The products that work with my skin now, the little tricks I’ve picked up, and the makeup routine I actually do on a normal morning.
Before we get into this, I feel like I should make something very clear:
I am not a makeup expert. At all.
I really have no idea what I'm doing.
I've never been particularly talented at makeup. I can't create a perfect wing. I don't know all the official rules. Half the time I'm probably putting something somewhere a makeup artist would tell me it absolutely does not belong.
But I've experimented. A lot.
I've tried products that looked terrible on me, techniques that sounded great but didn't work for my face, and more eyeliners than any one person reasonably needs to own.
And somewhere in all that trial and error, I've figured out a routine that works really well for me.
That's what this is.
Not a makeup tutorial. Not an expert telling you how you're supposed to do your makeup.
Just the products I actually use, the tricks I've picked up along the way, and the things that seem to work better for my skin now that I'm in my 40s.
Because makeup in my 40s has become a completely different exercise than it used to be.
My skin has changed. My eyes have changed shape. Fine lines have entered the chat. And somewhere along the way, the goal stopped being put on all the makeup and became make my skin look really good without looking like I tried too hard.
I’m not necessarily going for the no-makeup makeup look. I like makeup.
I just don't want to look like I'm wearing a layer of it.
And I definitely don't want my makeup settling into every line on my face and announcing its presence by lunchtime.
So this is what I've landed on—for now, anyway. The drugstore products I keep repurchasing, a couple of things I think are worth splurging on, and the slightly unconventional techniques that happen to work for me.
01 I Start With a Little Blur
Once my skincare has had a chance to settle in, I start with L'Oréal Age Perfect Blurring Face Primer.
But I don't put it all over my face.
I use a small amount just where I think I need a little extra smoothing—mainly around my laugh lines and lightly across my forehead.
I've found that more isn't necessarily better here. A little bit in the right places does what I need it to do without creating another heavy layer underneath my makeup.
I just smooth it on with my fingers.
Little Escape Pick — $
L'Oréal Age Perfect Blurring Face Primer
[Shop the Primer →] Find it Here
02 My Ride-or-Die Makeup Product
If you take one product away from this entire post, this is probably the one.
L'Oréal Lumi Glotion.
I use Fair underneath my everyday makeup, and I have repurchased this enough times that I think it officially qualifies as a long-term relationship.
It gives my skin that subtle glow that makes everything I put over it look a little better.
But I also keep Medium around.
In the summer—or on those days when I absolutely do not feel like putting on makeup—I'll wear the Medium Lumi Glotion by itself.
That's it.
It's enough to make me feel a little more confident and a little more put together without actually having to get put together.
And sometimes that's exactly what I need.
I apply this with my fingers too and just smooth it over my skin.
Little Escape Pick — $
L'Oréal True Match Lumi Glotion
[Shop Lumi Glotion →] Find it Here
03 The Eye Brightener I’m Using a Little Differently
This is a newer addition to my routine: Catrice Under Eye Brightener in Light Rose.
Technically, I suppose what I'm doing here could be considered a form of underpainting—although I'm pretty sure this isn't exactly the way you're supposed to use it.
But it works for me.
I use it before my foundation to brighten the areas that need a little help, especially underneath my eyes.
This is also where I switch from using my fingers to a damp beauty blender.
One thing I’ve learned about makeup at this age: I care much less about whether I'm following the official technique and much more about whether I like what I see in the mirror.
Little Escape Pick — $
Catrice Under Eye Brightener in Light Rose
[Shop the Eye Brightener →] Find it Here
04 My Everyday Foundation
Most days, I move on to L'Oréal True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum in Rosy Light.
This is my everyday foundation.
It's lightweight, looks natural on my skin, and I can build it a little in the areas where I want more coverage without making my entire face look heavy.
That's a big deal for me now.
I want to still see skin.
I apply this with my beauty blender, lightly pressing it into my skin instead of trying to create a completely flawless mask.
For an average workday, errands, lunch out or just regular life, this is the one I reach for.
Little Escape Pick — $
L'Oréal True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum
[Shop My Everyday Foundation →] Find it Here
05 The Foundation I Splurge On
There are days when I need more.
Conferences. Work events. Long days that turn into dinners. Anytime I know my makeup needs to look good at 8 p.m. even though I put it on at 7 a.m.
