When Gwyneth Paltrow launched her own organic makeup line this week, the actress said she had started wearing makeup more often since turning 40.
I can’t say my habits have changed much since my 40th last February. I still lead the same double-life when it comes to beauty: four days on, three days off, or vice versa. I think nothing of going bare-faced, but I love wearing full makeup too, and would never attend important meetings without the works – primer, foundation, concealer, powder, eyeshadow, liner, mascara, lipliner, lipstick, bronzer, blush and of course, perfume (if I forget to apply it, I have to go home or find a shop with testers). On weekends, my preference would be to wear no makeup or very little, but that time is always devoted to testing new products for my column, so I end up wearing more makeup than I would like.
The products I choose for myself have evolved. I’m not really interested in very sheer bases anymore – if I’m going to the effort of applying base, then I’d like it to perfect my complexion. For casual days, I’ll wear something light and glowy, such as Eborian CC crème, £17, or Nars pure radiance tinted moisturiser, £29.
I’ve very much embraced blurring products in middle age. These generally use silicone to fill and blur the appearance of fine lines. A good example is Givenchy teint couture balm SPF15 foundation, £29, which I wear a lot for work. I’m not terribly preoccupied with wrinkles, but I am keen to restore glow to my skin, and so I seek out products with light-reflecting particles, which give flattering radiance to the skin. Among my favourites is Guerlain’s parure gold fluid radiance foundation, £53. I wear it for evenings out and other special occasions when I want to look flawless, and someone always compliments me on my skin. It’s very expensive, but I do believe that the older you get, the higher quality your foundation should be, and good ones cost money.
As well as brightness, I want a look of vitality, and so increasingly I’m switching from powder formulations to cremes, which give a softer, more dewy look to the skin. I wear creme blush almost exclusively now, as I find powder colours look bit flatter and drier than I would like. My favourite cremes are by Bourjois, YSL and MAC (its vintage rose is beautiful on both cheeks and lips). My eyeshadows are often creme too, especially for daytime – Bobbi Brown makes wonderful long-wear creme shadow sticks, which are incredibly quick and easy to apply. You just draw them on to your lids like crayons and smudge with your finger.
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Conventional wisdom dictates that the over-40s should dial down their lipstick shades, but I loathe almost anything relating to “age-appropriateness” and you’ll have to prise my red lipstick from my cold, dead hands. Mature women can look so striking with a bold lip – if anything, I think they look better than youngsters. A proper lipstick is a grownup item; it’s been earned. However, I am fussier about formula now. Again, I would like some light on my face, which means a very slight, satiny shine to stop bold mattes looking too flat, and I always line with a pencil first, to stop any feathering. My favourite lipsticks are Nars audacious, £24, and Estée Lauder pure colour lip envy, £25.
As for favourite colours, I change daily – I love nudes, reds, hot pinks, coral and orange. I think we should wear any shade that makes us happy.
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