Kathy’s Home & Garden Tips – Style Tips for Mature Women
I was thinking I would venture a bit from Home and Garden this week to talk about makeup and styles for us mature gals. I have seen a few ladies my age that rather unfortunately resemble clowns. I don’t proclaim to be a makeup expert, but I have researched many makeup hints and had success with them. Many of us have stuck with the makeup routines and colors of our twenties. Now that we are older, we can lighten up a bit.
I hear from so many women, “I’ll wear what I want!” or “I love my make-up!”. That’s fine, but I’d rather look my age. We’re not 25 anymore! First things first: purchase a super magnifying, lighted makeup mirror. Our eyesight is getting weaker and sometimes what we see is not what’s actually there. I finally realized that I was applying too much mascara, because I couldn’t see. I was starting to look like Tammy Faye! For the rest of your eye makeup, it’s best to use a light touch. Use a soft pencil eyeliner close to the top lash line. Black is still ok, but use it sparingly. Then use a neutral shadow. The shadow will cover any smudges in the liner. Use an eyelash curler to make your eyelashes really pop and finish with mascara. Use a light touch on your brows as well. Our brows naturally thin with time, so go lightly. Many days I wear only foundation powder. There are lots of new tinted moisturizers that allow for minimal coverage. Use products especially made for mature skin, like Covergirl Simply Ageless and Revlon’s Youth Fix. Lipstick should be close to your natural lip color. If your lipstick tends to bleed, use a lipliner as close as possible to your lipstick shade. Apply foundation first, it will help it stay. In general, dark colors age you and draw too much attention to wrinkles.
As far as hair goes, I never colored my hair until I was graying, but it got old fast. Every three weeks, the gray roots were visible and drove me nuts. Try to stay as natural as possible with your color. I’ve seen too many old women with Crayola red hair! For style, stay shorter with soft layers that frame your face. Always think softer for both your hair and makeup.
Clothing wise, it’s fun to try all the new styles but be careful. Skintight jeans and miniskirts are best left to the young. Stick to tailored and timeless styles. Love animal prints? Use sparingly, and accent with one item like shoes, a belt, or a scarf. Love all the new floral looks? Again, try no more than one piece of clothing or one accessory. Always buy clothing and accessories of quality. They are timeless and will last much longer.
KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