For those days, I splurged on Too Faced Born This Way Foundation in Snow.
And this is one of those splurges that has been worth it for me.
It wears beautifully throughout the day and into the night, photographs well and gives me a more polished, almost flawless finish without making my fine lines the main attraction.
I actually get compliments on my skin when I'm wearing it.
That's pretty much the highest compliment I can give a foundation.
Little Escape Upgrade — $$
Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
[Shop My Foundation Splurge →] Find it Here
06 I Barely Use Concealer Anymore
Since adding the Catrice brightener, I don't use much traditional concealer.
When I do, I use Essence concealer in Color 20.
And I mean a tiny amount.
I wipe most of the product off the applicator first. Then I use the smooth, thin side to pat just a little underneath the darkest part of my under-eye area.
I also add a tiny amount near the outer edge of my eye, angled upward.
The idea is to create a little visual lift rather than drawing a big triangle of concealer underneath my eye.
One tip that really changed the way I approach my under-eyes came from watching makeup artist Erica Taylor: rather than piling coverage onto a puffy or shadowed area, strategically placing a lighter tone around the darkness can help visually soften the shadow and make puffiness look less pronounced.
That has worked much better for me than trying to completely cover everything.
Little Escape Pick — $
Essence Concealer
[Shop the Concealer →] Find it Here
07 Contour—but Very, Very Lightly
Contour is another area where I've decided less is more.
I'm not trying to completely change the shape of my face.
I just want to accentuate my cheekbones a little and visually minimize my jowls.
I use the NYX Wonder Stick in Fair.
For my cheekbones, I make a sort of sideways V: a slightly thicker angled line underneath my cheekbone and then a line back toward my ear.
Then I blend.
For my jawline, I use just a little contour underneath each jowl and blend it right where I placed it rather than dragging the color all over my jaw.
This is another technique I picked up from watching Erica Taylor, whose makeup advice for women over 40 has given me quite a few ohhh, THAT makes sense moments.
Little Escape Pick — $
NYX Wonder Stick in Fair
[Shop the Contour Stick →] Find it Here
08 Cream Blush Has Become My Friend
You'll notice a theme throughout my makeup bag:
Not a lot of powder.
My skin simply seems to look better with cream products now.
My current blush is Revlon PhotoReady Insta-Blush in Berry Kiss, and I've noticed a real difference since I started applying it with a brush instead of my fingers.
I'm currently using the Lamora Flat Top Foundation Brush.
It lets me control where the blush goes and blend it without moving everything underneath it around.
Little Escape Pick — $
Revlon PhotoReady Insta-Blush in Berry Kiss
[Shop the Blush →] Find it Here
Little Escape Extra — $
Lamora Flat Top Foundation Brush
[Shop the Brush →] Find it Here
09 The Tiny Bit of Powder I Do Use
I haven't completely abandoned powder.
I just use very little of it.
Right now I'm using L'Oréal Infallible Blur-Fection Longwear Loose Setting Powder in Light Pink.
Instead of powdering my entire face, I take a larger blush brush and lightly dust a tiny amount onto the apples of my cheeks close to my nose and a little across my forehead.
If my chin is looking particularly shiny that day, it gets a little too.
That's about it.
I still want some glow coming through.
Little Escape Pick — $
L'Oréal Infallible Blur-Fection Longwear Loose Setting Powder in Light Pink
[Shop the Powder →] Find it Here
10 Eyeliner Is My Nemesis
Can we talk about how eyes apparently decide to change shape somewhere in your 40s?
One of mine seems more hooded.
The other has more of a bag.
It's annoying.
And eyeliner has consequently become the hardest part of my makeup routine.
I've tried so many eyeliners.
I've also accepted that I am simply never going to be the woman casually drawing on perfect liquid wings at 7 a.m. That ship has sailed. Actually, I'm not sure it ever arrived.
What works best for me right now is Maybelline Master Precise Skinny Gel Eyeliner.
I usually use Defining Black, although I like the brown too.
I mainly concentrate the liner toward the outer corners of my eyes rather than creating a heavy line across the entire lid.
Does it go perfectly every morning?
Absolutely not.
I inevitably smear something, make one side too thick, or wonder why my two eyes suddenly look like they belong to different people.
A Q-tip is an essential part of this process.
