What beauty mistakes do women over 40 commonly make?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP - I agree with the posters who say this is really all about white women.

Women of color don’t age the same way white women do, so when we are 40, we don’t typically look like we are 40. There are obviously exceptions, such as people who work outside or with their hands a lot. Hair is not really a concern for Black women and Latinas as we age. Black women continue to do cool protective styles or whatever they want and it isn’t shamed. Latinas typically have long hair forever, and it looks great.

I am white. Early 40s. I look younger. Most people guess 8 years younger. It is not always women of color who age well.

I actually think some of the white women who age the best are the super pale ones who are early in the game to some of the proven skincare regimes others don't start til their 30s. I think I look pretty good, but I have been on prescription strength retinoids and using broad spectrum SPF 40+ sunscreen since I was 11 years old! Needless to say, could never be a sun Goddess, so damage avoided there. For white women, I swear it is the un that does the most damage. Us White Walkers who stayed away from baking kind of reap the rewards later on. Though if I had to choose, would be nice to be able to tan I guess and still do all the rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dated hairstyle. Just because it looked good on you in your twenties doesn't mean it necessarily still looks good on you with changing jawline, skin and hair texture, etc.

I mean, it can still be right for you. The mistake is not re-evaluating to check.

I agree with this. I think the same goes for makeup. Getting stuck on a look and not evaulating if it continues to work for you and flatter as your age. One of the worst makeup offenders:

This woman has to wear make up for cameras, every. single. time. Photo makeup is heavier and everyone knows it. Leave her alone, JFC.

She's been doing it since she was a teen no one had heard of. It may be partially tattooed on. Every other celeb has managed to evolve and not look dated. She famously insists on doing her own makeup.

Perfect example of clinging to a look and not updating.

I predict one day she will give it up, receive rave reviews and maybe ask herself why she did not do it sooner. We shall see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP - I agree with the posters who say this is really all about white women.

Women of color don’t age the same way white women do, so when we are 40, we don’t typically look like we are 40. There are obviously exceptions, such as people who work outside or with their hands a lot. Hair is not really a concern for Black women and Latinas as we age. Black women continue to do cool protective styles or whatever they want and it isn’t shamed. Latinas typically have long hair forever, and it looks great.

I am white. Early 40s. I look younger. Most people guess 8 years younger. It is not always women of color who age well.

I actually think some of the white women who age the best are the super pale ones who are early in the game to some of the proven skincare regimes others don't start til their 30s. I think I look pretty good, but I have been on prescription strength retinoids and using broad spectrum SPF 40+ sunscreen since I was 11 years old! Needless to say, could never be a sun Goddess, so damage avoided there. For white women, I swear it is the un that does the most damage. Us White Walkers who stayed away from baking kind of reap the rewards later on. Though if I had to choose, would be nice to be able to tan I guess and still do all the rest.

Yes to this. I'm pale and I look at least 5 years younger than my friends who spent their 20s tanning while I hid under a hat and a caftan and wore 50+ SPF. I'm mid 40s. In addition to my face, I'm starting to notice that my skin on my neck and chest and hands is holding up better than most women my age. My friends are starting to get sun spots and that crepey, sun-damaged look to the skin, but mine looks pretty much the same. And my hands are less wrinkly, too.

I will say I've never had good hair and still don't and I find that the biggest challenge as I age. It doesn't seem to be thinning, but as it goes gray and gets coarser, it's just become harder to keep it looking healthy. I'm definitely stuck in that no mans land of not really wanting a short cut because it doesn't suit me, but not really having good enough hair for something longer. My hair definitely ages me a lot more than my skin. But I don't know that there's a good solution. Wigs? (Kidding) (Sort of)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read a recommendation to only wear mascara on top lashes and not bottom. I'm not particularly versed in makeup, but I feel like it does make my face look fresher.

+1 Yes!

And only liner on the eyelid. Nothing along the lower lashes.

What if you’ve lost a lot of eyelash in your 40s?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another mistake is matte makeup. Matte foundation and/or powder isn’t forgiving. Better to go with tinted moisturizer, cc/bb creams, etc.

I do Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. My skin is oily, so I set under eye, nose, chin and center of forehead with Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish powder.

