Makeup for Older Women: My 4-Minute Routine, Plus My Top 10 Products

Sometimes mature women don’t really know how to use their makeup in a way that flatters their age. In this demonstration, Margaret explains exactly what she does in her everyday makeup routine. Enjoy the show and scroll down for the list of products!

Hi, everyone. I’m Margaret Manning, your host at Sixty and Me. A few days ago, I did my first Facebook live session. It was such fun, and we had a lot of questions come in from women asking about the makeup I use and how I apply it.

To me, makeup is fun. I like experimenting with different products and just playing with them. I don’t wear heavy makeup, but I do like to use it to give me a bit of a glow and sparkle. So, today I’m going to do a demonstration. I have 10 items that I’m going to apply, and hopefully, give you some inspiration.

First of all, let me say that the only thing I have on my skin right now is facial oil. I use it every day, so it has become like a ritual. The one I used today is rosehip oil, but there are all kinds of beautiful facial oils out there. That goes on first.

Don’t be afraid that a facial oil will make your skin oily. It really doesn’t. Apply it first, then leave it on for a few minutes to settle.

Next, I put on foundation. I use Ariane Poole’s because I love it. I take a very small amount, rub it in my fingers, then apply it all over my face, including my eyelids. If I have a mark somewhere, I’d pay more attention to it, and that’s it.

Then I use a cream blush. Mine is “Orgasm” by NARS. It’s a really pretty color that I apply on the apples of my cheeks, as per Ariane’s advice. I just rub it in, and it gives me a lovely glow.

For my eyes, I use Ariane’s taupe eye shine. It’s a cream-to-matte texture which goes really smoothly. I put it on my hand then dab it to apply over my lids. I don’t use a brush because it’s much easier to apply it using my fingertips.

Eyebrows are next, and they’re important to me because mine are very thin. I use a pencil because I find it easy to apply. I try to be very light-handed and just fill in the gaps because dark eyebrows don’t look all that great on somebody who’s got very bright blonde hair. Sometimes I’ll use an eye liner, gray or blue, but it’s a little tricky to apply.

My lip liner goes next. As per Ariane’s advice, I go a little over my lip line then fill in all my lips. Then, I follow with my very favorite, Giorgio Armani lipstick. It’s a peachy color which actually turns pink on me. After that, I put on a brighter pink lipstick, and when the two lipsticks mix together, the new color looks really nice.

For mascara, I have used many different kinds, but I like this one by the Italian brand Kiko. It has a big brush and it’s easy to apply. I do it while I look down, which is Ariane’s technique. Some people advise to apply mascara 20 times, but I never do that many. I just do enough to make my eyes look sparkly.

The final thing is my highlighter by Touche Eclat. I put a little bit above my eyes and blend it in really well. Then, I also apply it under my eyes to brighten the area a bit.

Basically, that’s my makeup routine, though sometimes I’ll put a little bit of lip gloss at the center of my lips because I like the feeling of it. So, it took me about four minutes to do my makeup and I feel really good in it.

If you’ve got any questions, suggestions, or thoughts about quick makeup application, leave me a comment in the section below. And here’s the product list for your convenience:

Facial Oil: I used Rose Hip Oil by Renew although there are a number of great facial oils.

Face: Ultimate Face Tint Foundation in Medium by Ariane Poole

Cheeks: Cream Blush in Orgasm by Nars

Eyes: Crystal Taupe Eye shine by Ariane Poole

Eyebrows: Blondy Brow eye brow pencil by Manhattan

Lips: Rose Liner 302 by Kiko

Lips: Lipstick by Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy 507

Mascara: Endless Sky Volume Effect Mascara Kiko

Highlighter: Touche Éclat #1 by Yves St Laurent

Lip Gloss: Lip Smoother Cake Pop by Catrice

How long does it take you to apply your everyday makeup? Do you have a routine you follow? How many products do you use? Please share in the comments below!