Makeup for Mature Women: Look Cool in the Summer Heat

We all know makeup doesn’t really go with humid weather. Or does it? Celebrity makeup artist Ariane Poole is here to show us some great products for the summer heat. Enjoy the show!

Margaret Manning:

My guest today is makeup artist Ariane Poole. Ariane is a professional who’s been working with celebrities and royalty for many years.

She became a friend of Sixty and Me about five years ago, and she’s been helping us learn new makeup techniques that help us deal with some of the challenges that come with being a 60-year-old woman. She also brings our awareness to new products that are great for aged skin. Hi, Ariane. It’s nice to see you again.

Ariane Poole:

It’s wonderful to be here with you. I am now well and truly in my 60s, and I have both the personal and professional understanding about the many challenges women in our age group face. So, I’m here to share the solutions I’ve found that work.

Margaret:

That’s great because today is a hot day in Europe and you and I are both glowing from the heat. So, the topic I and the women in our community are interested in has to do with applying makeup in the summer. What tips and techniques do you have for us?

Ariane:

Some people would say, “Why would you wear makeup in the summer?” Actually, many women feel the need to wear makeup. I, for instance, have very high coloring and blotchy skin, so I feel like I do need to cover that up.

I’m not saying that everyone needs to wear makeup, but if you want to wear makeup during the summer months, the technique I’m going to share with you is the one I use for summer weddings. And it works every time.

Margaret:

That’s wonderful, thank you.

Ariane:

You’re probably going to think I’ve gone nuts, but the first thing you want to do is put the moisturizer aside. In the summer, most of us want to use a sunscreen for skin protection but adding too many layers makes your skin feel like it’s suffocating. So, choose either the moisturizer or the sunscreen, never both.

If you’re going to be outside in the sun a lot, opt for the sunscreen. There are some really great lightweight ones around. The Body Shop, for instance, has a great one that I adore. It’s like water but it goes on really nicely.

Another option is foundation. Even though most of us avoid using foundation in the summer, there are two companies that have launched great lightweight foundations that I use on my clients in the summer. One is a double wear by Estee Lauder. It’s called Water Fresh, and it’s high in water content.

Margaret:

What’s the SPF?

Ariane:

It says here, SPF-30.

Margaret:

So, you could wear it just by itself.

Ariane:

Yes. It’s very lightweight and pigment rich, and covers beautifully. Most importantly, it’s comfortable on the face.

The other company with a similar product is Bobbi Brown, and they carry a wide range of skin tones. This one is called Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation, and it’s got a similar kind of lightweight feel. The SPF here is 15, a little lower than the Double Wear. These are my two choices for foundation.

Margaret:

Why would you choose those two? What makes them different from all the other options out there?

Ariane:

It’s a combination of reasons. One, they’re lightweight and don’t feel heavy on your skin, which is very important in the summer months. It’s important in winter too, but more so in the summer. Also, they’re pigment-rich, which provides great coverage, and they’re long lasting.

Margaret:

That’s really great.

Ariane:

Yes, they tick all the boxes. I also use my Ultimate Face Tint, and I always use a primer underneath.

This goes for all women who have their favorite, perfect-tone, perfect-weight foundation which, though, may not be quite up to hot, humid weather wearability. And the perfect primer to use in such cases is the Matte Perfecting Primer by Estee Lauder which comes as a white cream.

Margaret:

Would you mix it with your foundation?

Ariane:

You certainly can, or you can put it on first. But don’t put moisturizer on as well. That’s a no-no. Once I’m done applying my Ultimate Face Tint, which has an SPF 20, I like to use a higher SPF product for better protection.

Lately, I’ve been using Peter Thomas Roth’s Instant Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF-45 sunscreen which comes in a brush. It’s actually a powder that you apply over your foundation.

Margaret:

Great! I’ve never heard of it.

Ariane:

It both serves as a powder that takes away that glow we get in the summer, and it’s a sunscreen. It’s fabulous, has not tint and is good on all skin tones.

Margaret:

That’s a really nice idea because you’ve got the two things that you really need. You’ve got a little bit of color, and you also got sun protection. That’s the perfect combination.

Ariane:

Also, the sunscreen powder goes over the top of your foundation, so if you need to reapply it during the day, you can. It’s easily transportable, and it doesn’t go all over your handbag. Just perfect.

Let’s move on to eye makeup because that’s also tricky. I love using my eyes shines. They are long-lasting, and they don’t crease. But not everybody wants to have an Ariane Poole eye shine, and that’s fine.

For this demonstration, I’ve applied my Mineral Illuminating Pen to get rid of the redness and pigmentation of my eyelids. Next, I’m going to reach for an Estee Lauder powder stick. I can use it as an eyeliner, or I can apply it on the eyelid and smudge it over.

Margaret:

This got me thinking about my friend Sherry who lives in Bali. When I went to visit her, she told me, “I don’t worry so much about foundation. I focus on my eyes.” And she does, because it is super hot and humid there. So, she can completely neglect foundation, but she really makes her eyes pop.

