevant to give you some ideas.

www.favorideas.com/learn-ab...er-brides


A look by Nars with flattering colors (smoky eye):

www.sephora.com/browse/bra...archy.jhtml


I hope this helps & take care.

Stop using ANY makeup that has you pulling on the delicate skin of your eyelids - if you use an eyeliner pencil, use a VERY soft one that doesn't make you pull on the skin. Liquid eyeliners are wonderful, but demand a very steady hand, and if you have any wrinkles in the eyelid, they can veer into the wrinkles and ruin the smoothness of the line you're trying to draw. Felt tip eyeliners offer the staying power of liquid without as much of the mess - L'Oreal puts out a nice one. One of the few pencils soft enough to not tug at that delicate skin is L'Oreal's "Wear Infinite Soft Powder Eyeliner". It has a very soft tip so it goes on easily and smudges nicely for a smoky effect rather than that stark effect liquid eyeliners give. Avon also makes a very soft pencil called Ultra Luxury - but it's so soft that the lead has a habit of falling right out of the pencil part, which is annoying. However, you'll need to set either of these soft pencils somehow if you sweat during your performance (and if you don't sweat, you're probably not dancing) - I highly recommend Ben Nye's sealer or Model in a Bottle (for sensitive skin if you have sensitive skin) which will keep your makeup on under stage lights, outside in the heat in the summer, and during a long performance.

Using a nice dark grey or brown eyeshadow for eyeliner is also a good idea - it gives a softer effect. You can either dot it on and gently blend the dots together, or smudge it on with a soft fine line brush. Again, you'll need to set it with a sealer if you sweat at all.
Blending your eyeshadow is a must, but do not pull on your skin when you blend. And the same goes for removing makeup. You should not be tugging or pulling on your skin to get your makeup off. Use a good makeup remover that doesn't require you to scrub at your face.

I wholeheartedly agree with the dancer who mentioned colors. Everyone has seen the older woman who still dyes her hair the too bright and too dark color she used when she was 25 and looks ridiculous - soften and lighten your color palette slightly with your makeup as well as your hair as you age to avoid looking like you haven't figured out that you're not 22 anymore.

I agree with all of Bellatrix has mentioned. I am 54 (between 45 and death, LOL) and I use mostly MAC. I do smokey eye, dramatic eyes, and of course the daytime look. because of the primers and of course moisturizers, these looks are actually flattering on me.

Be your own judge and play, play, play. You can rock the house =D