Makeup Tips for Over 40 Women – Adding Light To Your Face
We’ve all seen the facial highlighting and contouring maps. With layers of dark and light makeup, you can minimize certain facial features and highlight others. Chisel your cheekbones, narrow your nose…all with makeup!
But by following these maps, guess what else you’ll likely highlight: WRINKLES.
Less is more for my over-40 face. Layers of contouring makeup just add years.
Based on the picture above, here are a few examples of what I’m talking about.
- I can’t put white-ish makeup around my mouth. My lip lines would literally jump off my face.
- The heavy makeup under the eyes only serves to accent crepey skin for me.
- The more layers of makeup I wear, the more it gathers in my lines, actually exaggerating them.
There are, however, a few tips I have taken from contouring maps.
I look at where I can add LIGHT to shadowy areas.
I have a few places on my face where I like to add a little light, lessening the shadows that have showed up with age. For this blog post, I’m talking about adding some reflective properties…some shimmer. I also have favorite products, because all highlighters are NOT created equal.
FOUR PLACES TO HIGHLIGHT
1 • Directly Above My Upper Lash Line
Eyes sink deeper into sockets with age, so highlighting my lids brings them forward a bit. It also provides a light backdrop for my lashes, making them “pop.” I love light pink, shimmery shades for this.
My current favorite shade is “Unreal” in the amazing Lorac Unzipped Palette. This is a timeless palette that I LOVE. I wet a tiny brush or an eyeliner brush, get damp shadow on it, then apply the shadow as a liner just over the center of my upper lid. It’s a very subtle look. Choose any light color, like peach, pink, or gold.
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2 • Directly Under My Lower Lash Line
A narrow swipe of shimmer under my center, bottom lashes helps with shadowing there. One of my faves is Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Pink Mosaic. I use a very small brush and only apply a touch. Again, choose a color that works for you. I use the lightest shade in this palette. Peach might be a good option, and Laura Mercier also makes a peach mosaic.
3 • Down The Center Of My Nose
I have close-set eyes, so I think a little shimmer on my nose between my eyes helps widen that space. Any of the highlighters in this post will work for this.
4 • Tops Of Cheekbones
On my cheekbones, I like my highlight to have a hint of color, either pink or bronze. Color and shimmer together warm up my face and make me look healthy. If you’re pale, you may prefer a lighter color, like the one below on the far right.
Physician’s Formula has amazing, magical sparkle that is so flattering. They go on very sheer, just a hint of color. They’re really amazing buttery formulas.
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Do you have a favorite shimmery product? Please share! I am always looking for something new.
Hi Audrey! I’m definitely going to try the NYX roll on shimmer. Have you tried the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector? What do you think of that one compared to the Watts Up?
Thanks for the great highlighting ideas!
Shannon
Hi Shannon! Thanks so much for commenting! I’ve love Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector – Pressed in the compact. The liquid ones seemed a little hard for me to control, since I don’t highlight large areas of my face. Some people add the Becca to primer and/or foundation for an all-over dewy look that I just can’t pull off. The liquid Becca Perfectors seemed like they would be hard to keep to certain areas. BUT the Becca powder and cream formulas are fantastic, easier for me to use, and the colors so beautiful. Rose Gold is my favorite <3. I like that I can control exactly where the Watt's Up being applied & I love it's subtle shimmer. That being said, I wish it came in more colors, like Becca does. Overall I love both Becca (compacts) and the Watt's Up.
Off to try out all these tips asap! I also like a shimmer on my eyelid but have to be very careful with highlight on the tops of my cheekbones as it seems to show up all kinds of wrinkles that I didn’t know I had!!
I have to be SO careful, too. I can’t use a ton of highlight there either. Here’s one tip I like, I’ve tapped a little Vaseline Rosy Lips on the tops of my cheekbones, or even sheer pink gloss. It adds shine without showing wrinkles. And if I’ve used a powder highlighter, the Rosy Lips holds it in place, so it doesn’t end up all down my cheeks. I hope you find some tips here that work for you! Thanks so much for commenting!!!
I have really oily skin so I have to be careful with shimmer. That being said, I’m 44 and my skin looks so tired! Love RMS Beauty Living Luminizer. It’s been my go-to for years. I have really light skin and this just adds that dewy glow I live for.
Thanks for sharing, Melissa! I’m adding RMS Beauty Living Luminizer to my own wish list, thanks to you. It sounds amazing. I am always searching for a dewy glow.