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What are your tips or tricks to staying young looking?
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I bought a book by Charla Krupp called How Not To Look Old. I was a good read, and had lots of good advise. I don't know about just using brown eye shadows, but I do think we older women need to tone down the eye shadow (bummer.) She gives tips such as giving up dark lipsticks, and sticking to the pinks, having bangs, and lightening up on your hair color and foundation. After giving a piece of advise, she has pictures of before and after shot of celebrities. Most are pretty convincing. Do any of you have any good advise on how to look younger?
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Interesting. I've seen this book on Amazon. I've heard that bangs are a good thing because they cover up forehead wrinkles and hide receding hairlines. I also know colorists always recommend going lighter as you age to soften your look.
I think the DHC catalogues always do a great job making up the "seasoned" woman. Now I'm curious to go look at a few I might have saved to see if these techniques you're mentioning play into the good results I've noticed. -
I read this in Carmindy's Newsletter (from the TLC make over show What Not to Wear), and I'll just copy and paste:
The Right Lips at Every Age
Choosing a new lip color is the quickest way to update your makeup wardrobe but the right formula can make all the difference. There are no absolute rules, but chances are that if you pick the right product your lips will look their very best. In our teens and 20's gloss rules and with all the fun shimmery formulas and colors, you can wear a new one every day for a year! Steer clear of matte formula lipsticks that can look a little ageing on you now and stick with a sheer swipe of a juicy gloss. Gloss reflects light enhancing your lip shape and the sheer factor allows you to play with colors like deep plum in the fall or winter and hot pinks in the spring or summer. If you are in your 30's, go for sheer lipsticks, tinted lip balms or lip stains. Chances are at this age you are really on the go with kids or a career and maybe both, so time is of the utmost importance. A sheer lipstick allows you the color you want without the commitment of a full-on lipstick. A tinted balm is the quickest way to swipe on color and moisture in one easy application and a lip stain will give you natural looking color and the freedom from touchups throughout the day. Women in their 40's and 50's should choose a moisturizing lipstick that does not contain shimmer. A pearly finish is fine but if you see shimmer particles stay away. A moisture rich lipstick will restore your lips softness and play up your perfect pout. Long wearing lip colors should be avoided because they are moisture-sucking vampires and at this age you need to bring moist radiance back to that delicate skin. When you are in your 60's and 70's line your lips first with a clear or nude colored lip liner and fill in the lips with a matte creamy lipstick of your choice. The lip liner will create a barrier around the lips sealing in color so your favorite lip color won't bleed around your lips and because it is clear or nude you won't wind up with ring around the mouth. Now that you know about the right formulas for your age, don't be afraid to experiment with fun new seasonal colors!
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things
Urban Decay XXX Shine Lip Gloss. This is the perfect teenager gloss with a sheer light finish.
Rimmel London Underground Light Beam After Dark Gloss. A daring nighttime gloss for the feisty 20-something year old.
NYC Kiss Gloss. This sheer gloss allows you to play with bursts of color.
Benefit Silky Finish Lipstick. The best for a 30’s girl who wants lipstick and gloss combined.
Neutrogena Moisture Shine Tinted Lip Balm with SPF 20. This great 3-in-1 product offers quick color, sun protection and moisture so throw it in your bag and go.
Body and Soul Sheer Lipstick. Cool retro packaging and flawless sheer color makes these little tubes the talk of the town.
Chanel Rouge Hydrabase Cream Lipstick. Creamy smooth and hydrating for the mature sexy lady!
Lipstick Queen Sinner Opaque Lipstick. This lipstick is the Rolls Royce of lip products and the ultimate for the lipstick addict.
Sally Hansen Invisible Lip Liner. Feathering and bleeding will be a thing of the past.
Guerlain Lip Pencil. These are the creamiest dreamiest lip pencils around. -
Karen,
If you look at DHC's April catalogue, most all the models have the natural looking eyeshadow and lighter colored lips...even the young ones!
Gloria,
I love watching What Not to Wear, and think it has helped the way I dress immensely. Its the only show I have my DVR set up to record. The Mommy jeans are long gone! Have you ever watched the British What Not to Wear with Trinny and Suzanne? The American version was based on it's concept. I loved it until they changed the format. I don't care for it now.
