As we age our faces are changing and, of course, we still want to put out our best look so maybe we just need to change some of our old habits. I asked Deborah to provide me with some tips I could share with my blog readers. I was surprised at some of the things she had to say…who would have thought? This is why it is often wise to consult the experts like Deborah
Sometimes it takes a little more: Doing it with Grace
“When I give my workshops and presentations to midlife women,” says Deborah Williams, founder of Grace, “The question they all want answers to is, ‘Can I turn the clock back?’” My answer is always almost. Time marches on, but there’s a lot you can do with the colors you wear and makeup choices and application to make you look as good as you ever did. Some clients tell me they’ve never looked better! The way to do this is with color and care, and by forgetting what used to work for you at 18 or even 28 and learning what will work for you now.”
Five tips to give you a head start on aging (gracefully) with GRACE:
- Know your colors. For this you may need to consult an expert or a book and determine whether you’re winter, summer, spring, or fall. You may remember when this was the hot thing to do and it still should be. Wearing the colors that suit you make you look brighter, fresher, younger, and bring out your best. Your season is one of the factors that determines the colors you should use on your face, particularly for your eyes and your lips. However, note that as you age your colors may change. If you were a winter when you were 18, you might be a fall now depending on skin tone and hair shade!
- Go softer. Don’t use the heavy streak of Cleopatra black eyeliner that may have worked in the past. Ninety percent of the time, the color used in your brows should be the color used as the first contour to shape your eye.
- Roots, please. You want eyelashes to frame your eye, not spider webs. To achieve this, apply mascara to the roots only to give a lustrous look and pull the brush up and out of the eye to open it up, don’t ‘ski’ down over the top of the lashes.
- Outside only. Don’t use mascara on the inner eye eyelashes (closest to your nose!). This tends to draw attention to the heaviness in the eye bag.
- Glow with blush. Don’t use blush to shape your face as you may have done in the past. Just dust lightly on the apple of the cheeks to give a healthy glow.
ABOUT DEBORAH: Deborah Williams works in film and TV to make celebrities and on-screen personalities look good and she does the same with her clients. Deborah founded Grace to help women look good with makeup as they age and gives workshops and seminars on request. A book is in the works.
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i use a combo of shea butter and aloe vera moisturizer. Works great. I use shea butter on my lips, around my eyes and nose (dry areas), My father swears by vasoline.
p.s. I dropped your name on Gina's post, Barb. ;)
great tips….I will be trying these out!
from Deborah, Ms Grace, to twistyprincess…
”I am delighted that you’re going to use the GRACE tips. I think the results will astound you. You will probably hear comments from friends, who think you look more rested and want to know if you’ve had a mini face lift!”
What I use and would flip if she stopped making it is Lauren buttons natural face disc.what a blessingi have to share. My fav color is what is called pooch and nose shadow. Great for the all of the sudden inner eye upper puff,couple strokes and it’s gone,baby,gone.
That should read Lauren Hutton,but I have auto correct of course!!!
Great Tips..what about “lips” darker? lighter? Gloss? or stain? Thanks Julia
Sorry this reply I was a bit slow in getting you your answer… but here is the word from the expert Deborah herself
“If you have very fine lips, a more neutral lip colour will give you a fuller look.
When lining the lip make sure that you don’t over draw the lip as it will look too obvious! You can line on the inside of the lip line if your lips are full, on the line, or outside the line for finer lips.
For fine lips, line the outside of the lip but keep the pencil touching the line or you will get a very fake look (and keep it soft!). Filling in the whole lip allows you to use a neutral pencil without having to match the lipstick exactly. It will also stain the lip and the lipstick will adhere better.
A lip stain is great for fine or full lips and gives a more natural look. Add gloss for a touch of glamour!”
FYI- A lip stain is a lipstick, a lip balm or cream that leaves a deposit of color on the lip once it is absorbed into the lips and dries. Not all cosmetic companies make lip stains but every few seasons they come back into fashion. Since they stay on the lip longer they do tend to be a bit more drying to the lips. If you have any more questions please let me know.
I use a lip stain now for the first time in my life. I an mid 50′s and wish I had discovered this marvel earlier. It stays on even after eating and drinking. You will still have color to your lips. Also since you stay within the outline of your lips, the color is so natural and not obvious.
As i have aged,i have done a lot of twiking myself too,i do now use an eyeliner,in a soft blue/green,and matte eye shadows in a gray/green,blush,softer and no shimmer in it,lipes, softer rose,and no shimmer..but most of all,i pay attention to my brows..they frame the face,and open my eyes,so i use a powder to shape my brows,i use brown mascara instead of black,it all softens,but i am a makeup kinda women,i just learned to use less,and softer colors,i am a warm in my skin tone,and understand how important that is as we age,as i dont want to look washed out,or to pale..
Sunscreen is my best friend too!
Bren
The right color foundation makes a huge difference. I just did not like the shade of my face using my bare minerals. I went to Sephora and let the salesgirl test and she made a fantastic choice in color with Christian Dior Liquid Foundation. The color is perfect, the foundation makes my skin soft and dewey looking and I have a youthful glow. No more powder foundations that settle in the lines for me. I was faithful to Bare Minerals for a long time, But CD makes a fabulous foundation that is worth every penny!
What brand lip stain? I have a drawer full of so called 24 hr. lipsticks that do not stick! Great tip about not using mascara on the inner lashes. Thanks.
I have tried numerous lip stains and my favs so far areRevlon Color Stay Ultimate(inexpensive ) and YSL(expensive) I have to admit the YSL is less drying Good luck
another thing about makeup: either have dramatic color on eyes or lips, not both.
foundation color makes all the difference — get a good match so that you don’t have a color difference from your face to your neck. no pumpkin heads!
eyebrows — if they are thin, and they generally are, as we age, make sure you fill in eyebrows, and use a lighter color than you used to.