- Julie St Clair
Put Your Best Face Forward... A makeup guide for the modern mature woman.
Updated: Jul 12, 2019
Upgrade and enhance your natural beauty, enjoy life and relationships with a whole new level of confidence and self-assurance!
Life is different now, you’ve changed, you’re older ...Yes! The truth is, these days we don't have to conform or be restricted by outmoded ideas and beliefs about our personal beauty routine... really, today anything goes.... but discernment and an understanding of modern makeup techniques will ensure you are ready for any occasion.
'I believe spending even the smallest amount of time in front of the mirror caring for your skin and applying makeup is a wonderful form of SELF LOVE’
To begin, it's vitally important to prepare your skin with a good quality skincare program to cleanse, tone and moisturise your skin (natural, chemical free), giving your face a healthy radiant glow and making it much easier to apply makeup and achieve a more flawless complexion.
Step 1: The Prep work
Apply a light day moisturiser to the face and neck, (oil free is best) hopefully you’ve cleansed your face prior to this! This will prepare your skin for the next step, even if you have an oily complexion your skin still needs dehydration, applying a small amount of oil free Moisturiser will make application easier.
Tip: A face Primer applied to the skin before foundation can assist in your makeup lasting longer throughout the day and evening. Both normal to dry and oily complexions can benefit from using a primer helping to soften the signs of aging and reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.
Step 2: Preparing the canvas!
a/ Apply Foundation (oil free is best) over face including eye lids using your fingertips, then smooth with dry sponge in downward and outward movement making sure you blend well along the jaw line.
For a lighter application add foundation directly to sponge (sponge can be slightly damp if preferred) and then apply to face.
If you have blemishes, put a small amount of foundation on a sponge and press several times on the affected area, this will give excellent coverage, blend well.
Tip: Concealer should be used sparingly on mature skin (A good foundation will often do the trick) Concealer should be a shade lighter than your foundation. Pat on gently and blend in well with your foundation.
b/ Apply Powder by dusting face and neck with a good quality Mineral Powder using a Kabuki Brush or for a lighter finish use a bronzer/powder brush.
Start at the forehead and work downwards in a circular motion along the sides of the face, lightly down the nose and then across the cheeks and chin. This sets the foundation and offers a satin/matt finish.
Note: Mineral Powder can be used directly onto a moisturised face giving good coverage and a healthy glow. Remember a quick dust of powder over your neck and décolletage will help ‘pull it all together’
Tip – If you prefer not to use a mineral powder, you can replace with translucent powder for a light ‘translucent’ coverage. Apply to face, neck and décolletage.
Step 3: Adding Dimension
a/ Eyebrows to frame the face
It is essential to have your eyebrows shaped correctly as they help balance, define and enhance your features. Make sure you have an eyebrow comb to smooth & shape.
Add colour using an eyebrow pencil close to your brow colour, start from the inside and work outwards with light feathery strokes creating your perfectly arched brow. Use your eyebrow comb to even out the colour.
Tip: You can also apply a suitable eyeshadow colour to your Brows with a cotton tip or angled brow brush to create a softly defined brow.
b/ Blusher to add dimension & colour
Apply Blusher with a medium to long handled Blusher Brush to get the best result.
Dab the brush on your favourite colour, tap off any excess, begin at the hair line at top of your ear and brush on an angle wriggling the brush in small circular motion towards the corner of your mouth but no further than the bottom of the nose, forming a sort of triangle, adding a soft blended colour to the cheekbone.
Step 4: Accent on Eyes
a/ Eye Shadow
There are many methods for applying eye shadow; this is my quick and easy version! Dust an ivory/beige coloured matt highlighter over entire eyelid up to brow bone with an eye shadow blending brush to remove any oiliness and create the right canvas for eye shadow.
Then apply a light to medium colour from lash line to your eye crease (contour line).
Using a blending brush apply a darker complimenting colour and blend it in a “c” shape from outer edge of lashes sweeping up and blending to just above contour line. You can also add a little bit of this colour under the bottom lashes using a cotton tip or fine angled brush.
Tip: My fav thing to do when I‘m in a hurry is to swipe my blusher brush across my eyelids after applying my Blusher, this immediately adds a dash of colour and opens up the eyes, then my mascara and Voila!
b/ Eye Liner
Draw a line on your upper lash line using feathery strokes and a quality eyeliner pencil (that doesn’t drag your eyelids) or a dampened fine angled liner brush with eye shadow. Widen the eyeliner at outer corner of the eye to add lift!
Apply a touch of the pencil colour across the lower lashes if desired (not on the waterline, as this is really only for the young, not so flattering as we get older, it can make eyes look smaller.
c/ Mascara
It's important to apply mascara from the base of your lashes, not just the tips, then sweep outward and upward creating a thicker lash look, make sure lashes are separated and not clumped together, use a lash comb to separate. Apply a 2nd coat of mascara if desired.
Tip: Maximum effect for short lashes - place the mascara wand close to the base of the lashes and hold it still.... blink 2 - 3 times into the wand this will coat short lashes right down to the root and then, what do you know, beautiful eyes!
Step 5: Perfect Pout
a/ Lipliner Pencil
To define your lips and avoid lipstick bleeding, use a lip liner pencil. A lip pencil is an invaluable tool for correcting irregularities and achieve the perfect lip shape.
To make sure lips are even, trace the outline of your lips, beginning with the “V” of the cupid's bow and move out towards the corners of your mouth with short, feathery strokes.
Use a neutral coloured lip pencil or a colour that matches your favourite lipstick.
Tip: Fill in your lips with lipliner to create a more matt effect.
b/ Lipstick
Apply your 'go to' Lipstick or choose something new this season. Choose a cream or semi sheer lipstick in a light to medium colour, or add a clear gloss over lips filled in with lipliner as this can make the lips look fuller.
Tip: Only use very dark colours on full lips as they have a tendency to make your lips appear smaller.
Choosing you lip colour - if you’ve been wearing neutrals since the nineties then try a sheer red, if you’ve worn red forever try a medium pink or peach colour. Be daring! The danger isn’t with the shade but a heavy texture. Anything that’s to severe can be ageing.
My Eyes Brows & Lips Classes and Find Your Fabulous Workshops are designed for the modern mature woman. Together we find the perfect face ‘look’ for you, whether that be natural, sporty, corporate or romantic. Using simple application methods, proven techniques and up-to-the-minute know how, you will walk away at the end of the session amazed at how easy it is to create natural day looks and special occasion makeup with minimal effort. One on One and Group (max 6) Sessions available.
Julie xo