In this post I’m going to share some super makeup tips for women over 50. This post has been updated from its original version to include new tips and hints.
I have to admit that I don’t wear make up every day, and often I go for a very minimal look.
A bit of BB cream, a dusting of bronzer, a pretty lipstick, a quick brush of muddy coloured eye shadow, then a wave of the mascara wand and I’m ready to go.
If you’re like me you might also like this post: How to Look Beautiful Naturally
Not so long ago I was lucky to be invited by Katie from The Body Shop to go for a make-over and and she gave me some great makeup tips for women over 50.

Makeup Tips for older women
I was given the full makeup works and introduced to a much more formal look, which I can replicate for occasions when a little more cover is needed.
And you know what. I felt great. I’d even like to say that heads turned when I strode into the coffee shop to meet my daughter later for a cup of coffee – Lol!
Yes! My imagination ran riot!
A bit of makeup makes us look and feel more polished
But it brought home to me how a bit of ‘slap’ can make you walk a bit taller, feel a bit prouder as you get older and the face isn’t as plump and taught as it used to be.
So today, to inspire you to perhaps update your own routine here’s a before makeup photo and an after makeup photo, along with some top hints and tips about how to apply makeup as we get older from the lovely Katie at The Body Shop.
And my challenge to you today, to improve self confidence as you age, is to re-vamp and re-define your makeup routine using some of these makeup tips and tricks for women over 50.
Before and After
Get The Body Shop look
- This is what it took to scrub me up to get the formal day-wear look above.
Prep and Prepare:
Vit C Micro-Dermabrasion
Foundation: E.V. Minerals Liquid 102
Conceal: Lightning Touch 01
Cheeks: A10 Cheek and Ginger 02 and Baked Bronzer 02
Eyeshadow Colour: Colour Crush 110 (sand by me)
Eyeshadow Contour: Colour Crush 225 (Brownie & Clyde)
Eye Definer: Liquid Liner 02 Brown
Mascara: Super Volume 02 Brown
Brows: Brow Kit No 1 applied with a slanted brush
Lip Liner: 03 Clover Pink
Lipstick: Colour Crush 110 – Coral Blush
Perfect your Pout! 9 Makeup Tips and Tricks.
- Your make-up will only be as good as the skin it’s applied to, so don’t apply foundation to dry, rough or dirty skin. Exfoliate twice a week to get rid of built in dirt and grim. Dirt stretches the pores and makes them sag, so they appear larger and make up doesn’t sit smoothly on enlarged pores.
- To find the right colour foundation make stripes on your cheek. The perfect match is the one that you can’t see .
- Use a Kabuki Brush to get a fine veil and even application of foundation – it smooths the foundation for an air brushed effect and a flawless finish.
- After a certain age we shouldn’t use metallic, high shine or pearly type eye shadows as they emphasise fine lines. So stay away from the 20’s trends! Don’t sweep eye colour up to the brow bone as it’s aging.
- Use a flat skin colour on the lid. A darker shadow in the crease and countour. Take colour around to the outside of the eye.
- If you have lots of folds around the eyes then don’t use colour. Focus on your foundation, have neat well-groomed brows, mascara and a bit of liner. Use more blusher and colour on your cheeks than colour on your eyes.
- Be cautious using powders as matt finishes dull the skin surface and ages the look of the skin. So if you must, then just a dusting to set your foundation – consider the minerals range.
- A soft dewy moist foundation rides creases and folds and gives the illusion of a helathier and more youthful look.
- Use a foundation with a 30+ sunscreen and smooth it all over your face including under the eyes, over the lids of the eyes, down the neck and over the higher chest area too.

Try: The Vitamin C Micro-Dermabrasion for a polished facial skin. It’s a high potency Vitamin C with diamond dust that smooths and polishes without breaking or tearing the skin. Use a face shammy to remove, or better still wash it off in the shower. I really liked the beautiful fresh smell and the way my skin felt really smooth afterwards.

Top Makeup Tips for women over 50 from Katie at The Body Shop
Lip Tips
- The Colour Crush lipsticks have a pigment rich colour with cherry seed oil that gives a young dewy look.
- If you have thin lips then avoid dark or bright colours.
- Line your lips and reclaim the natural lip line.
- Be a bit daring, and always use a sharp lip pencil.
- Outline your Cupids Bow.
- If you have drooping lips then don’t take the liner right to the edge.
- Colour in with the lip pencil first before you apply lipstick as this will give consistency.

