THE BEST MAKEUP ROUTINE FOR MENOPAUSE
The menopause can be a challenging time for women, with many lacking confidence and feeling invisible, unattractive and undervalued. Looking good on the outside can give us the confidence boost we need to feel good on the inside, and makeup is a great tool to create a look that can give us this sense of confidence. However, as with ageing, the menopause brings with it certain changes to our skin, so here are some great tips I have learned along to way to help tackle the common skin problems associated with this stage of life.
Mature and post-menopausal skin tends to be drier as it becomes less able to absorb moisture. Adding a primer after you’ve moisturised will even the texture of your skin, helping to smooth fine lines and enlarged pores, while also locking in moisture.
Makeup sticks to the primers we use making it longer lasting, so this is something I recommend as part of a makeup routine for mature skins. Our Youth Lift Glow-plexion is amazing, giving a natural radiance and boost to your skin, as well as containing the moisture magnet Hyaluronic Acid and a binding agent to keep your makeup long lasting. You can use this under your makeup, but it can also be mixed with foundation or a tinted moisturiser, used on top of your makeup as a highlighter or mixed with body lotion for an all over glow.
A common side effect of the menopause is hot flushes so this is where waterproof makeup is your friend! The formulas for waterproof makeup are far more sophisticated now and give us foundation, mascara and eye liners that will stay in place all day. Bobbi Brown’s Skin Long Wear Weightless Foundation not only contains SPF 15, it also has great lasting power. I designed our Liquid Foil I-Radiance and double ended I-Lift Longwear Liner to be smudge, draft and tear proof.
Alternatively, a good setting spray can help to keep your makeup in place, and blotting papers, such as Shiseido Oil Control Blotting Papers are easy to keep in your bag to freshen up on the go. Avoid powders like blushers on mature skin as they can dehydrate your complexion, and pigmented powders can collect in your natural creases.
A liquid blush is a better option as it doesn’t sit on the skin and can be easily blended and buffed for a smooth finish. Our bestselling Plumping blush Glow-plexion is your ultimate wake-up makeup – an ultra-light, universally flattering skin pick-me-up and rouge, containing peach-gold tones for instant skin brightening and lit-from-within radiance.
Switching to a lipstain or liquid lipstick can also prolong your look. I recommend Laura Mercier’s Velour. It doesn’t dry out your lips and gives great colour coverage. A good lip liner is also key as our lips become thinner and begin to lose their fullness with age. Our double ended Age Reverse Perfecting Lipliner mimics the colour of your lips to look ultra natural and with a ‘halo’ nude tone to highlight, lift and plump.
Rosacea can be triggered by the menopause. A light wash of a green colour corrector applied to your face before your base and foundation can go a long way to tone down any redness on your skin. Our Age Defy Skin Perfector palette includes a feather-light formula green colour concealer packed with antioxidant-rich, strengthening and firming actives.I recommend applying any makeup using brushes so that you don’t transfer oil from your fingers to your face and it can help to keep your temperature down, especially if you are having a hot flush.
Lastly, I recommend a cooling spray to keep in your bag. Not only can they refresh your skin to keep it hydrated, they can be applied over makeup on the go. I love Meg’s Menopause Rosey Rain Facial Cooling Spray.
Experiencing the menopause doesn’t mean you have to stop doing the things you love – it’s about finding the right things that work for you to help bring your shining confidence back.