Women over 60 today are not confined to polyester pants and orthopedic shoes so why should we settle for anything less than the freshest look for our makeup? Style specialist and author Penelope Whiteley has some creative tips for women over 60 looking to liven up their makeup routine while embracing their crowns of grey. Enjoy the conversation!

Penelope Whiteley is the self-proclaimed Queen of Ageing Disgracefully and she offers no apologies for that. To her, “aging gracefully” brought images of matronly piano teachers wearing box pleated skirts and sensible shoes. So, by “aging disgracefully” Penelope embraces the idea of being her own unique self, full of color and style, keeping with the hottest and freshest looks.

She goes on to explain that women over 60 have spent a lifetime trying to live up to everyone’s expectations and that we’ve earned the right to simply be ourselves. It’s the perfect time to break a few rules and break free from the stereotypes of women our age.

Soften Up

Wrinkles, fine lines, and sun spots make their way into our skin over the years but there’s no need to panic. Softening our appearance is the best way to embrace who we are and make the most of our attributes. Grey hair does this for us naturally so finding the right makeup to complete the look is very important.

Using the “less is more” principle, makeup should be applied lightly, making you feel brighter and more glowing. To achieve this, choose a light foundation (matched to your décolletage, not your hand) instead of a powder. Powder often settles into our fine lines and creases, creating a harsher look. A good moisturizer applied daily will keep the skin soft and supple, creating a perfect foundation for a softer look.

The Eyes Have It

A time-honored fashion rule of the thumb is to concentrate either on the lips or on the eyes. As women age, it’s important to draw attention to the upper half of our faces, so accentuating the eyes is crucial. Women with grey hair should look for a good eyebrow pencil in a grey, charcoal, golden-brown, or even a blond shade. Black should be avoided.

Eye shadow shades should be soft and subtle. Whether you choose a neutral color for the eye lids or you add something with a little sparkle, your eyes will brighten your look and give you a fresh glow.

Getting Cheek-y

Women over 60 often notice that their skin tone is much paler than it used to be. Grey hair only adds to our fair complexion, so a good blusher is a necessity. Blusher should be used on the apples of our cheeks to give us a bright and healthy look, not to shape or contour our face.

Blushers in the peach tone family tend to compliment grey hair or salt and pepper hair much more than blushers in the pink family. Again, the goal should be to create a fresh, soft, glowing look that projects your best attributes and camouflages your imperfections.

Have you changed your makeup routine since going grey? Do you have a favorite product that compliments your grey tresses? Please join in the conversation below!