I’ve been lucky to have great skin my whole life. I’m Italian and am pale but tan really easily. I have never really worn much makeup. When I was younger, I had a concealer stick that I’d dot under my eyes and blend up, and occasionally would do a swipe of Clinique’s double face powder. Red lips, a little eyebrow pencil. No blush, no eye shadow/liner, etc. Simple. But then I started working from home. I stopped doing much besides a light lipstick and moisturizer.
Now I’m in my late 40s and realizing that I look pretty washed-out and frowsy. I’d like to kind of brighten/even out my complexion and do a little something with my under eyes. I don’t even know where to start. I don’t want to feel like I’m wearing a mask on my face…I want everything to be super natural and light. I use a little moisturizer in the morning/night and that’s it. I also am pretty cheap and feel overwhelmed by the billions of products out there. I don’t want to spend a fortune…I am really happy with the cheap stuff, as long as it basically works!
I’ve been reading about primer/main/setting routine and I don’t really want to do that…too fussy for me. Really, I’m looking for a good foundation (powder? liquid? combo? brand?) that I can put on that will blend with my under eye concealer (brand? method? how to choose the right shade??). I’ll stick to my same lipstick and sometimes use that same tube to dab a little color on the apples of my cheeks. I’d be really happy with a 5-minute makeup routine.
I’d love any advice! Thanks. :)
I’m 47…
I use a lotion-y primer…Cover Girl Simply Ageless (there is a good bit of sunscreen in it) and mix it with my color corrector.
I use either L’Oréal Age Perfect serum foundation or their True Match Nude serum…just a few drops, not much at all. I stan the Age Perfect concealer (tiny bit under eyes and corners of nose) precisely because it is NOT full coverage, it’s definitely on the light side of medium. I’ve learned over the years that full coverage just looks weird on me, the texture is never quite right, then when it creases…😬because let’s face it, our under eyes are not smooth. Tiny tiny bit of Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush flawless finish setting powder pressed in with a puff anywhere I used concealer.
Liquid and cream blushes (gen see or Rare Beauty) in a bronzed brown or neutral light pink are absolute must haves for me. I do use powder products but they’re always relatively sheer (but pigmented) formulas with a tiny amount of sheen. They seem to blend and buff into my skin the best.
Bronzers are tough for me, I don’t want them too red based or orange (I’ve got fair/light skin so it’s really easy for bronzers to go weird). There’s the Revolution cream bronzer and the L’Oreal True Match Lumi that both work well because their color and texture are right. L’Oréal one is a powder with a teeny bit of sheen. Blends beautifully with a fluffy brush.
Eyes I don’t do a lot. Typically just sweep my bronzer in the crease and that’s it for shadow. If I’m feeling saucy I’ll put eyeliner in my waterline. I am, however, a sucker for a good mascara. Brows I just fill and let me tell you, it’s been hard finding a gray brow product.
Lips are almost always a gloss stick or lip oil in something sheer and brown/ mauvey neutral.
TLDR: moisturize moisturize moisturize. Matte and full coverage can work but in general sheerer formulas with a touch of sheen are gonna be your best friends.
I’d definitely prefer something that wasn’t necessarily full coverage because I do feel like I’m wearing a mask. I’m looking up that color corrector for sure! I’ve worried about powder settling into creases, which is why I was leaning toward liquid, but like you said, just a few drops. I’ll check out that perfect serum foundation, thanks!