I refuse to call makeup “beauty.” Love the British term, “slap,” but we’ll leave it to them. I’m more than happy, however, to participate in face enhancement via pigments and unguents, especially when a million photographs will be taken as I walk my daughter up the aisle in September.
My makeup plan is in the works. Although I’m not ready to show results, I thought I’d say hey, oh fabulous friends. To set the scene, the wedding is at 4:30pm, my dress is calf length silk organza over a silk satin slip, and I’m wearing gold heels. The sun will set sometime between 8 and 9pm. To establish my preferences, I am neither Kardashian nor a Pre-Raphaelite maiden. Also, I hate industrial-strength contouring. My bones are my bones and I belong to them.
I am open to product recommendations, which as always I reserve the right to disregard, not thereby lessening my appreciation of your thoughts in any way.
Face Skin, AKA Moisturizer, Primer, Foundation and Concealer: #1 Priority
- First, I’ll hydrate. Start with some kind of peptide/hyaluronic serum. Then, I’ve begun using a more serious moisturizer, Tatcha’s Dewy and it leaves me in fact pretty dang dewy. No matte face, not here, not now.
- Next, makeup people recommend primers. I have never used such a thing under foundation and may not do so for this event. However, impulsively, on the recommendation of a friend, I bought the Hourglass Vanish Airbrush. I’ll give it a try.
- I usually wear Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint but apparently SPF can look chalky in photos, so I’ll get a small bottle of Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and give it a whirl. Samples indicate I wear shade 4.5.
- Finally, I continue to use the Cle de Peau concealer in Almond. I am clumsy with applicators, so a finger to my age spots suits my needs.
Face Color, AKA Blush or Blush Equivalent
After years of cream blush, I am now committed to Jones Road Miracle Balm in Miami Beach, admittedly not a universal sentiment. A little at the temples, down along the cheekbones, pat some at my hairline, touch the tip of my nose and end of my chin. Let it sink in, restoring color where foundation and concealer may have smoothed away one too many irregularities. We do not call them flaws.
Final touch, a second cheek-specific application to spark it up. Dewy!
See-ers, AKA Eyes
- Eyes are HARD
- That said, I began with new eyeliner. Having heard the siren call of Victoria Beckham’s Kajal for years, I finally bought one in Cocoa and one in Copper and I’m tempted to go with the second for a bit of shine appropriate to the hour. The product delivers as advertised; smoother than Sade’s voice.
- The only eyeshadow I use is a pinky finger press of RMS Luminizer in Living in the center of my eyelid, just above my eyelashes, and a similar press at the inner corner of each eye. Kind of makes me look like I’m smiling. Although smiling shouldn’t be a problem.
- Finally, I love Ilia’s Limitless Lash mascara and, unless someone can convince me otherwise, that’s what I’ll use. However, I’m ordering it in brown, Before Midnight as they call it, because as my face moves through my 60s black mascara startles me.
- Eyebrow strategy as per previous reports.
Smoochers and Smilers, AKA Lips
- I like to layer. That could be a song lyric.
- Lip pencil to line and then cover the lips as a base. I use an old Bare Minerals pencil, Gen Nude, no longer available. But anything in a warm nude would work.
- Then the Ilia lip balm in Wanderlust. My lips but better, as they say, deliciously hydrated. Now if “deliciously” isn’t an appropriate use of an adverb I don’t know what is.
- Finally, a lip gloss from Silk Naturals in whatever adjustment tint works for my outfit, either rosy pink, translucent red, or a sheer terracotta called Birthday Suit.
No plans for powder. Again, dewy! I wonder if I’ll cry; I often don’t. Might use a setting spray. Sometimes I wish they had something similar for equanimity.
Have a wonderful, dewy, emollient, perfectly-hued weekend.
No links. Cut and paste, baby! And no links means no commissions. I no longer monetize which gives me the liberty to say whatever the heck I please and you ask for.
26 Responses
I think you recommended the Giorgio Armani Foundation in some of the first posts of yours that I read — years ago.
It’s still a good choice.
Yes! When I worked, and therefore wore makeup regularly, this was my go-to. As I have aged, and gotten better about sunscreen and worse about makeup, I moved to Ilia. It’s fun to experiment again.
Love that you’re thinking this through in advance. And thank you-I’ll be MOB in December in AU and I forgot about makeup. As a 74 year old CT-born wasp I’ve always been rather chary of the stuff but it’s required for days like this and best worked out at leisure. So the nudge and some of the list are a help! I’m positive you’ll glow.
Congratulations on your daughter’s upcoming marriage! And I so immediately knew what you meant, “As a 740year old CT-born wasp;).” Makeup is so definitely worked out best at leisure. I hope you enjoy your adventure.
Your make-up choices are perfect; the Armani foundation is exceptional on mature skin and you won’t regret buying it (I’ve become addict to it). One suggestion if I may: Guerlain’s lip primer (Kisskiss Bee Lift Beautifying Lip Care Primer), expensive but a joy to wear and result is guaranteed, I promise: undetectable, keeps lips soft and moisturized and won’t let lipstick or gloss move anywhere. Smile, kiss, eat and drink, lipstick will stick!
Thank you! And a lip primer? Hooboy hadn’t even thought about it and maybe it’s a very good idea. Much obliged!
Primer and moisturizer: when a favorite product was discontinued I started using Monistat’s unmedicated Chafing Relief Powder Gel (I think Reddit sent me? I loathe skincare reformulations!). Have had great luck with it and would use anything containing dimethicone.
Sunscreen is SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50. It’s a tinted formula they claim works on almost everyone; you seem fairer than I am, so you might want their untinted version.
