Joining the cast of Calendar Girls to appear in the West End from the end of the month, June Brown, 82, Anita Dobson, 60, and Jerry Hall, 53, prove you don’t have to be in the first bloom of youth to look your best.
So we’ve put together the best insider tips we’ve learned to help older skin look radiant at any age… Start with the softest, freshest skin as a base that you can achieve so make-up sits perfectly on top of a glowing complexion. Exfoliate regularly – skin cell turnover slows as we age so dead cells are left on the surface for longer, dulling the complexion. Go gently, though: skin can become sensitive and less resilient with depleting collagen and elastin levels.
Skin gets drier as it ages, particularly after the menopause when changing hormone levels affect natural oil production, so moisturiser is a must before make-up to prevent it looking flaky on the skin. Thicker creams tend to make skin feel more hydrated and comfortable – place a tissue over your face and press against the skin to soak up any residual oiliness before applying make-up. Cream and liquid formulations tend to suit dryer complexions better than powder, giving skin a hint of dewiness.
Don’t forget to use concealer around the nose where there are often broken veins and enlarged pores and to disguise redness across the cheeks. Dab and blend cream blush onto the apples of the cheeks and along the cheekbone to help recreate definition.
Crepey skin around the eyelids can be difficult to make up. At the least, smudge a brown or grey eyeliner around the lashes to make the eyes stand out – especially if you find mascara more problematic to apply as eyes recede.
Lips also thin as we grow older and vertical lines often appear around the edges, making liner a must to re-define the lip line.
Hair everywhere thins as we age – and that includes the brows. Finish by using a brow pencil or a little light-brown eyeshadow to give them back their definition which can instantly lift the face.
Fill in with a moist lip colour – too matte and it draws attention to lines; too glossy and it bleeds into lines.
