Welcome back to our mature beauty series! This week, over 40s makeup expert Amanda Ramsay shares the cliché tips she’s tired of hearing. Buckle up…
Why is it that having a few wrinkles and crinkles seems to bring out the fun police? There are so many ‘rules’ when it comes to mature makeup that surely by now we have earned the right to break! I hear many cliché tips in the beauty industry that, frankly, as a professional makeup artist with over 19 years of industry experience, an over 40s makeup expert, and 49-year-old mother-of-two, I’m sick of hearing. Gah, rules can be so stifling and boring can’t they!? Here are three cliché tips I am so sick of hearing (and hope that you ignore!).
Cliché tip #1: “Keep your eye makeup neutral”
Ain’t nothing wrong with neutrals but they can get a little, well, boring, and on some complexions look a little flat. Browns and neutral eyeshadow shades are an easy go-to — and of course I love them too — but they’re definitely not all you’ve got! Bringing a little colour into your eyeshadow can swiftly update your look. Try playing with pinks, apricots, peaches, and watermelon tones to instantly modernise your makeup.
Top product pick: NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette, $17.96 at Amazon AU
Cliché tip #2: “Stop wearing shimmer and sparkle”
You’ll often read makeup artists warning mature skin beauties to steer clear of shimmer and sparkle. Now, I get it, shimmer can accentuate the crinkles on your lids or around your eyes. But I’m here to tell you that your shimmer and sparkle days are far from over. My goodness, who decided that was even a thing? Get those sequins out, we are NOT fading into the background. The reason I say poo-poo to this cliché is that shimmer and sparkle is playful, it’s fun and I really believe we 40+ women need to up the sparkley-fun ante. My tip here is to use it strategically; trying popping a strong shimmer or sparkle right into the middle of your eyelid or the inner corners of your eyes, making your peepers pop. It’s like a little wink!
Top product pick: Yves Saint Laurent Couture Colour Clutch Saharienne, $152 at bareface.shop
Cliché tip #3: “A smokey eye is no longer for you”
A smokey eye is 100 per cent a friend of mature skin. It’s a brilliant technique for balancing and opening up your eyes. It does not need to be a dark sooty black or charcoal grey — start with a tone that you feel comfortable with and build up your smokey eye confidence from there.
Top product pick: M.A.C Eyeshadow x 9: Burgundy Times Nine, $63 at maccosmetics.com.au
I’ll leave you with this: remember that rules are always there to be broken. I’ve provided you with some guidelines to bust up three cliché tips that are designed to keep us over 40s stuck in a boring, old makeup rut… but you do what feels good for you. After all, makeup is all about how it makes YOU feel. When you feel good, you radiate confidence. So take the tips, and guidelines, then make them work for you.
Want more tips from Amanda? Read her foundation hacks for mature skin and tips for dealing with puffy eye bags, or join her for The Shine Sessions — a series of video makeup masterclasses that’ll teach you how to embrace your beauty at any age.
Which cliché makeup tips are you tired of hearing? What topic would you love Amanda to cover next time?
I don’t like those rules either! You should be able to have fun with makeup and wear what you like
Agreed 🙂
absolutely
I like just having fun with makeup. 🙂
Me too! 🙂
Eyeliner! The whole idea that you can’t wear eyeliner. I’m not going to wear black winged eyeliner, but on the rare occasions I wear makeup I do use it in other more flattering colours.
I legit look at this and immediately want to buy a new eyeshadow palette haha
I’m in my late 40s and can’t imagine ever following these “rules” lol
They’re very restricting!!
Happy to do what I feel best with.
This is probably the best advice for ALL ages
I totally agree with #2 I always pop a neutral shimmer in the middle of my eyelid and it really opens and lightens that area.
I always do my eyes and I simply refuse to follow any rules. There are so many awesome shades of eye shadow and eyeliner out there and not enough life to use them all but i will give a darn good go.
Good for you Meedee.
I didn’t even know these rules existed 😀
I didn’t either S-P.
You were happily oblivious to them S-P! 🙂
and Saffy too! 🙂
I wish I didn’t!
I’m not sick of hearing anything I like hearing peoples opinions, new and old thoughts/techniques. If I don’t like it I don’t do it. 🤍
Exactly right.
I agree Saffy.
Wearing “neutral” makeup. Anything beige looks ageing on me. Love coloured liners, sparkle and bold lippies in plum, berry and all shades of purple. And let’s not forget a very long healthy hair and glowing skin.
Beige makes me look undead! I second the vote for plum, berry, purple & long hair!