Clinique just came out with Nude Honey to round out their Almost Lipstick product, same colors are also in a tinted oil option.
Absolutely banish the word “flaws” — I’m personally a fan of “variations.” Looking forward to whatever you share of your results!
Chafing Relief Gel as a moisturizer? Or just a primer? What a great idea! Thanks for the other recommendations too. I think SkinCeuticals gave me a rash, but maybe I’m mistaken. SPF 50 is really important. And who among us didn’t have Clinique Black Honey at some point! Nude Honey looks good.
The Chafing Relief Gel serves me as both moisturizer and primer. My everyday is only that plus the SPF 50.
So sorry about possible SkinCeuticals rash. Hope you find an option that’s kind to your skin.
I like this site for a bit of ingredient gatekeeping: https://www.paulaschoice.com/beautypedia-ingredient-checker
Love all the ideas on here!
Thanks for all of this information. I’m in my 70s, with great skin, thanks to Mario Badescu products. I use the Super Peptide Serum (with a hyaluonate complex) – online for $45, but their products are available in some stores, too (Macy’s, Ulta, Nordstrom).
My pleasure! Thanks in return! I have seen the Mario Badescu line at Nordstrom’s but I didn’t know they’d moved beyond their original products.
How exciting! I remember the fun I had finding the outfit and lipstick etc. for our sons wedding. Might I suggest you take a look at Westman Atelier blush? Its a woderful consistancey ( cream) and not too pigmented. Give it a try. Yes, it’s spendy. But it’s good stuff. I’m off to try the RMS primer. Sounds interesting.
Thanks, Sandy. You, of course, are the EXPERT! Sounds like a good blush indeed.
I’ve been searching for a nude lip pencil to replace a favorite Clarins product that was discontinued. I wanted one that wouldn’t turn orange on me. After a long search I recently found a replacement!
Maybe it will work for you?
RMS Go Nude Lip Pencil, color is Morning Dew.
Perfection.
Thanks! So funny the way lipsticks and lip pencil change hue like that. I think Morning Dew is too pink for my, but maybe one of the other colors would work.
Did not use the makeup artist my daughter and her girls used…they all looked lovely but their look is not mine. Went to a makeup artist on my own and had him show me how to achieve an understated look that enhanced what I typically do in order to show up in photos (but as myself—LOL). Money well spent and I learned so much! Also found out about some newer age-appropriate products I absolutely love.
Hmm, that’s a good idea. Where did you find the makeup artist? I watch makeup videos, and did my makeup when I got married, but that was almost 12 years ago, so I look different;). I don’t want to disappear, but I need to still feel and look like myself, as you say.
Good point about not disappearing, which tends to happen after a certain age. It’s unlikely with you, though, since you’re a vibrant personality, and it’s the happiest of occasions, lots of people will come up to congratulate you. You can shine in your own way, without competing with the bride!
I went with someone employed at a store whose work I had admired for years. Stores like Nordstrom and also hair salons have folks who do this.
I have always agreed with Coco Chanel, who declared, “Oh DO wear makeup! It’s so vain not to.”
Thank you. As I was reading Lisa’s essay, and the comments, I kept saying to myself “I don’t do ANY of this, and I don’t want to do any of this, what is WRONG with me?” and now I know the answer: I’m vain!
I never do it in my daily life;). Too much work! I love it when I can get through a day with nothing but serums and moisturizers on my face LOL
I’d never heard this. She was a great source of aphorisms;). And it’s not untrue. I don’t wear much makeup these days, not because I feel like I look so great, but because I feel I look good enough for my goals. Maybe that’s a sort of modest vanity;)
Love to see that you use Tatcha products – love them all, and the Cle de Peau Almond concealer, which is also my shade!
A couple of suggestions, if I may:
Lip Liner: Kosas Hotliner (Beyond is my shade), creamy, enriched with hyaluronic acid, but stays put, and also travel-friendly (retractable, with 1 refill provided). Available at Sephora.
Eyebrow Gel: Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows – combined gel and colour, tames and defines brows, but never makes them crunchy. I still have v. dark brows, so I use one shade lighter than black (called Super Model), but she has a range of lighter shades, including Taupe. Available at Sephora.
Eye highlighter – Sisley Stylo Lumiere – for me in shade 2 – it’s very hypoallergenic in my experience, so I can use it all around the orbit, including the areas on the upper and lower lid and next to the nose without experiencing any tearing. Available at any quality department store – Saks etc.
Eye Drops: you never know when tears will well up, so perhaps have a small container of Lumify, discreetly tucked into your handbag. Acts instantly, and has prolonged effect (12 hrs in my experience, also helpful when it’s the allergy season).
These may not be applicable if you have already found what you love, but I enjoy the Tatcha Silk Serum as a daytime alternative to retinol – it is effective and has a slightly glowy finish, not shiny.
I also love Ellis Faas cosmetics, so I use her Skin Veil foundation (free samples are available if you request them), blush, concealer and lip gloss (Glazed Lips) on a daily basis – great even in the driest winter, or tropical summer. Impeccable and undetectable, even my husband has no idea… :)
Another plus of Ellis Faas products is that they are cruelty-free, no animal testing is involved.
Dear Lisa,
We your devoted readers are amid privilege indeed. Guided by your melliflous wise voice, we enjoy the privilege of this resourceful sangha. Thank you. I don’t say this enough: thank you. Thank you for reminding all of us that we know when we have made enough of an effort, can shift gears to relax in all certainty.
Here’s to our lovely fading eyebrows and smile lines! Any fading or falling arches are being replaced by the kindness and wisdom cultivated right here. Thank you again.
Now! I am off to explore these product recommendations. I will report back! xoxo