Ariane:

Yes, exactly. And the powder pencils are really nice. They’re very soft and come in a great variety of colors. This one is charcoal, but they do a great brownie color, violet, taupee, and I know you’ll like the teal.

Margaret:

I do like teal. But would you use that even in hot weather?

Ariane:

You could use it all year round. You can use it as eyeliner to lift the eyes, or you can use it as a shadow. It’s really nice. The other thing I also like are the Bobbi Brown sticks.

Margaret:

So, basically, you’re using products that are not liquid. I guess you don’t use your eye shadows because they’re liquid, right?

Ariane:

No, actually, my eye shines work really great. They have a 12-hour crease resistance and last even in hot weather, that’s why I reach for them all the time. But I want to show you products that aren’t mine, so you have options to choose from. Also, you could use one of the sticks with my eye shines.

So, the Bobbi Brown stick is really great and long-lasting.

Margaret:

Oh, wow. The color is wonderful.

Ariane:

It looks really nice, and you can use it as a liner or a shadow. These are the three products that I would work with in the hot and humid summer air: my eye shines, the Estee Lauder pencil and the Bobbi Brown stick. They’re long-lasting and crease-resistant and go the distance for day-long events like weddings.

Margaret:

What’s the name of the Bobbi Brown product?

Ariane:

It’s called Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick. It comes in loads of colors, and I really love it.

Finally, here is my eye shine. The one I use for myself is the crystal taupe, but there is a color variety you can choose from. I’ll pop that on my lid, and even though it is a liquid, it doesn’t crease.

You can also use my eye shines with the Bobbi Brown stick or the Estee Lauder pencil to create a fabulous day-to-evening look.

Margaret:

I greatly respect the fact that you always mention other people’s products. But, when I count my seven items that I take everywhere with me, your Crystal Taupe is among them.

I’ve got it on today, though I’ve actually put something over the top of it – an L-O-V product. But the Crystal Taupe is a great base that you can also use on its own. It’s just the best product ever.

Ariane:

Thank you, I love it too. It’s really good because you can use it as a base, or as an eye shadow or eye primer. And, when you put something over the top of it, like you have, it gives a completely different dimension.

The final thing I want to show you is something for lips. It’s a Bobbi Brown stick you can use as a liner or a lipstick. It’s like an all-in-one product. The hue I’m using is called Sunset Orange.

Margaret:

The color is really pretty.

Ariane:

The texture is neither dry nor too creamy, and it stays put. Like I said, you can use it as a pencil or a lipstick. It comes with a sharpener and in lots of different colors. If you don’t want it to look too bold and bright, you can blot it with a paper towel and put a little bit of gloss over the top, just to soften it down.

Margaret:

What gloss are you using, Ariane? I noticed it earlier and I really liked it.

Ariane:

This is my new one, but it isn’t out yet.

Margaret:

I really love it. It’s got a subtle glow and looks very pretty on you.

Ariane:

It will be coming out soon, and I’ll let you know when it does.

Margaret:

I and the community will certainly appreciate it.

Ariane:

Those are my go-to products for the summer months, and I always use a waterproof mascara as well. This keeps it quite simple and avoids the makeup meltdown at the same time.

Margaret:

You didn’t mention any blush.

Ariane:

I would use either a powder blush or a cream blush. Or, I would use a little bit of the lipstick on my fingers and smudge it on my cheeks as a blush.

Margaret:

I do it too.

Ariane:

And it complements your color tone.

Margaret:

It’s lovely. I’m glad I asked.

Ariane:

You don’t want to apply it straight to your face though because you’d look like a clown. Just put a little bit on your finger, and then use that to apply to your cheeks.

Margaret:

Very pretty. That’s exactly how I do it too.

Ariane:

And that saves you space, because you don’t have to carry too many products with you. Keep it simple and compact, and always have a few key products you can use in whatever weather.

Margaret:

That has been a really good demonstration. I am very inspired, because I do get concerned about summer makeup. For example, I use my favorite lipstick, my Giorgio Armani pink, and then I apply my Marc Jacobs gloss, but it smudges in the heat, and I rather it wouldn’t.

Ariane:

You can apply the lip gloss in the center of your lips. That helps with the smudging.

Margaret:

It’s great advice, and it could be modified and used all year round. It’s not something just for the hot months. I really appreciate you going through that, Ariane.

Ariane:

It’s like you said, you can adapt this makeup to the weather you live in. Some of the women in your community may live in a location that is humid all year round, or not. I know that there are parts of Australia where their idea of a freezing day is 20 degrees.

Margaret:

And they get their sweaters out, I know.

Ariane:

Exactly. So, maybe people out there are living in a place with high humidity. My mother lives part-time in Hong Kong, and the humidity there is high. Some of the methods and product were developed for her. She’s going to be 80 this year.

Margaret:

That’s awesome. Your amazing products can be found at ArianePoole.com, where new stuff pops up all the time. This has been super helpful, as always. Thank you, Ariane. We’ll see you again soon.

What techniques have you adopted that work for the hot summer months? Are there any products you have found that work very well and last long in humid weather? Please share what you know, and also post your questions below.