I use it to clean up the edges, remove excess liner and reshape things until both eyes have agreed to cooperate.
Little Escape Pick — $
Maybelline Master Precise Skinny Gel Eyeliner
[Shop the Eyeliner →] Find it Here
11 My Current Everyday Eyeshadow
I've really been liking the ColourPop Cloud 9 palette.
My everyday combination is very simple.
I use Perfect Day, a soft brownish shade, across my lid.
Then I use my finger to dab a little Pure Bliss, a sparkly shade, right in the center of my eyelid.
Finally, I add a little All Fluff to the inner corners of my eyes.
That last little bit helps me look more awake—which I appreciate even when I am decidedly not more awake.
Little Escape Pick — $
ColourPop Cloud 9 Palette
[Shop the Palette →] Find it Here
12 Setting Spray Comes Before Mascara for a Very Specific Reason
I set my makeup before I put on mascara.
Not because I learned this from a makeup artist.
Because I'm a morning sneezer.
I have put on beautiful fresh mascara and immediately sneezed hard enough to stamp wet mascara underneath both eyes more times than I care to admit.
It's ridiculous.
So now setting spray comes first.
I use Milani Make It Last Dewy Setting Spray because, again, I'm trying to keep that fresh skin finish rather than mattifying everything I've just spent all this time making glowy.
Little Escape Pick — $
Milani Make It Last Dewy Setting Spray
[Shop the Setting Spray →] Find it Here
13 And Finally, Mascara
My current favorite is Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara in Blackest Black.
I love this one because it lifts and separates my lashes without getting thick and goopy.
I want lashes.
I don't necessarily want everyone to see my mascara.
I'm also a longtime fan of L'Oréal Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black. It gives beautiful length, but I find the formula a little wetter than the Maybelline.
And considering the aforementioned sneezing problem, you can probably see why Sky High has been winning lately.
Little Escape Pick — $
Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara
[Shop My Current Favorite →] Find it Here
Little Escape Extra — $
L'Oréal Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black
[Shop My Other Favorite →] Find it Here
14 Two Very Unexciting Things That Have Made a Big Difference
Neither of these is glamorous.
I recommend both.
The first is a small beauty blender stand.
Instead of leaving my damp sponge sitting on the bathroom counter, the stand lets air circulate around it so it can actually dry. It's such a tiny thing, but I feel like my sponges stay nicer longer.
The second is e.l.f. Clean Queen Brush & Sponge Cleaner.
If I'm spending money on decent brushes and beauty blenders, I'd rather take care of them than constantly replace them.
These are the kinds of boring little purchases that end up being surprisingly useful.
Little Escape Extra — $
Beauty Blender Drying Stand
[Shop the Sponge Stand →] Find it Here
Little Escape Extra — $
e.l.f. Clean Queen Brush & Sponge Cleaner
[Shop the Cleaner →] Find it Here
A few honorable mentions. For exfoliation on the go, I always grab First Aid Beauty Brighten and Glow pads. Find it Here
I am a lazy about lip color, but I am fan of Nature Republic Honey Melting Lip. Find it Here
Another of my go to lip choices is Maybelline Super Stay Ink Crayon, it really stays put. Find it Here
My eyeshadow splurge, Urban Decay Nakeds in 6 Rosey Pink Neutrals. Find it Here
Last, I end every makeup day with my Makeup Eraser. Find it Here
What I've Learned About Makeup in My 40s
The biggest change in my makeup routine hasn't actually been a product.
It's been realizing that I don't have to do makeup the way I did ten—or twenty—years ago.
My skin is different.
My face is different.
My eyes are apparently determined to each age according to their own individual plan.
So I've changed things.
I use more cream and liquid products and much less powder. I don't automatically cover my entire face with primer. I don't pile concealer underneath my eyes. I contour strategically instead of dramatically. And I'm perfectly happy using my fingers for half of my routine if that's what works.
I'm also not trying to use makeup to make myself look 25.
I want to look like me—just a little brighter, a little more polished and maybe like I got considerably more sleep than I actually did.
And on the days when even that feels like too much?
Medium Lumi Glotion.
Done.
Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. I only share products I actually use or genuinely recommend.
Where should we escape to next?
More real-life beauty, style and little luxuries are waiting in The Little Edit.
