7.7 Mature makeup

As you learned earlier in the course, mature skin tends to be drier, thinner, may have age spots, and there will be some wrinkles to manage. Anyone coming to you for a makeup application wants to look and feel beautiful, and no one wants to look older than they are! Gorgeous mature makeup looks are all about skin preparation, product choice and placement. As you can see from the examples below, a correct makeup application can enhance your client’s natural beauty and can result in a youthful glow:

Because mature skin tends to be on the drier side, starting off with a hydrated base is an absolute must. You want to select products that are water-based, and you will want to choose richer creams in your kit. When you are applying your base, you will want to ensure that you really work the product in to warm up the face and to ensure that the product has time to settle into the skin. When selecting foundations, less is usually more. A light to medium coverage is preferable, and you may find that a foundation brush will be easier to get a nice coverage to help work in the product. A beauty blender may not be the best choice because it may not get into creases. In addition to this, you should use powder sparingly as it can actually emphasise creases.

In terms of eyes, you may need to lift the mobile lid and gently move any skin that is sagging. As you learned earlier, mature clients will usually have sparse eyebrows, so you will need to fill in the brows and be mindful of the techniques you use. Natural look brows will look a lot more flattering on mature clients in comparison to insta-brows! A defined brow will make your client look more youthful; you just need to ensure that you select the correct shape in accordance with their face shape (arched, straight, rounded etc.) When you are doing makeup on mature clients, another important factor to consider is that your client has likely been doing their makeup the same way for many years. If you have ever had your eyebrows tinted and shaped by a professional, you will know the feeling of how weird it looks until you get used to it! This is the same when we do an application on a client who has not had their makeup done in that way before. So, to prevent any shocks at the end, explain what you are doing throughout the process and give them a sneak peek if needed.

Tips when applying mature makeup:

• Be sure to start out with a hydrated base.
• Unless your client has oily skin (this is rare for mature-age), opt for a hydrating foundation.
• Go bold or natural on the eyes, just be sure to get to know your client first and learn how they normally wear their makeup.
• Choose cream products over powder products to create a dewy finish.
• Individual lashes are often easier to apply (and more comfortable to wear) for mature clients due to reduced skin laxity of the eyelids.
• Only apply powder where absolutely necessary, as powder will accentuate any fine lines or wrinkles.