The best makeup for women over 50 meets a particular set of standards—and traditionally, it’s not been easy to find. That’s why in 2024, product developer Sarah Creal launched her eponymous label, a high-performance beauty brand for women over 40. At the time, she told Vogue: “I couldn’t think of a single luxury brand specifically creating products for women like me. So this brand is about me saying, right, fuck it.”
With skincare and makeup focused on “wear, repair, and moisturization,” Creal’s collection belongs to a coveted class of products aimed at pampering and soothing aging skin while playing up one’s best features. Meanwhile, Jones Road, Victoria Beckham, Chanel, Westman Atelier, and even a few choice drugstore brands are also up to the task of helping women over 50 look and feel their best.
The only trick is knowing exactly which products to use—and, of course, how to use them. That’s why we’ve called in the pros. Ahead, celebrity makeup artists share a complete guide to best-in-class makeup for women over 50, with product recommendations for every step from skin care to setting spray.
Vogue’s Favorite Makeup for Women Over 50:
Featured in this article
As you work through the steps, remember that the right mindset is as important as any blush or mascara. “Makeup after 50 is about highlighting your features and feeling good,” says makeup artist Leah Rial, who works with Sharon Stone. “Let your story show; let makeup enhance, not hide. You’ve earned the right to be seen, your way.”
In This Story
- What should you avoid with makeup on older skin?
- How do you get flawless makeup on older skin?
- 6 Tips for Makeup for Women Over 50
- Meet the Experts
Skin Care Prep
“I find that the better the skin prep, the less makeup I need to use,” says celebrity makeup artist Lisa Aharon. For women over 50, “my focus is to hydrate, plump, and smooth the skin as much as possible,” she says. “I’ll often start with a sheet mask or serum as it delivers the product more deeply. Then I tend to massage on a heavier cream or oil, or apply a mask that can be left on under makeup to ensure a healthy glow.”
She gravitates toward brightening creams for the eyes. “Just don’t use anything too heavy as the makeup can slip and settle in any fine lines,” she instructs. Aharon is in favor of using the fingers or hands to apply skin care products; a brush will also do the trick.
Clinique
Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
Mature skin thrives on moisture. Clinique’s lightweight gel-cream delivers it up to 10 layers deep for ten times the number of hours, creating a petal-soft makeup canvas on skin of any age. It’s a Vogue-editor favorite for hydration on demand.
Next Up, Priming
“The right primer can really help blur fine lines and pores, and extend the life of your makeup,” Aharon says. She recommends brushing on a thin layer of primer after your skin care products have set in. “Let it settle for a minute before applying foundation,” she says.
Victoria Beckham Beauty
The Cell Rejuvenating Illuminator
Victoria Beckham’s lightweight primer smooths and softens the skin while nourishing it with one of the most prized ingredients in the anti-aging game: Dr. Augustinus Bader’s TFC-8, a proprietary, skin-renewing technology, is part of the primer’s secret sauce.
Armani Beauty
Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer
Shea butter, rice bran, and glycerin make Armani’s formula a hydrating, blurring balm for aging skin. Celebrity makeup artist Alexa Perisco previously told Vogue that the product “smooths the skin with a weightless feel and helps grip makeup.”
Concealer for Women Over 50
The best concealers for women over 50 meld hydrating ingredients with actives, such as peptides, for anti-aging benefits. When it comes to application, a gentle approach pays off. “On the delicate under-eye area, less is always more,” says celebrity makeup artist Azra Red, who works with Isabella Rossellini. “Proper hydration is essential, so start with a hydrating eye cream and incorporate eye masks into your routine—they make a noticeable difference. I like to keep my eye patches in the fridge and apply them in the morning while going about my daily tasks.”
Once the area is well-hydrated, Red uses concealer sparingly, targeting only the spots that need coverage. “Instead of swiping concealer all over or applying it too close to the eye, I focus on brightening the inner corners, where most of us have darkness,” she says. “This prevents creasing, which can happen if you overapply the product.”
