Makeup for Your 20s, 30s and 40s
Look gorgeous at any age.
- Carissa Chesanek, BettyConfidential.com
Tastes in clothing changes as you get older, and so should your makeup as you age. When you're young, "glitter is good!" As time goes on, you leave college, start a career and then suddenly become responsible adults and have to look like one too. Cosmetics become something to be used to enhance features instead of a toy. Read on for BettyConfidential's guide to fabulosity at any age.
In Your 20s
"Of course the younger you are, the more you are going to want to experiment with makeup and have fun," says celebrity makeup artist LaVey Ortiz, who has worked on the Kardashian clan. "But I do believe that at the end of the day we are really trying to enhance and bring out our best features, hide what we don't want to enhance, and simply just want to feel pretty."
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The Look
Scarlett Johansson keeps her look simple, classy and always age-appropriate. Ortiz explains that her look is "light all over, very classic retro with light eyes and more emphasis on her winged eyeliner and just bitten lips." To copy Scarlet's style use Lancome's Artliner Precision Point Eye Liner ($29, bloomingdales.com) to get the cat-like eyes and Revlon's Just Bitten lip stain (shown in Cherry Tart), ($7.99, amazon.com) to achieve those sultry looking lips.
Tips
The one product Ortiz believes that a woman should use is sunblock. A tinted one can be used instead of a base. "It is just as, if not more important in your twenties as it is in your thirties or forties." Two tinted sunblocks to try are Murad by Murad oli-free sunblock SPF15 sheer tint for women ($14.85, buy.com) and La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF +50 Tinted Cream ($33, amazon.com).
In Your 30s
By the time you're reached your thirties, you've discovered what you want to enhance with cosmetics. "I think at whatever age you start to feel insecure about any imperfection or flaw, that's when you can start taking proper care or precautions," explains Ortiz.
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The Look
To captivate your sex appeal like Eve Mendes, you should try and get a sun kissed glow that is natural looking by using a bronzer and add some "more eyeliner and longer, thicker lashes," Says Ortiz. You might want to use mascaras like Ultra Voluptuous Mascara ($10, ulta.com). Ortiz claims that to get a perfect complexion with natural tones, it's about preference. "I love setting my foundation with powder no matter what age the person I'm working on. It doesn't mean it has to be a full coverage powder. A light translucent powder will work well on anyone. " Take a look at Laura Mercier's mini translucent setting powder ($20, lauramercier.com)
Tips
There are a two products that women should have in their beauty bags by the time they reach their thirties. A "concealer and light diffusing primers or foundations can compliment anyone." Ortiz also feels that "blush, mascara, and of course your favorite lip gloss," will forever keep you looking young and flawless. You might want to experiment with Essence Forget It! 3-in-1 concealer ($2.49, ulta.com) and Smashbox photo finish foundation primer to go ($16, nordstrom.com).
In Your 40s
"The older we get, the less bounce we have to our skin, so it tends to look less plump," says Ortiz. "Skin becomes thinner and weaker and less vibrant." Heavy foundations and powders will only make the skin look duller. Women in their forties need to have Ortiz claims, "more emphasis on getting a bright complexion with a good blush and concealer" instead of caking on the foundation.
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The Look
"Sarah Jessica is one of my favorites," says Ortiz. "She has really come into herself with age and knows what she has and works with it, which are very bright eyes and a bright complexion." To get SJP's famous glow, use the Body Shop's flawless skin protecting concealer ($16.50, thebodyshop-usa.com) and blush like Chanel's blush duo tweed effect ($45, saksfifthavenue.com). Ortiz also says that if you want beautiful skin like SJP's, it is best to use a tinted moisturizer. "If you have a foundation and feel like that it's too heavy, then sheer it out with your favorite moisturizer and you've just made your own tinted moisturizer!"
Tips
Ortiz explains that a woman "does not necessarily have to change her makeup application as much as she may need to change the products as she ages. Not everything is solely downhill for our skin and beauty products as we age. I firmly believe that the older we get the more comfortable in our skin we feel." Ortiz encourages women of all ages to pick their best feature and to" play it up. Remember to pick one feature and don't overload on eyes and lips, because you will confuse people on what feature their attention should go to."
Tell us: what's your favorite feature?
Fashion and beauty Miami based writer, Carissa Chesanek has had her articles seen in Redbook, DivaVillage.com, and Vestiture Magazine, where she touches on anything from finding the right lipgloss to wearing the little black dress suited for your body shape.
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