P.S.
I like Carmindy, but I don't care what she says, I'm not giving up my lip gloss! -
Gloria. Thanks for the lipstick tricks...I was thinking about long-wearing lipstick but I can see that is VERBOTEN for my age-range. I actually am having trouble with my lips despite ALL the tubes of lip balm I use. I SWEAR BY the Sally Hansen Lip Liner...this morning I forgot it and YIKES...big mistake. I had to start all over.
Karen, you are right about the older models in the DHC catalogue. They look excellent...of course they have been professionally photographed so that helps!
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Anne: I thought of another tip that I once heard on Oprah from eyebrow guru Anastasia: Older women should be careful not overpluck their eyebrows. She said this just makes the mature woman look older. Of course, eyebrows start to thin as you age so that advice isn't so easy to follow.
Gloria: Thanks for the great info! -
I heard one of the biggest things is to have clean, white and well kept teeth. I whitnened?can't spell) my teeth a year ago and it made such a difference.Luster is coming out with a new home lightening service with a lamp and it's apparently not painful or too expensive.
Right hair colour for your skin tone,if I want to go blond,it's just bad luck,my skin fades away and shows up all the lines. As for bangs, do not get them unless you have the right face shape; hair too much on the face accentuates a jowly look and drags it down. For me, there is no reason to think, mature and appropriate=mumsy clothing,hair or makeup.I've seen great looking grey hair and she looked wonderful but it's all in the cut and shade of grey. For me, older doesn't necessarily mean short hair because I'll look like a pea on a pod,bot if it goes,fine.
I don't wear short skirts any more(read tight short skirts or tight anything) but I do add one or two latest trends,max .Either a trendy haircut,or shades or discrete platforms and of course great looking jeans- no more slim jeans,the wide legged pants is flattering for me, i don't wear too much jewlery,one or two pieces: or 1 big statement piece
i choose not to show my upper arms( just because I don't have toned upper arms)and decolttée(creases). That doesn't mean I hide my body but choose a flattering all-together look.
As for the red lipstick, I'll wear it when i whiten my teeth but just that.
That's my two cents,ladies -
I really like this thread! Thanks for starting it, Anne.
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My pleasure Karen.
As far as clothing goes, Krupp advises dark wash jeans in straight or boot cut, break up the suits and wear the pieces as separates, learn to love body shapers and thongs (I hated the thought of thongs, but I like them now), and just because a piece of jewelry is expensive doesn't mean it isn't dated.
I have a shorter neck, and big boobs :(, so V necks look best on me, as well as shorter earrings. It does make my neck look longer. -
OK...OK..i've got a few that are NOT original but effective.
Get fittted for a good bra. It really makes a difference in how your clothes fit and in your overall posture. Nordstrom's is great and the bras they sell are expensive but very good. ( I bought two basic tee-shirt bras which were in the $60 range and they lasted a long time with care.)
About hair color...I am noticing several women transitioning from their colored hair to grey...it can be scary but often it matches your skintone soooo much better than salon color. I sooo envy women who can do this. They actually look younger than their age. Of course a good haircut that is stylish without being trendy always is flattering.
Finally, another good way to look younger is to keep up with eyeglass/sunglass frame fashion. The right frames and a good haircut really keep you looking current without looking DESPERATE.
And just one more...jewelry is an easy way to look fashionable...the trends change so often but you can always find something inexpensive that updates your look. However, if you choose to remain a classic woman pearls, gold, and silver accessories never go out of style.
Oh yeah...one more...and it is a DON'T...there is not reason not to have nice/comfortable/fashionable shoes...they may cost more but don't give in to clunky comfort shoes unless of course you are trying to look SO HIP that you are ahead of a trend no one has caught on to.
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Your right Judy, a good bra makes all the difference. I like the Le Mystere brand. I was fitted by a rep of the company, and it was not as embarrassing as I thought it would be. I was dismayed to find out that I was a 'F" cup instead of the DD I thought I was. If I had any cosmetic surgery, it would be a breast reduction. Its so hard to find tops that fit your chest, but aren't huge in the waist.
When I see women with beautiful gray hair, I always think how pretty the hair is, but how much younger she would look if her hair wasn't gray.
