A Little Color or Sheen on the Lips Goes a Long Way

I once knew an older woman who only wore lipstick. No mascara, no foundation, no powder or concealer. Only bright red lipstick. And she looked flawless. Of course it helped that she had great skin and naturally long lashes that skirted the most intense blue eyes I'd ever seen. But it was the bright red lipstick was the pop that made her look. She chose a color that was flattering to her skin tone. The interesting thing was the red lipstick made her silver gray hair and blue eyes pop, too. Just absolutely beautiful.
Now I'm not advocating we all go out and adopt this signature look. But it does prove a point: lipstick can really make or break a look. Too dark lipstick on a heavily made up face can look clownish. If you've made up your eyes heavily then go light on the lipstick and opt for a gloss or light shade. You can go for a bold lip, but if you do, play down the rest of your makeup. A classic combination is the smokey eye, neutral lip look. Another classic combination is a light pink lip and a natural eye. You can do a red lip, but keep the eye makeup and blush to a minimum.
See Lipstick Tips for Older Women and for more makeup tips for mature women, don't miss Older Women Makeup Tips.

Blush -- A Staple for Every Woman's Makeup Bag

A dab of blush can be the perfect finishing touch to a great make-up face. There are many ways to apply it so it highlights your best features, but the most popular application for blush is on the apples of the cheeks.
In fact, if you ever find yourself in a beauty rush with only minutes to apply makeup, I recommend applying tinted foundation, mascara, blush and lipstick. That's all you really need to look flawless.
See Blush: How to Apply It Correctly.

Add Dimension to Your Face

One beauty trick I love to share with women is how to add dimension to their faces using bronzer. Applied along the jawline and on the temples, bronzer can give your face the illusion of being chiseled.
You know how great you feel with a tan? Well bronzer can also have that affect on you, adding color to an otherwise sallow face. To add color, use a big rounded brush to apply on the spots where the sun naturally hits -- your forehead, cheeks and nose. Be sure to blow off excess bronzer so you don't go overboard.
Learn more in How to Contour Using Makeup.

Hydrate Your Face

 

Makeup artists know the secret to a flawless makeup job is actually not in the makeup, but in the state of the skin. Great skin is hydrated skin.
Before you apply eye makeup or foundation, always start with a generous slathering on of the moisturizer. This step is super important because it plumps up skin, and can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Apply a hydrating moisturizer over your entire face and dot eye cream around your eyes. Over your driest areas, dab a bit of super rich face balm. (You can skip this part if you have oily skin or you have never in your life considered the need for a face balm).

Spend money on key beauty products

There's no need to spend a lot of money on cleansers, makeup removers, polish removers and anything that doesn't stay on your face for very long. Why spend $60 on a fancy cleanser that touches your face for 1 minute a day? You can also find affordable moisturizers that won't break the bank but will leave your skin feeling soft and supple.
Not sure what to splurge on and what to save on? I give you the scoop in this article, Splurge or Save? Skincare, Makeup & Haircare Products. See if you should splurge or save on cleansers, mascara, concealer and more.

You can never go wrong with layers

Long layers are great for any hair type: Super curly, straight or wavy. It makes thin hair appear thicker, curly hair appear manageable and wavy hair appear just-got-back-from-the-beach sexy. Just make sure you don't get too many layers cut in. Short, spiky layers and hair that's short on top and long on bottom (mullets!) can be dated.
Check out The Year's Hottest Hair Trends

Less is more during the day

Ever notice how some of your friends look their best with no makeup at all? No matter your age, there is such as thing as too much makeup. If you wear foundation, powder, blush, liner, mascara, eyeshadow, lip liner and gloss on an everyday basis, then you're probably overdoing it. Leave the heavier makeup to the evening and formal occasions and tone it down during the day: All you really need is a great mascara, concealer for blemishes and gloss. Add a pop of blush in winter.
See How to Apply Makeup