Make-up for the golden girls
MY mum is one of those women who looks much younger than her age. She turns 65 this year but with her sweet smile, youthful spirit and years of maintaining a standard skincare routine, she could easily pass off as someone who is still in her 50s.
When she reveals her actual age to people, often the reaction comes with a gasp, followed by “Oh wow, you don’t look your age!” Their eyes become wider when she tells them her eldest grandson is 19.
She would sheepishly smile and change the topic although I know deep inside she secretly relishes the compliments.
I may be biased but I believe I’m not exaggerating. My mother is beautiful and so are all mothers out there!
With social media focusing so much on the millennials, we tend to overlook that make-up tips should be offered to women of all ages too, not skipping out on the elders because after all, we “got it from our mamas”.
MAKE-UP MATTERS
My mother is a firm believer that you should never leave home without make-up, even if it’s just a swipe of lipstick.
I remember the countless times I used to get scolded for opting for the all-natural look when going out. This is, of course, before I fell in love with make-up.
“Please put on some lipstick. You don’t look alive,” she would say to me.
The other day, she requested that her youngest daughter (me) put my make-up skills to good use and doll her up for a wedding.
I am not great at beautifying others so I got my sister to help me.
I found myself struggling to make my mother’s eyebrows appear bushy and natural.
Drawing her eyebrows was not easy as her eyebrows were thin and sparse.
Nevertheless, my sister and I managed to achieve the look she was going for, that is, a soft and natural look with a touch of pink on her cheeks and lips.
Applying make-up on my mother’s face was also a challenge as her skin was not as elastic as it used to be and her wrinkles had become more obvious.
But a woman her age can still look good and her beauty can be enhanced with make-up.
Beauty has no age limit, so here are some tips to enhance make-up for the elderly.
PREP THE SKIN
Prep skin with a primer as it helps to have a long-lasting effect for the make-up. Older facial skin is more inclined to have spots, blemishes, freckles and wrinkles so choose a good lightweight foundation and mix concealer shades to cover pigmentation.
SHAPING THE FACE
No need for heavy contouring here. Just enhance the face shape with a proper amount of highlighter applied on top of the cheekbones and brow bone to instantly light up the face.
SHAPING THE BROW
I use a combination of brow powder and gel to achieve a natural full set of eyebrows.
Don’t go overboard trying to make them look full but accentuate them enough so that the face looks less tired. Don’t forget to brush the hair upwards.
LIPSTICK SHADE
coloured lipsticks. My mum often chooses a soft, feminine colour that is perfect for day or night. Go for matte or silky finish lipsticks and not lip gloss. Most importantly, don’t forget to smile!
BLUSHED CHEEEKS
Apply cream cheek colour to give the face a fuller appearance.