She also avoids applying concealer near smile lines, opting instead for a touch of balm as a final finishing touch. This will keep the area looking fresh and natural, without accentuating any fine lines or wrinkles. “To add staying power, I use a tiny amount of invisible powder to set the under-eye area, again carefully avoiding the smile lines,” she says.
Victoria Beckham Beauty
The Concealer Pen
Infused with Augustinus Bader’s TFC-8—a propriety ingredient complex known to hydrate, soothe, and protect aging skin—Victoria Beckham’s luminous concealer provides second-skin coverage while nourishing the delicate area with peptides, polyglutamic acid, and squalane.
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Merit Beauty
The Minimalist
A cult-loved product that multitasks as a foundation, concealer, and contour, Merit’s creamy complexion stick has a fan in 83-year-old-and-still-luminous Martha Stewart. Enhanced with moisturizing fatty acids that impart a dewy gleam at any age, the formulation also contains sea daffodil extract to brighten dark spots.
Westman Atelier
Vital Skincare Concealer
Available in 16 hues, Westman Atelier’s concealer harnesses natural, sustainably harvested ingredients—including coffee leaf extract and licorice root—to lift, brighten, and depuff. Ophthalmologist- and dermatologist-approved, the product is also safe for mature and sensitive eyes.
The Makeup Base
Think thin when it comes to makeup. “The more mature you are, the less heavy your foundation should be,” says Rose-Marie Swift, makeup artist and RMS Beauty founder. “Thick makeup applied onto mature skin only exaggerates the quality of the skin. The thinner the base and more moisturizing it is, the better it will look.”
Tinted moisturizer is a great option for “fresh and easy everyday skin,” Aharon says. “But if you’re looking for coverage or a flawless finish, go with foundation.” For women over 50, she recommends a foundation with medium coverage and a skin-like finish—”one that is long-lasting and won’t settle into fine lines,” she says. “When it comes to concealer, a formula that won’t easily crease or look dry is important.”
A sponge, a brush, or clean fingertips are all perfectly acceptable for application. “I always recommend that people use whatever tool they feel most comfortable with,” Aharon says.
L Oréal Paris
True Match Tinted Serum Foundation
Made with one percent hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump mature skin, this drugstore gem is a best-kept secret among industry pros. Catherine Zeta-Jones’ makeup artist Brett Freedman previously told Vogue: “This has such a great texture; it literally becomes one with your skin. And the finish is demi-matte perfection.”
Estée Lauder
Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation
Makeup artist Brielle Pollara previously told Vogue: “While this is a full-coverage formula, it works beautifully on mature skin. Its long-wear and oil-free formula means it won’t budge or slide into creases throughout the day.” Pro tip: apply it with a damp sponge to sheer out the product and prevent it from settling into fine lines.
Dior
Forever Skin Glow Hydrating Foundation SPF 15
Infused with SPF 15 for a touch of extra sun protection, Christian Dior’s hydrating formula has iris extract to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The blurring foundation is also forgiving to pores, and it offers up to 24 hours of comfortable wear.
Eyes Lashes
For women over 50, “I like to really work the lashes,” says Swift. “That includes curling, and my preference is always black mascara. As we get older, the black gives so much more brightness to the eyes. Brown mascara can make the eyes look tired and even slightly yellow. ”
When it comes to eyeshadows, “those with a matte or satin finish look smoothest and most flattering,” Aharon says. “If used up to the crease, a cream shadow can also be very flattering.”
Sarah Creal
Eyes Up Kajal Eyeliner
Sarah Creal’s new kajal liner, designed for women over 50, has a cream-gel formula that glides easily over the eyes without a skip or tug. Infused with soothing allantoin, it can be used along the waterline and lashline, as well as on the lids—and it’s dermatologist-and ophthalmologist-tested for all three areas.
Trinny London
Eye2Eye
Aharon previously told Vogue that Trinny London’s creamy eyeshadow glides on effortlessly. “It blends easily, meaning there’s no tugging or pulling at your lids—and you can easily build intensity,” she said.
