80’s Makeover

I learned my best makeup tricks in the 80’s. I hid my green-and-pink Maybelline mascara in a pillow because I didn’t want my parents to know I was wearing makeup … funny how thinking back on that decision, I may have missed a glaring detail. Either way, Mom never said anything about it, so I guess she was OK with it. I also taught myself how to use the varying shades of a sunset eyeshadow palette on my eyes – not horizontally like we do today where it all blends and looks natural, but vertically with the darkest shade at the inner corner and all the colors going from eyelashes to eyebrow. It’s a wonder my teachers could concentrate with the hypnotizing display I must have had on those eyes. 

Somehow I survived all those experimentations and truth be told, I probably wore two times more makeup in the 8th grade than I do now. Back then, more was more and I loved it. As I grew up though, I learned how to cover a zit, accentuate my blue eyes and match my lip color. I was on a nice roll until recently when I had an important event. I had the perfect dress and arranged for a blowout. But I felt confident I could do my own makeup. I consulted with my daughters who frequently (obsessively) watch makeup tutorials on YouTube. They advised me to go with golds and warm tones. Oh yes, I thought, sunset eyeshadow palette, here we go again. They pulled out their makeup palettes and pointed to shades that could work. They told me I should contour my cheeks and highlight and bronze. I tried. I felt a little glittery, but it would have to do, I was running late. 

When I came home that night, I checked my makeup and realized the undereye makeup had settled into my wrinkles. My lipstick had feathered into the fine lines around my mouth. My eyes were bloodshot and only the contouring was left on my cheeks. I resembled some version of Mrs. Frankenstein. My face was no longer a young, plump 20-something, and I realized I needed some techniques that were fine-tuned to my 52-year-old self.  

I called on my new friend, Lesley Downey, one of the makeup artists at Woo Skincare + Cosmetics on Selwyn. She is around my age, so I felt confident that she could help me, (and now you) with the best tips and tricks for skincare and makeup application for women over 50. Additionally, as the mom of older daughters, she offered some universal advice on what they should be doing now to prevent those fine line issues I now have. Woo is a locally owned store whose “Golden Rule” is that every customer leaves happy. There’s a flagship store in Nashville and also two locations in Atlanta. 

Lesley’s first recommendation is that everyone’s (from my teenage girls to my 80-something mother) skincare routine should include these three proven products: 

1. Vitamin C serum 
2. Retinol (prescription-level)
3. Sunscreen (¼ tsp. on your face, full shot glass on your body)

Thousands of studies have shown these all help to reduce those telltale signs of aging, like fine lines, darkness, redness and sun damage. At curology.com, you can have a virtual visit with a doctor and get a prescription-level retinol cream. They also provide a custom skincare routine after you take a detailed quiz. I’m intrigued and will follow back up with you on this. 

We then moved on to my problem area – the eyes. I feel like I’ve tried lots of different concealers, but they inevitably settle into the wrinkles under my eyes. Obviously Botox helps, but not where I need it. Lesley stressed the importance of moisturizer. We need to put it on before our concealer to plump up the area and fill in the lines a bit. Next, we discussed how dark I have become around the lower inside corner of my eyes, making me look tired all the time. Lesley suggested using Instant Eye Lift by Trish McEvoy. She barely dabbed three dots around the area and up almost by my nose. Apparently most (all) of us use too much product and that can lead to the settling of it in the creases. Lightly tapping it in with her ring finger and the tip of a brush, I could see some improvement. Lesley then introduced me to a concealer by Chantecaille, Le Camouflage Stylo (anti-fatigue corrector pen). Again, she used a few light dots around the middle to outer edge of my under eye. She even dabbed with a brush up under my lower lashes … very lightly, reminding me no heavy hands around the eyes ever. There are a lot of different concealers and eye brighteners out there, so just ask for help at the makeup counters to ensure the right color match!

When it came time to apply eye makeup, we needed to consider eye shape, color and whether the eye had become “hooded.” Mine has not, but I have several friends who have the hooding. It’s when the skin between the brow and the eye has loosened and drapes down a bit, in some cases over the eye a bit. When this is the case, Lesley suggests skipping a lot of eye shadow color on the lid. Keep it light/natural in color since it can barely be seen anyway. Focus on what you can see and line the eyes with a pencil up under the upper lashes – trying to stay off the pink part of your eye but hitting right in the lashes. It’s called a tightline and Trish McEvoy, Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier are all known for it. Their makeup artists can teach you the technique. If you have oily lids, a liquid eye base or primer is great to help combat the creasing of shadow as the day/evening progresses. 

I never curl my eyelashes but my daughters both do. They and now Lesley, swear that it opens up the eye. Especially for those whose lashes grow out rather than up. No complicated curlers are needed. I swear I think she pulled out the lash curler that I bought at Revco or Eckerds all those years ago in middle school. When it came to my eyebrows, again, I left them alone but she showed me the trick of brushing them down to look for the thin areas. We all have them, especially past “over-pluckers.”  Use a brow pencil (she used a Chantecaille one) to fill in the holes and lightly touch up all around. Then she brushed them back into place and I swear that Chantecaille pencil left a nice little shine that I liked. “Brows are sisters, not twins,” according to Lesley, so do your best that they “go” and don’t stress if they don’t match perfectly.  

Finally came blush and lip color. Cream blushes are the way to go these days. They go on easier and aren’t drying or cakey. It’s the perfect anti-aging trick in your makeup bag! You can add a touch of color wherever you want. Although Lesley recommends that we dab it along the cheekbone, not just the apples in our cheeks. Angling it up draws the eye up and toward our eyes. They can also be used as lip color and topped with a great moisturizing lip balm from Sara Happ, Summer Fridays or Revision. The cream blush that Lesley (and now I) love is by Westman Atlier. I asked about bronzers and highlighters before we wrapped up. Yes, and yes were her answers but sparingly. More is just more and can be aging. If you highlight your cheeks, steer clear of glittery eyeshadows and vice versa. If using bronzer, hit your Adam’s apple area (which tends to stay lighter) and your jaw line. You can even use it as your accent eye shadow when in a pinch. 

I left Lesley feeling empowered. I also realized that my girls had great tips, and I can still use their ideas on my much older face. I just need to go lighter, using a softer hand (ring finger or brush). Just because we are older doesn’t mean we can’t still wear the fun colors … OK maybe not the sunset palette vertically. We just need to accentuate what is working for us (cheeks and eyelashes) and ignore the parts that aren’t (hooded eyes).

Oh By the Way, here are some of Lesley’s recommendations. I encourage you to go to Woo Skincare + Cosmetics or your favorite makeup spot and talk to the people who work there. Ask questions, get them to help you color match and by all means, channel your inner 80’s teen and enjoy your new sunset.