In a captivating YouTube video, makeup artist and content creator Gabriela Soares explained which lipstick formulas might make women over 40 look older and which ones are more flattering. She provided detailed insights into matte finishes, gloss finishes, cream formulations, and more, while demonstrating their effects.
“The drugstore can be the most overwhelming place ever, and Sephora is literally even worse, there are so many options for everything,” Soares said at the beginning of the video. “Where do you even begin? If you’re new here I teach you simple tips and tricks that will have you feeling as gorgeous on the outside as you do on the inside,” she added.
The creator continued: “Today, we’re going to be talking all about lipstick formulations. Because how do you know what to choose when there are so many? I’m going to be showing you each formulation on my beautiful model, Linda, who is in her seventies and fabulous.” She also noted: “And I’m also going to be showing you each formulation on myself because Linda has thinner lips and she’s over 60, and I have fuller lips and I’m under 40, so it’s going to be nice to be able to visualize the differences in the formulations on different people at different ages with different genetics.”
Inside 4 Different Lipstick Formulations For Women Over 40, Explained By A Pro MUA
1. Tinted Lip Balm
The initial product Soares discussed was the colored lip balm. For those who frequently deal with dry or cracked lips and regularly use lip balm, choosing a tinted variety could be a great choice. It provides both a hint of color and much-needed moisture, she explained.
“If you are the type of person who is super natural, this is a very easy way to add a pop of color to your face during those like no-makeup makeup days,” she said. Soares added: “It’s not fussy. It’s really not too much even if the rest of your face is completely bare. The downfall of a product like this is that it doesn’t last a long time at all and you will have to reapply it repeatedly throughout the day.”
The MUA continued: “where you benefit in the moisture and natural department, you do have a downfall in the longevity of wear department.” She then mentioned that these lipsticks tend to smudge onto everything effortlessly, demonstrating how it appeared on Linda and comparing it to how it looked on her own lips.
2. Matte Finish Lipstick
Formula two that Soares discussed was the matte finish lipstick. She mentioned that if you're in search of a lipstick offering extended wear, a matte option is ideal. These lipsticks are intensely pigmented, giving the lips a completely flat look without any shine, although they do transfer a bit. However, the transfer is far less than that of a moisture-rich lipstick. So what are the drawbacks? Does it transfer?
"The most obvious downfall is that this texture can be uncomfortable for you because it's very drying," she said. Soares added: "It just doesn't have that moist, buttery feeling that most people crave on their lips." Another big downfall is that if "you have smaller lips, it can make slips look much smaller."
Soares also explained: "A moist appearance highlights that area and draw things forward, and a matte appearance creates like a contour effect and recedes things back, therefore making already small. I always talk about infusing radiance into every step of your routine matte lipsticks because they are drying. They do have a tendency of making lips and the skin around the lips appear older."
3. Creme/ Cream Finish Lipstick
If you appreciate the concept of a tinted balm but also desire the color intensity and durability of a matte formula, you might consider a lipstick that combines these qualities, Soares mentioned. This type is known as the creme finish lipstick.
According to her, it is her preferred formula because it offers the shine and moisture of a balm while maintaining the long-lasting color of a matte lipstick.
"Most people look very attractive in a cream formula. It's a little bit fool proof. It really does suit pretty much everyone. It doesn't age the face, it doesn't age the lips," she said. "It doesn't transfer that much a little bit, but not nearly as much as like a balm does."
4. Gloss Finish
If you love a shiny or glass-like finish on your lips, a gloss might be the perfect choice, according to Soares. Glosses are available in many different formulations, ranging from sheer to opaque. Among all lip makeup options, glosses have the shortest wear time. They transfer quite easily, getting on everything, but they are stunning and can be layered with other lip products.
She then shared tips on how to layer gloss with other lipstick formulas. "You can use a matte lipstick for it's long-wearing feature and then you can dab a little bit of gloss the center of the bottom lip or to the cupid's bow just to kind of elevate it," she suggested. She continued: "I almost never use a gloss on its own. I almost always use it as a layering product. But if you're more of like a natural girl that just wants a wash of color, that's dewy and you know, that's really pretty, then this could be a great option for you."
5. Long-Lasting Stain With A Balm
"The next option that is great that a lot of people don't know about is a long-lasting stain with a balm," Soares said. "This is how it works. You use the colored side to carefully outline and fill the lip in perfectly, and then you let it dry. Once it's dry, you go over it." With the balming side, it ends up "looking just like a cream lipstick, but with zero transfer. A lip color like this could last you an entire day, which is absolutely amazing," she shared.
So what are the downfalls? "It's a lot of pros. You're like, what are the downs? There's got to be a downfall. There is like anything else, if you're not good at makeup, it can be a bit tricky because you need extreme precision since it's super opaque," Soares explained. The more you know!