Perfect the Brow
Moving upwards, “I do not like a gray brow,” Swift admits. “ I like to go back to the color of your original eyebrows. The contrast adds brightness and opens and frames the face.” And when it comes to shape, roundness rules.
“Do not square off your eyebrows,” Swift cautions. “All that does is make you look stern and hard. It pulls the eyes together and creates darkness.” Instead, she recommends softening and rounding the shape. “If brows need to be drawn in, use a pencil with a very fine head to mimic brow hairs,” she says. “You can draw in a very realistic brow where hair is missing.”
Add Color Shimmer
Color comes next, and it provides a significant payoff. “Cream blush is fabulous for mature skin,” says Swift. “It adds hydrating color to make the skin look more youthful.” To apply a cream blush, “I like to tap on the blush with my fingertips and then blend out with a brush or sponge,” Aharon says.
Just be mindful where you tap and blend. “The placement should be more on the apples of cheeks to add that fresh flush,” says Barose. “Avoid putting blush on the side or using it like a contour—that will instantly age you.” Likewise, “do not use bronzers for contouring,” Swift says. “Bronzer should be applied to the areas where the sun kisses the skin.” She recommends applying bronzer horizontally across the forehead, the cheeks, and the bridge of the nose, and using it lightly along the jaw.
As for added glimmer, “anything with shimmer is out” for women over 50, Swift insists. “Shimmer accents skin problems and aging of the skin. However, I do like products with a subtle luminosity as they attract light. That light-reflecting property makes the skin look dewy, moist, and most of all, youthful.”
The Finishing Touch
Powder can also add a pristine final touch, if applied judiciously. “A light powder through the center of the face can leave you with a beautiful finish,” says Aharon. “Just use it sparingly, and skip it altogether if you lean dry.”
Add Extra Hydration
To set the look, “I’m not really a fan of setting spray, especially when you want skin to look fresh and dewy,” says Barose. “I prefer a mist. It gives skin that extra dewy freshness at the end.” Aharon likes to seal a look with a spritz of soothing rosewater.
Tatcha
Luminous Dewy Skin Mist
Designed to enhance makeup with a dewy glow, Tatcha’s dermatologist-tested mist blends clinical hydators with Japanese botanicals. Its anti-aging ingredients include plumping and hydrating hyaluronic acid and red algae; it also has biomimetic squalane to seal in moisture.
Lip Products for Women Over 50
“For women over 50, the secret to beautiful lips is keeping them hydrated with a touch of color,” Red says. Adding a lip treatment to one’s daily routine is a simple way to keep lips moisturized, even in the coldest months, she says. “Follow the treatment with a natural lip color pencil, outlining and filling in the entire lip to avoid leaving a visible line after eating,” she advises.
Makeup artist Pilar DeMann adds: “For women over 50, I line the lips just outside the natural lip line so they are slightly fuller-looking but not overdone, then I go over the whole lip with a balm. Balms are great ways to try brighter colors like reds or fuschias. Bright colors really enliven your face but as we get older, our lips get smaller and darker lipstick can make them look even smaller.”
Think of it like this: In the same way that black clothes are said to be slimming, darker colors on the lips can create a shadowing effect. Similarly, opaque lip colors can cloak the lips in a flat hue that has little light reflection, which makes the lips appear less voluminous. “Glosses and balms are sheer and add a pop of color without being opaque,” DeMann says. “My clients, like me, swear by moisturizing lip tints,” Red adds. “They not only enhance the lips’ appearance and comfort but are also easy to reapply without a mirror!” While Red and DeMann generally steer away from lipsticks for women over 50, there are hydrating formulations that celebrity makeup artists keep in their kits for mature clients. The rule of thumb: The lipsticks must be lightweight and hydrating, so as to not settle into fine lines, and it helps if they’re fortified with ingredients that tend to lip health.
