In my Zoom makeup consultations, makeup classes, and presentations to women’s groups, I often ask women what their biggest makeup challenge is. As you might imagine, it ranges all over the board – from eye issues to downturned lips to how to apply makeup faster.

So today, I want to offer some tips that will help with many of the concerns you share with me. And some of these tips may surprise you. I hope you’ll find some helpful nuggets today that will make a positive difference in how your makeup looks.

Because how our makeup looks depends not only on our skin prep and the makeup products we use, but also on the techniques we use to apply it, where we apply it and the tools we use to apply it. In the accompanying video, I’ll demonstrate all 10 of these tips.

Tip #1: Start with the Lips!

Tip one is to apply a double coat of lip balm on our lips before we start our makeup routine so it will sink in while we do the rest of our makeup. Lip balm not only protects the lips but it also creates a smooth, soft surface so lipstick applies more easily and looks better. I love my Naked Bee lip balm in Coconut and Honey.

Tip #2: Think Multi-Tasking

The second tip is to consider investing in a multi-tasking product that saves time in your makeup routine. One I love is a product from the brand INNBeauty Project called a Face Glaze Skin Barrier Protect and Glow Moisturizer.

This is a unique gel cream product that’s infused with ceramides, squalene and hyaluronic acid to support the skin’s moisture barrier while also providing glow. It really transforms the look of our skin. Since it’s a hybrid product it can also act as a face primer or can be mixed with foundation.

Tip #3: The Eyes Have It!

Tip number three focuses on our eyes and how we can make our eyes look bigger by using a makeup placement technique that really makes a difference. For the first step you can take a Kleenex, paper towel or tape that isn’t terribly sticky. (You can reduce the stickiness by pulling the tape on and off the back of your hand several times.)

Then, look straight ahead into a mirror with your eyes relaxed and place the tissue or tape along the outer lower curve of your eye going up toward the temple. After putting a mid-tone eyeshadow on your brush and tapping it off, apply the shadow to the highest spot along your orbital bone in the middle of that eye.

And then – and here’s the important part – take that shadow straight across to the tissue or tape. Then fill in the lower lid and crease area with that color. This not only elongates the eye, but also lifts it. And, of course, you can always add a slightly darker shade on the outer area to create even more definition.

Be sure to check out Elise’s YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 50+. Don’t forget to subscribe!

Tip #4: Mix and Match

Our fourth tip involves foundation. I want to encourage you to mix your foundation with other products to get the look and finish you want. For instance, if you have very dry skin like I do, you may want to mix some moisturizer into your foundation. Or, if your foundation leans toward a matte look, you might want to mix in a small amount of highlighter to provide some extra glow.

Of course, it’s important to start by mixing in just a little and then adding more, if necessary, so your foundation look doesn’t go – in just a matter of minutes – to slick and oily rather than glowy! So don’t be afraid to mix face products together to get the look you want. And this also goes for other products.

For instance, if you usually wear a matte blush color, mix in just a bit of highlighter to create some extra glow on your cheekbones. Glow really translates to “radiant” which is a wonderful look for mature skin – especially dry mature skin.

Tip #5: Three Ways to Defy Gravity

Tip five actually involves three different highlighting tips that help lift our face. We want to take a slightly lighter highlight or concealer color than our skin tone and apply it going upwards (against gravity) in three areas: the inner and outer edge of the eye going up; the side of the nose going up and the upper side of the lower lip going up.

The slightly lighter color going in an upward direction draws the eyes of those looking at you upward. It’s subtle, but it does make a difference.

Tips #6: Be Careful with the Blush

To avoid applying too much blush, put some blush on the back of the hand, diffuse it with a brush and then apply the blush using the brush.

Tip #7: Keep That Blush in Place

Since blush so often seems to pull a disappearing act not long after it’s applied, tip number seven remedies this problem. After applying your blush, spray some setting spray onto a dampened makeup sponge and gently push the sponge into the blush. And make sure to push and not rub.

Then to really ensure longer lasting blush, you can repeat the process. If you prefer, you can use powder rather than setting spray, but for some of us, powder can be too drying on our skin which is why setting spray can often be a great choice.

Tip #8: A New Technique to Apply Powder

Instead of applying setting powder with a brush, put a little bit on a dampened sponge and press it onto the face. This application method helps avoid any cakiness since it’s actually adding more moisture into the skin.

Tip #9: Finishing Touch with Powder

The ninth tip involves another type of powder: finishing powder. And finishing powder does exactly what the name implies. It finishes off our makeup look by melding it all together and creating a soft—almost ethereal glow. My finishing powder of choice is Hourglasses’ Ambient Light Finishing Powder.

Tip #10: Tools are a Key

And our last tip involves some of our tools – our brushes. And yes, brushes do really make a difference in how easily our makeup applies and how good it looks.

The four brushes I have that absolutely make the biggest difference are my Sigma 25 brush for application of eyeshadow in the crease, my Sigma 4DHD brush for application of corrector and concealer under the eyes, my Sephora 56 brush for application of contour and blush and my Eve Pearl soft, dense brush #201 for foundation.

I can’t tell you how much easier these brushes make my makeup application. It’s absolutely worth it to spend a little extra money on a core group of brushes like these that are so helpful in improving the look of our makeup.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Was there a tip in this article that was most helpful to you? What makeup questions do you have that you’d like to have help with? What is your biggest makeup challenge?