P.S.
Just an item of interest...Le Mystere makes a line of bras just for women who have had implants. -
Anne, the brands I bought at Nordie's were Wacoal and Chantelle. I recently purchased a Barely There bra from Bare Necessities and though I love its smoooth construction...the straps are not all elastic and I have to keep readjusting the straps which is NOT what you should have to do when the bra is so new.
Is Le Mystere a commonly available brand?
On grey hair...I guess it depends on whether your natural grey is a good grey...I have heard that some hair colors that go grey are NOT good. I guess the ones that catch my attention are the flattering ones.
Another hair tip I have is DON'T UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE keep your hair LONG and GREY. I feel so sorry for women who do this...often they say their husbands don't want them to cut their hair. My twisted interpretation of that is that their husbands must be really afraid of them becoming attractive to other men by keeping them stuck in this horrible circumstance. But...hey...I could be wrong.
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Nordstom carries the Le Mystere line. It was listed as one of the best t-shirt bras for larger busted women. I really like them. The girls are well supported. One thing I learned from their rep was that after adjusting the shoulder straps, and the traps start slipping down, don't adjust the straps, tighten the back. If the shoulder straps are loose, its because the back is riding up. See old dogs can learn new tricks (why did they have to use the word dog?)
As far as women with long gray hair, I wonder how many of the husbands really care. I think a lot of those women use their hair as a security blanket and are afraid to have it cut. If you watch What Not to Wear, you see how many women are afraid to get their hair cut. Heck, if I got to have my hair cut by Nick, I'd let him do what ever he wanted with my hair. -
I find this discussion on grey hair interesting because I've often wondered if I'll ever let my hair show its true colors (pun intended). I've definitely seen mature women with grey hair that I think are stunning. They seem to have mastered the lesson on how to age gracefully. Of course, the ones I'm admiring are often in catalogues or on commercials so they've gotten help from professionals. But when I do see them, I often think that maybe someday I, too, will wear my hair both shorter and grey.
Judy: I agree that to do that, your grey hair has to be the right shade of grey.
I think that long grey hair is a bad look, too. I remember once seeing this middle-aged woman with her husband at the Seattle airport. She had long grey hair and it looked like she did absolutely nothing with it other than let the cool moist winds of Seattle have its way with it. It was such a bad look; bad enough that I remember her whenever I have my "grey hair fantasy". -
Well, I have a tip that some women don't like: make sure you don't loose too much weight.
As you age, the fat padding on your cheeks and face shrink disproportionately to the rest of the fat in your body, so women that are very skinny start looking leathery and their face skull-like. Gaining some weight, as long as you stay wtihin a healthy range, usually helps your face look plumper and smoother. Too bad we cannot pick where we gain weight, or loose for that matter. But rounder cheeks always look younger.
Also making sure that you drink plenty of water, will help the skin look more supple and not dehydrated, and never forget SPF
Skinny and tanned may look good at 20, but that look doesn't age well at all -
I agree that a few extra pounds can be a good thing. I think it was Zsa Zsa Gabor who once said "At some point, you have to choose between your face and your fanny." Amen to that, sister.
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Didn't think about the bra,good point.
I have noticed and spoken about it with my mum (who is 80 this year )about starting to look "mannish" as one gets older, I mean even at 45. Apparently, this is linked with decrease of oestrogen from the onset of menopause, which I think is so unfair. The shape of the face changes(elasticity etc), one gets hairs in unpleasant places. Do oestrogen supplements(I know there is some controversy about this, I stopped because I started to get a possible thrombosis) combat this or is there any further investigation into this? -
Hm.. my mom used a cream containing estrogen for almost 15 years, since the onset of her menopause, and she's been looking pretty good. The only thing was that for almost a year, she would wash her face at night and go to sleep without moisturizing. All of us (her daughters) were like, Mom, where did your wrinkles come from? How did you age so much in 1 year?
Then she tells us that she hasn't been moisturizing at night!!!
Soooooo.. keep your face moisturized no matter what. Since I lectured her she's been good about moisturizing. Actually she thinks I check the amount of moisturizer she has left to make sure she is moisturizing properly, which I don't, but it keeps her from not moisturizing. =D Plus she looks good now.