Two things:
1) There are a lot of amazing powders out there that truly disappear into the skin, including Hourglass, Charlotte Tilbury, Laura Mercier, and Fenty Beauty. If you don't know, you don't know. But don't act like women who use powder are reaching for that Cover Girl compact.

2) Women who have oily skin often look younger because we don't wrinkle as easily, and yes, some of us need a bit of powder. While you're trying to get the "glow" from highlighters or illuminating products, I gave the "glow" even through an oil-free tinted moisturizer and a light application of powder!

Not all skin types are created equal, so these blanket "powder is aging" generalizations are so dumb.

[Anonymous]

Powder is very aging if you have wrinkles. Kate Middleton could really use a professional. Black is very harsh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP - I agree with the posters who say this is really all about white women.

Women of color don’t age the same way white women do, so when we are 40, we don’t typically look like we are 40. There are obviously exceptions, such as people who work outside or with their hands a lot. Hair is not really a concern for Black women and Latinas as we age. Black women continue to do cool protective styles or whatever they want and it isn’t shamed. Latinas typically have long hair forever, and it looks great.

I am white. Early 40s. I look younger. Most people guess 8 years younger. It is not always women of color who age well.

When people guess 8 years, it's because they're being nice.

I always minus 5 years from what I actually THINK someone's age is, because I'd rather not insult them if they just look badly for their age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Powder is very aging if you have wrinkles. Kate Middleton could really use a professional. Black is very harsh.

Agree on powder, even the “good” ones. I had oily skin my entire life and used powders forever. In my 40s, my skin got much drier and I found that the powders just didn’t absorb into my skin as well. It’s still oil prone, and I can get shine on my forehead. But it’s drier overall. If I’m going to be photographed, I’ll do a little powder on my forehead and nose, but otherwise I embrace the glow— matte really is aging.

Disagree on black though. I am fair with light hair and use to wear brown mascara and liner. But I’ve switched to black as I’ve got older because it offers better definition. But the key is not to line your lower rim (if you want a little definition there, you can bring your shadow down with a smoky application, as long as it’s not too dark). I also have found I need to step up my application game. It’s harder to apply makeup to your eyes as the skin ages and thins, and technique matters. If you are struggling, go to a makeup artist for a lesson— there are lots of little tricks that make it easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another mistake is matte makeup. Matte foundation and/or powder isn’t forgiving. Better to go with tinted moisturizer, cc/bb creams, etc.

I do Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. My skin is oily, so I set under eye, nose, chin and center of forehead with Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish powder.

Two things:
1) There are a lot of amazing powders out there that truly disappear into the skin, including Hourglass, Charlotte Tilbury, Laura Mercier, and Fenty Beauty. If you don't know, you don't know. But don't act like women who use powder are reaching for that Cover Girl compact.

2) Women who have oily skin often look younger because we don't wrinkle as easily, and yes, some of us need a bit of powder. While you're trying to get the "glow" from highlighters or illuminating products, I gave the "glow" even through an oil-free tinted moisturizer and a light application of powder!

Not all skin types are created equal, so these blanket "powder is aging" generalizations are so dumb.

Hit a nerve? 😵

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another mistake is matte makeup. Matte foundation and/or powder isn’t forgiving. Better to go with tinted moisturizer, cc/bb creams, etc.

I do Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. My skin is oily, so I set under eye, nose, chin and center of forehead with Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish powder.

Two things:
1) There are a lot of amazing powders out there that truly disappear into the skin, including Hourglass, Charlotte Tilbury, Laura Mercier, and Fenty Beauty. If you don't know, you don't know. But don't act like women who use powder are reaching for that Cover Girl compact.

2) Women who have oily skin often look younger because we don't wrinkle as easily, and yes, some of us need a bit of powder. While you're trying to get the "glow" from highlighters or illuminating products, I gave the "glow" even through an oil-free tinted moisturizer and a light application of powder!

Not all skin types are created equal, so these blanket "powder is aging" generalizations are so dumb.

Hit a nerve? 😵

DP. She was polite. Why aren’t you? Touchy touchy touchy, aren’t you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What beauty mistakes do women over 40 commonly make that cause them to look less attractive?

