Makeup for Mature Women: The Delicate Art of Combining Makeup and Sunscreen

What do we know about sunscreen, and how should we properly apply it in combination with other products? Join us in discussion with makeup professional Ariane Poole who has some great tips to share. Enjoy the show!

Margaret Manning:

My guest today is Ariane Poole. Ariane is a good friend of Sixty and Me. We’ve worked with her for many years on all things makeup. She is a professional makeup artist featured on QVC UK and on TVSN in Australia. She works with superstars all over the world, as well as with ordinary women like you and I. Welcome, Ariane.

Ariane Poole:

Hi there. Yes, I do love working with everyone. I think it’s really important.

Margaret:

We love you at Sixty and Me because you’re very straightforward with the products you use. You have your own product line, which is fabulous, but you don’t push it all the time. You always show us the options that other brands offer. Thank you for that.

Ariane:

Well, we don’t always buy from the same clothing store, and we don’t always buy the same hair products. We like to mix and match. I know that.

Margaret:

Exactly. So, thank you for providing us with a variety of options. The question we’d like to address today has to do with skin. We all know that beautiful skin means well-aging skin. We can’t do magic and reverse the aging process, so keeping our skin healthy with sunscreen, in my opinion, is very important.

But, I know a lot of women say, “Oh, it’s winter now. I don’t have to worry about that anymore.” Please share your opinion about sunscreen usage.

Ariane:

For starters, you still have to worry about it in the winter time. I’ve been guilty of the same thinking, but the UVA filters through the clouds and bad weather. What I also found out is that when we’re on our laptops and our computers, UV rays come at us, too.

Margaret:

Is that right? I didn’t know that.

Ariane:

Yes, and it freaked me out. We spend so much time on our devices, I’m now rethinking my sunscreen. So even though in winter time you won’t have the UVB effect as much, that is, you won’t get burned, the UVA still filters through and affects your skin.

I would suggest putting on a sunscreen as a barrier before you apply your foundation, even if your foundation or tinted moisturizer has a sunscreen in it. Choose one that will last throughout the day, because you won’t have time to reapply your entire makeup several more times.

Be sure to apply it particularly on your eyelids. I say that because I’ve got sun damage on my eyelids. I wear my sunglasses most of the time, but not when it’s cloudy. And if I don’t have any eye makeup on, the UVA damages my eyelids. So be sure to keep that in mind.

Margaret:

I recently started wearing sunscreen again, and I noticed that most sunscreens are kind of oily. So, how do you apply foundation on top of them?

Ariane:

Some of them are oily, others are not. You need to go around to test and feel which ones you like, particularly if you’re going to be wearing it under a foundation, because you don’t want to have that icky feeling on your face. There are also some powder sunscreens that you can check out.

Margaret:

Really? Tell us about that.

Ariane:

Yes, there are, for example the cruelty-free Brush On Block mineral sunscreen powder. It’s like a twist-up brush, and you use it after you’ve done your makeup.

Margaret:

What’s the SPF?

Ariane:

It’s a 30SPF. It was developed by a woman who had skin cancer, and her powder is like a setting powder. It’s not heavy and it doesn’t age you, which is really good.

Margaret:

It doesn’t stay on the wrinkles.

Ariane:

I was really impressed by it. If you’re someone who does wear a foundation, you have got bonus points there because foundations act as a barrier to the UVA light. They protect your skin because they cover it.

If you think back to the olden days when our moms used to wear Panstick and Pancake, most of them didn’t have any sun damage, unless they were sun worshippers. Sunscreens were unheard of around that time. I certainly did know about them when I was growing up.

Margaret:

I didn’t either.

Ariane:

We used to put baby oil on our faces, and that’s the worst thing ever. So foundation, even if it doesn’t have an SPF in it, by its coverage nature helps.

Margaret:

So, when you get up, the first thing you put on is your sunscreen. Then what comes next?

Ariane:

Next you apply your foundation or your tinted moisturizer. I use a sunscreen by The Body Shop. It’s a 50, and it’s really lightweight. My daughters use it as well, and they’re in their 20s. So it’s one of those products that isn’t age-specific. You can use it on your eyelids as well, just don’t go too close to your lashes.

Margaret:

So, the art of applying makeup and sunscreen is, number one, do use your sunscreen. Don’t put too much other stuff as it might make your skin slippery. In the end, just use a foundation. What about a BB cream, or would that be too oily?

Ariane:

A BB cream will be a bit heavier, though they do have a very high SPF of either a 30 or 50. If you are a BB cream wearer, you’re okay. You really have to think about your eye area though. Of course, you shouldn’t put foundation on your eyelids, so you might want to use something else, like a sunscreen.

Margaret:

Oh, we break all the rules in Sixty and Me, anyways. So, are there any other sunscreen facts that we need to be aware of?

Ariane:

Yes. One quick thing I wanted to mention has to do with wearing high SPF products during events with flash photography. If you’re going to a wedding or you’re having a party, be aware that sometimes flash photography will make your face go a whitish color because of the SPF that’s in your products.

So, you may want to tone it down if you know that you’re going to a party and your picture will be taken. Especially if it’s a winter time, night party occasion, you can skip those SPF products.

Margaret:

That’s a really good piece of advice for all women that are getting married in their 60s, or are attending an event where pictures would be taken.

Ariane:

Exactly. A lot of women get married in their 60s and beyond. I have a friend whose mother got married just recently, and she’s 80.

Margaret:

That’s really cool. You do a lot of wedding makeup, so you are an expert at this.

Ariane:

I am, but weddings aren’t the only place. If you’re going on a New Year’s champagne cruise, or any other event, the SPF in your products will make your skin appear pale. So don’t worry about sunscreen and SPF products at night.

Margaret:

Thank you about all your sunscreen revelations, Ariane. You always educate us and teach us new things. I really appreciate your time. Thank you so much.

What is your highest SPF product? When do you wear it? Do you wear sunscreen only in the summer months or all year round? Please join the conversation below.