I love wearing makeup more now than ever – It’s taken me a long time to realise it, but I actually think it suits me. Just as happy to have days with none on too and it makes the following day when I do wear some, even more fun because I’ve had a little break.
Thanks Amanda for your encouragement and tips to keep having fun with bursts of beautiful eye shades/finishes! Yes this video makes me feel heaps better now! Yay!
I wear colours and shades that suit my eyes and skin tone. I don’t care about pointless rules
These rules are just silly, you just have to find what suits you the best.
They can take away my youth but they can never take my sparkly makeup!
Brilliant attitude!
Absolutely on the same page :))
Great series, Amanda!
I do a few things differently as I age because I want to look my best. One thing that’s still the same is bright colours – they make me look healthy & alive, whereas pastels, neutrals & muted tones make me look unwell.
It all depends on the products that you use but it is a BIG YES from me Amanda Ramsay! I’ve got not time for rules and sometimes following rules can make you look older.
In saying that I have a really grippy BB shadow that isn’t my friend but in another BB palette the shimmer is beautiful and light in texture.
I love these tips because I’m 52 now and feel I have to be very conservative with my makeup. It’s good to know I can still add a bit of fun 🙂
I don’t follow any rules when it comes to makeup. I just do what I think looks nice on me.
No strict rules when it comes to age and makeup. Wear what makes you happy and live your best life.
Thanks so much BH for your Article on the 3 Cliche Makeup Tips by Amanda Ramsay love it that age has nothing to do with wearing lovely Eyeshadows including Shimmery as well.
Wear whatever you like at whatever age.
Smokey eyes are a classic for everyone!
I can’t believe she is 49! She looks incredible, love throwing these rules out the window too.
Do what you want and be pretty anytime
Your make up should be what you feel comfortable in. But no harm in trying new adventurous things 😉
I don’t follow rules, I just wear what looks good on me.
Ha. I turned 58 a couple months ago and today I am rocking a chocolate brown smokey eye and shimmery highlighter and I feel fabulous. I think makeup should be fun. Who decided that we can’t have fun past 40 or 50 or 60+? I love to experiment with colour and glitter and all the fun stuff. I say throw out the rules and do what makes you happy. Why blend in when you can be loud?!
Good for you Makeup Maven.
I hate cliché tips like these – so happy that others here do too 🙂
It is always hard to pull off eyeshadow! Thanks for these rules to not abide by. X
Hahaha, my thoughts exactly 😉
Yes now being 40+ what this article says makes sense especially shimmer is no longer for you lol.
I’m over 40 and do what I want. My Dad still thinks he can boss me around. Ha ha.
Sadly I never mastered a smokey eye even when I was under 40… but I do regard makeup as mostly about having fun. I don’t worry too much about rules.
I don’t think very many people have mastered this ever
Too many rules in the rest of our lives, don’t need any more! I would like there to be a rule though that when you hit, say, 40 you become an instant expert make up artist.
Perhaps an instant expert in anything and everything would be the best.
At 37 I certainly can’t get away with what I used to do in my 20’s, just doesn’t suit. I’m late 30’s going on 50’s here haha. I find most products don’t suit me anymore
Fascinating to hear that some of these tips work for you, I’ve definitely evolved my style as well but don’t agree with these rigid edicts
Love her fun attitude to makeup! Yes, yes, yes!
Oh yes – thank you! I like the watermelon eye tip.
It’s definitely something I’ll try
I love a bit of shimmer, I’m happy to be a rule breaker.
As you should!
I love the idea of makeup for all ages
I love my shimmers and am getting back into experimenting and playing with eyeshadow and I am not going to let a little thing like my age stop me.
I’m sick of these too!
I believe you can wear your make-up any way you want, I very rarely wear eyeshadow now mainly because my eyesight is that bad I can’t see to apply it!!
The Yves Saint Laurent Couture Colour Clutch Saharienne is so gorgeous but also so expensive. Maybe one day (after lotto win) I will buy this.
I have never tried smokey eye look.
40 is still young – great video. keeping it real
Best to do what feels right for you and you are comfortable showing
There’s no way you’re 49! You look great! But have to agree as someone over 50 myself that there are too many don’ts. Everyone’s face and skin and colouring is different and so you can’t generalise. I think non-neutral eye-shadows are fine – as are shimmers. If you have crepey upper eyes then keep brighter colours and shimmers on the lid itself and dust a neutral matte colour in the upper eye area. Smokey eyes are fine if you are quite precise and use a good eye primer to keep things in place – smudgy eye-makeup is more forgiving on the young!
Thank goodness for people like Amanda Ramsay. I think Smokey Eyes look best on mature skin because it hides our under eye wrinkles.
Everyone is different so just do what makes you feel confidentn