Gloss Everywhere
Glossy lips, eyes, and even cheeks were a huge trend on runways and we can’t fault anyone for being excited. Shimmery shadows and lipsticks are fun, plain and simple. But a little sparkle is one thing — it’s a great idea to add a dab of shimmery cream shadow to the middle of your lid crease, for example. Too much shimmer though can accentuate wrinkles and fine lines. Play is safer by sticking to mostly mattes and neutrals and then spicing things up with a touch of shimmery gloss or shadow.
Bold Statement Lips
Bold statement lips with dark brown lipliner and a reddish brown or full red lip are an amazing nineties throwback that we love. But if the look is a little too intense for you, or you feel like your lips have lost volume with age and a too-dark lip isn’t doing any favors, don’t be afraid to skip this trend and stick with lighter shades like pink gloss (which really plumps up lips) or a rose or mauve satin-finish lipstick.
Grunge Makeup
When colder temperatures roll around and especially around spooky season, some of us get tempted to debut more goth looks. We certainly aren’t going to tell you it’s NOT a great idea to smudge your eyeliner a tad and dress in all black. But a heavy-handed goth look that includes lots of black eyeliner on the bottom waterline of your eyes can draw the face down and look a bit aging. If this is something you’re trying to avoid, concentrate your makeup on the top lid instead and choose one feature to highlight — eyes or lips, usually — while keeping the rest of your makeup neutral.
Minimal Makeup
There is always conflicting advice when it comes to how much makeup is too much or not enough when you’re over 40. A reminder: there is no clear-cut answer here and that answer will depend on what makes you feel like your confident best. But many makeup experts say older women sometimes aren’t wearing enough makeup and that a bit of foundation or tinted moisturizer can make your skin tone look more even and create a more glowing, youthful complexion. And remember: minimal makeup looks on the runway are actually achieved using plenty of makeup — the trick is in artful contouring to bring out features without overpowering them with color.
Bleached Eyebrows
Okay, here’s the deal. A dramatic eye look is all the rage this fall and we’re all for it. But graphic eyeliner or winged eyeliner is one thing — bleaching your eyebrows to call more attention to your eyes is another. Although the bleached brow look seems to be winding down a bit, it has still been spotted here and there on runways. But the brows truly frame our faces, and as we age, our brow hair can become more sparse. Instead of making them less apparent, a better tip is to take more time out in your makeup routine to groom brows with a brow pencil and gel.
Trends come and go — and some are super fun and worth following. But be aware of those that can add years to your appearance if your goal is a more refreshed makeup look.