Eye Makeup Tips
- As you get older, and especially for women over 50, apply less eye colour (always use matt eyeshadows).
- Focus the detail on your brows because they fade and become sparser with age.
- Use a powder with a brush rather than a brow pencil. Eyebrow powder has wax in it to fill in the bald spots and adheres to the hair follicles. It gives a softer finish.
- For eyebrow colour choose the same colour as the roots of your hair.
- Never go for the thin pencil eyebrows – it’s an aging look and accentuates sagging brows.
- Always use a good mascara, and don’t forget to wave the wand down over the top lashes (takes off any dust and eye makeup) and then curl them up afterwards.
- As our eyelids begin to droop we need to wear a good top eyelid liner.
- Liquid liner opens up the eye. Use brown if you’re fair, and black if you’re dark.
- Paint the eye liner onto a small plate first and use a wet slanted brush to apply. Squeeze it dry to make a good crisp edge. Dip it in the liner and make small dots along the top of your eyelid close to the lash, and then gently join up the dots.
- If your eyes sag then slope the eyeliner upwards at the edges.
- Correct any eyeliner mistakes with foundation on a brush.

Foundation and Blush
- Use liquid foundations for a youthful dewy finish.
- If your peachyness is fading, then don’t forget blusher. Use it on the apple of your cheeks then draw it up and out and down.
- Afterwards use a sweep of bronzer in the shape of a 3 – Start at the bony part of your forehead and from the hairline take the brush down and around the side of your face to under your cheek bone to the apples of your cheeks, then back towards your ear and under your chin line, and down your neck.
If you have any make-up tips that you swear by then please tell us in the comments, won’t you?
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I have red hair and invisible eyebrows. I do a soft line underneath, then color into the brow and comb up and outβ¦β¦this blends the line into the color, and strengthens the brow line a bit. I can do this and a bit of a light shadow under the brow with nothing else and it looks fabulous, soft, natural and defining with being all HELLO DOLLY!
After cancer my hair grew back beautiful, except my brows and lashes. I found the best eyebrow dual sponge tip applicator; and am thankful I bought 6 because anything that works disappears (by Anastasia Hollywood – one side for blondes, the other for Brown’s). It also makes a perfect lower lid liner. I still can’t find any good mascara and my lashes are almost gone. Thank you for helping with the lids, mouth, colors and foundation. Quick question: does primer help fill in lip lines, add a dewy look? YES I WANT A MAKEOVER! Am looking for the locations now!
Hi Sara, thank you so much for commenting here … I really hope you continue to recover well. Thanks for the tips too π I don’t use primer on my lips. I think it would be better to stick with a light application of a natural lip pencil to stop the lipstick from ‘leaking’ into liplines and a nice dewy or glossy lipstick. Hope you have a nice makeover!
Good grief Jo, you are gorgeous. Thanks for the tips. I always worry I look like I al trying too hard. You look fab!
Thank you dear Mary :0 I hope the tips were helpful – yes, I often feel the same when I have a ‘full face’ of make-up.
Great makeup tips Jo. I think I definitely will start to use eye liner now. If only I could apply it without my glasses on! Lol
Ha Ha Kathy, I know, it’s not possible to put eyeliner on by ‘feel’ alone is it! I have the same problem, juggling glasses and the right angle!
Hi Jo, you look lovely and what a fun day out π
Thanks Annabel – and yes, away from the computer and a little learning with some frivolity peppered in π
What a difference a bit of make up does, I have to try it. gabrielle xxx
Thanks Gabrielle! Doesn’t it brighten everything up π xx
Thanks Johanna, that lipstick looks great on you to x
Thanks Rae – glad you liked π
Great tips, thanks for sharing. I was especially interested to learn that I should be using less powder on my face…. must remember to go sparingly. π
So glad you liked the tips and have been inspired to make an update to your makeup routine. Thanks for popping by today π
I wish I could amaze you with a makeup trick that you didn’t cover, but you really covered everything possible about makeup after 50. It’s wonderful that SPF has been added to the moisturizer, so if it’s just not a day for foundation I’m still protected.
Thanks Neva! Yes, I always look for moisturisers or BB creams and products with an SPF of at least 15 in them nowadays.