Are you for real? Why perpetrate this hatred for older women. Why not ask about the behavior of people that causes them to look less attractive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What beauty mistakes do women over 40 commonly make that cause them to look less attractive?

Are you for real? Why perpetrate this hatred for older women. Why not ask about the behavior of people that causes them to look less attractive?

NP here. Because it’s not called the Personality Forum.

[Anonymous]

I’m overweight so I know if I can get some off I will look younger than I do today.

But at 50 I have nice skin that is generally even and that gets nothing applied to it except sweet almond oil and some serums occasionally. No foundation, no makeup except light eyeliner applied under lower lash line. I curl my lashes so they are better defined but only very, very rarely apply mascara. I do use castor oil on my lashes and brows to help them stay fuller in these post menopausal years. I typically only use lip gloss but occasionally tinted lip gloss. Very natural, low maintenance.

My one concession to aging is that I still color my hair. I let it grow out to natural in 2019 and wasn’t excited about the gray and mousy brown mix, so went back to color. I stick to an auburn/cinnamon color that is very flattering to my fair skin tone and hazel/green eyes (I’m of Celtic stock).

Other than a little bit in my long ago youth, I am not a sun tanner. I love being out in the sun - gardening, hiking, sitting in an Adirondack chair to read in my yard - but I apply a good mineral based sunscreen. I think this eschewing of sun damage is the top reason I have such young looking skin at 50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

[b]Running wrecks your skin worse than the sun. I don't get why women do it,

Wait, why is running itself bad for skin (aside from the sun damage from being outside)?

There is a misconception (yes, a misconception) that running bounces you and is rough on the skin - causing it to sag, etc. You will hear this from people all the time. In reality it is the sun damage (any exposure to sun over periods of time damage your skin regardless of sunscreen) and usually runners tend to be thin. It is the dilemma of your face or your ass, which do you want to look good.

In reality if you are lighter and once in your 40s you will age. Your skin will sag and you will lose the volume in your face. People will say botox helps (it helps with forehead lines and the v that appears between the lines) but that is about it. Lines and creases can be helped with fillers - but it is usually short lived (18 months) and makes the face look puffy and fat. You can do threading in the face, which will also give you a few years of a better look and is similar to a facelift in that it will take off years.

For most women aging isn't that big of a deal. But if you are switching companies and trying to get positions it can be, and most professionals end up doing mini facelifts and threading to appear younger.

Sunscreen is the most important thing to help. But the issue is that you should have been doing that in the 20s to prevent that aging in the 40s. Wearing sunscreen now (40s) is to prevent aging in the 60s.

Running and sunning at any age is going to do permanent damage. It accelerates your skin's aging, but every day I see foolish women l doing both.

Huh? Running and sunning. I run at 5am so no sun there. Lots of people run at off hours (dawn/ dusk).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another mistake is matte makeup. Matte foundation and/or powder isn’t forgiving. Better to go with tinted moisturizer, cc/bb creams, etc.

I do Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. My skin is oily, so I set under eye, nose, chin and center of forehead with Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish powder.

Two things:
1) There are a lot of amazing powders out there that truly disappear into the skin, including Hourglass, Charlotte Tilbury, Laura Mercier, and Fenty Beauty. If you don't know, you don't know. But don't act like women who use powder are reaching for that Cover Girl compact.

2) Women who have oily skin often look younger because we don't wrinkle as easily, and yes, some of us need a bit of powder. While you're trying to get the "glow" from highlighters or illuminating products, I gave the "glow" even through an oil-free tinted moisturizer and a light application of powder!

Not all skin types are created equal, so these blanket "powder is aging" generalizations are so dumb.

Hit a nerve? 😵

DP. She was polite. Why aren’t you? Touchy touchy touchy, aren’t you?

+1. I also have oily skin, and use Hourglass powder on occasion. I also sometimes use a setting spray. I think some women don't get that they are looking melty and greasy in the summertime if they don't set their makeup, especially their eye makeup. Look at wedding guest photos for summer weddings; you'll see who knows how to set with a bit of powder and/or setting spray, and who doesn't.