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If I could erase all the edicts that tell women what they should and should not do based on their age and decorum, I would. If something makes you happy, then let yourself go.
However, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I encouraged you to embark on makeup methods that make you look worse, out of touch, or older than you really are.
And using the products and techniques we appreciated in the 1970s, 1980s, and even our teens can make us seem like extras in a historical drama rather than the active, culturally relevant individuals we are.
Fashions change, technology advances, and faces evolve, which means that that clever little trick you perfected in 1994 now not only looks dated, but you’ve lost your way.
These are the things to avoid.
Hannah Betts: Young women always tell me they “love” my makeup and I take that as the biggest compliment. It does not mean that it is “a lamb dressed as a lamb”: banish this notion!
The mask
The most obvious interpretation of the mask was the stewardess’s in-flight makeup: an overly bold face in which all features received equal emphasis. Some women now invent a severe equivalent with cartoon outlines and blocky neutrals. Whether one is 19 or 90, a mask will make one look years (possibly decades) older and strangely inhuman.
How to break the habit? Start by taking something away from it, at least for a while. Put your eyeliner in a drawer and simply opt for mascara, or ditch the mascara and apply a brown eyeliner to the roots of your lashes. Swap lipstick for balm. Dilute your foundation with moisturizer and stay away from bronzer.
Invest in nuanced tools. ELF Professional Set of 12 Makeup Brushes (£14.50, elfcosmetics.co.uk) is a good place to start by determining what you will and won’t use. I would add a Charlotte Tilbury eyeliner brush (£22, charlottetilbury.com) to blend kohl; a Jones Road Blush Brush (£34, jonesroadbeauty.com) for blush; plus a Morphe M101 Lightform double-ended foundation brush (£16, boots.com). And work with subtlety, not with the proverbial trowel.
tired texture
We’re often advised to avoid shine with age, but it’s a flat, overly matte look that can build up over the years; a touch of transparency that looks incredibly youthful.
Run towards it!
Competition to get your hands on the Beauty Egg (£50 for subscribers; £60 for non-subscribers, lookfantastic.com) is intense.
Its contents are valued at over £206, including a Medik8 Retinal Ceramide eye cream and a Philip Kingsley Elasti-Styler 5-in-1 hair treatment).
If you’re going to spend money on something, make it your base. The best ones not only simulate a luminous complexion, but also provide skin care benefits. Names to try include Glossier, Shiseido, Charlotte Tilbury and Pat McGrath.
Apply it while your SPF is still slipping on a little, apply a layer sparingly and stop while the skin still looks like skin. Add dimension with the highlighter of your choice. Then set with a tiny dusting of Revolution Y2K Cherry Bake Loose Powder & Puff Highlighter (£5.99, superdrug.com).
horror eyebrows
I know thin eyebrows have made a comeback in high fashion circles, and I still say don’t do it. Eyebrows diminish with age anyway, meaning we can look medievally bald by the time we reach our 30s.
Line gaps with Ilia In-full Micro Tip Brow Pencil, Shiny Hair Look (£24, iliabeauty.com), then build up and add volume with Glossier Boy Brow (£20, glossier.com).
a right eye
It’s so easy to make mistakes with our eyes (outdated shadows, mascara that’s too heavy), which is why I’m a big fan of YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok phenomenon Erica Taylor. The New York-based makeup artist, who is in her 40s, has become known for demonstrating old-fashioned aging techniques versus shiny new-broom techniques.
In particular, I recommend her to demonstrate how an 80s look with a lot of black lines makes the entire face sink, while her 2024 ‘sunrise’ version only rises. I adore her, so I’m thrilled she made an exclusive video for readers of my column!
A too confident face
Erica and I also agree that “confident face” can be classic and boring – we should all experiment, modernize, and bring joy.
Open your eyes and your mind. Get a makeover from Jones Road, Space NK and/or MAC; scrubs Superdrug for ELF shine; and hit Kiko for breaking the pigment. Check out TikTok and introduce yourself to Gen Z’s viral brands and trends.
Young women always tell me they “love” my makeup and I take that as the biggest compliment. It doesn’t mean it’s “a lamb dressed as a lamb.” Banish this anachronistic notion once and for all. It means I hit them as if they were alive. And this, more than anything, is the goal.
Cosmetic craving
Such are the dangers of the cost of living crisis that every week I am amazed to see how much prices have risen since I last wrote about a product.
Not so with my trusty Philips epilator: Satinelle Essential BRE225 (£31.63, amazon.co.uk).
In 2017, when I bought my last model, it cost around £30, with around £30 left – less than the cost of a single waxing session at my local salon over over seven years of hair removal.
It’s easy, painless (just shave beforehand the first time, keep your hair short and tighten the skin), can be used everywhere (I include armpits and bikini area), while the new growth is soft and subtle. It must have saved me thousands of pounds over the years.
My icon of the week…
Penelope Cruz
The star celebrates her upcoming 50th birthday by wearing a PVC Mugler corset on the cover of Elle. She loves Lancôme Hydra Zen Anti-Stress Moisturizing Cream-Gel (£47), “perfect for when your skin needs extra hydration” and Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara (£29). She has worn Lancôme Trésor fragrance since her teens (from £67, lancome.co.uk).