True Botanicals
Pure Radiance Overnight Lip Treatment
Red’s go-to lip treatment is True Botanicals’s. Formulated with arctic cloudberry, Tsubaki oil, and red raspberry seed oil, the overnight salve boosts moisture levels in the lips. It also smooths fine lines and plumps the lips, and its calming bergamot scent makes it fit neatly into a bedtime wind-down regime.
Burt s Bees
Tinted Lip Balm
“My number one go-to for older women is not sexy, but it’s the best,” DeMann says. “It’s Burt’s Bees tinted balm. It swipes on as easy as a chapstick, and it’s smooth and moisturizing.” Enhanced with shea butter and botanical waxes, the formulation leaves the lips with a sheer wash of color. “My favorite color is Pink Blossom,” DeMann says. “It’s got a slightly pinky color that works on pretty much everyone.” At 53 years old, she also uses it on herself. “I have one in my car, one in my purse, and one on my desk—and I give them out during my makeup lessons,” she says. “I use it alone or I use it with a lip liner.”
Charlotte Tilbury
Lip Cheat Pillow Talk
“The best lip liner for mature lips, hands down, is Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk,” DeMann insists. “It’s available in a few neutral shades, one lighter, one medium, one darker. It’s so easy to use—it glides on so smoothly, and it lasts.” Designed to make lips appear fuller, the liner has jojoba seed oil to lock moisture into the pout. The cult classic is a favorite for legions of celebrities, including 51-year-old Kate Moss.
Jones Road
The Classic Lip
Jones Road’s first-ever lipstick, a new launch for the brand, is formulated with peptides and vitamin E for a creamy, cushiony feel. With a natural-looking satin finish, the lipstick can stay in place for up to eight hours.
Everything You Need to Know
What should you avoid with makeup on older skin?
Bobbi Brown, legendary makeup artist and Jones Road founder, says that she sees two main makeup mistakes in women over 50. “I see women who wear absolutely nothing; they don t know what to do. They have just given up,” she says. “I love when these women come in and we say sit down, let s show you what we could do.” On the opposite end of the spectrum, she sees older women who have too heavy a hand with coverage. “They think by putting on full-coverage makeup, it hides everything. It doesn t; it makes it look worse,” she says.
How do you get flawless makeup on older skin?
“As we get older, the most important factor to remember when choosing makeup is paying close attention to the texture and tone of the makeup we wear,” Brown says. “Always choose textures that are hydrating versus drying. Your makeup should go on smoothly and feel good on your skin.” And when it comes to colors, she says, “Wear the colors that you like, but just be sure the shade complements your skin tone.” A good rule of thumb? “Choose colors that enhance your natural beauty, rather than making you look washed-out or garish,” she says.
6 Tips for Makeup for Women Over 50
According to Brown, these quick, best-practice tips will keep makeup looking fresh and natural on aging skin, brows, eyes, and lips.
- Foundations: “Choose luminous, sheer foundations or tinted moisturizers for a radiant look,” Brown says.
- Blush: “Cream blush adds a natural lift to cheeks,” Brown says.
- Brows: Brown advises older clients to keep the brows soft by using a gentle pencil.
- Eyeliner: Brown’s pick for lining mature eyes is an easy-to-smudge pencil instead of a liquid formula, as liquid liner can crease.
- Mascara: Use a tubing mascara to define lashes without smudging or flaking.
- Lip Color: “Lips look best with creamy color and a soft liner to prevent feathering,” Brown concludes.
Meet the Experts
- Nick Barose is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Lupita Nyong’o and Lily Gladstone.
- Rose-Marie Swift is a makeup artist and the founder of RMS Beauty.
- Lisa Aharon is New York-based celebrity makeup artist with clients such as Rachel Brosnahan and Molly Ringwald.
- Pilar DeMann is a Connecticut-based makeup artist who specializes in teaching women over 40 how to perfect a clean, natural-looking beauty style.
- Azra Red is a celebrity makeup artist and hairstylist whose clients include Isabella Rossellini.
- Leah Rial is a celebrity hair and makeup artist whose clients include Sharon Stone.
- Bobbi Brown is a makeup artist and the founder of Jones Road.