And yea, the whole being a little bit plump is so right. People think my mom is still younger than her actual age because she has a little meat on her face. I think she looks younger than my supervisor (same age), even though my supervisor has no wrinkles on her face. But my supervisor is under weight, which makes her appear older. -
My husband's grandmother had amazing long silver hair that she put into a bun every single day of her life. She has a very nice classic look and is a beautiful woman. She just celebrated her 98th birthday. Unfortunately she has Alzheimers and it in a nursing home. I hate Alzheimers..too many good people have been lost to it.
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It's expensive but she does have specific makeup for older ladies,I know it's an infomercial but it appeald (sp)to me.Check out the gray haired lady. I don't know if Lauren has had any work done?which wouldn't appeal to me.
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I found these tips by makeup artist Marcus Geeter at www.masteringmakeup.com
Beauty tips for mature women:
1. Heavy powder is your enemy. It gets caught in fine lines and can magnify them, making you look older. Be conservative. If you need to apply a small amount of powder, use a large powder brush to dust the face lightly. If you want to look youthful and dewy, don't wear it at all.
2. Use a light textured, luminous liquid foundation or add a luminizer to your existing base for a natural glow. If your skin is clear, use a tinted moisturizer in place of foundation. Also the concealer you choose should be very light in texture and at least one shade lighter than your skin. Stick concealers are too heavy and will settle in fine lines.
3. Add liquid bronzer to your foundation to achieve a healthy glow.
4. Don't use heavy pigmented lipsticks. They get caught in the fine lines of your mouth and can age you. Lightly pigmented lip glosses will give you a light, youthful appearance.
5. As you begin to mature, use less makeup. Neutral and earthy colors will make you look fresher.
6. Apply mascara to the top lashes only. This will make your eyes look very alive and youthful. Apply more to the outside corners to give you a lift. Adding mascara to your bottom lashes will age you.
7. Don't use a lot of blush. It can make you look dated and older. The idea is to look like you're blushing, so keep it light. Use cream blushers for a smooth natural look. Try peach, coral and bronze tones.
8. Keep your eyebrows arched. A nice brow can give you the appearance of a face lift. Use a "brush on brow" rather than an eye brow pencil. It will look softer and natural.
9. Add a slightly lighter concealer under your eyes, after foundation. Place it on the inside and outside corners of your eyes. This will make your eyes look alive and rested. Blend well.
10. Coloring your hair can take years away. Use a hair color stick on your roots and around the face in between appointments for quick touch-ups. These can be purchased at your local beauty supply store, drugstore or from you local hair salon.
11. If you don't color your hair, make sure you have an amazing modern cut. Don't use a lot of hairspray. Keep it loose, shiny and free. Avoid updo styles and big hair; they age you. -
Honestly, I think the only "tip" or "trick" I have is to wear sunscreen and not smoke. They seem to be 90% of it ...
I'm also not sure about the grey hair thing. I'm biased because mine is extremely long, and I don't plan to cut it. But when I see a woman suddenly go from long to short, I don't think it makes her look younger, even if her hair is grey. It sort of makes her look like a woman who's trying to avoid looking older by cutting her hair off ... which is aging in and of itself. *shrug* De gustibus and all that. I like an elegant french twist or bun with grey hair, though.
I'm just not entirely sure how "youthful" it looks to do precisely what a 60 year old woman who is afraid of looking old is supposed to do ... I think some people look nice with shorter hair, and for them, they should probably just wear it shorter at any age. People who look nice with it long should do that -- although if your hair is long and grey, updos really do seem to set it off best. It's not so much "long" that looks bad as "left down." -
I think the trick is to keep your hairstyle updated. A lot of older women insist on wearing the same haircut that they wore 20 years ago because it looked great on them then. Many older women wear long hair or grey hair, or long,grey hair and look great. Elliot Spitzer's wife looks wonderful. Her hair is long but has a great cut. Jamie Lee Curtis's hair is grey and super short and she looks fabulous. I can't think of their names but there are a couple of models with long, grey hair that looks great on them. I think the trick is to avoid "helmet hair" You can have the best color and the best cut but if every hair is glued into place you're going to look straight out of the 80s.
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It's interesting now that I think about it ... I think people's ideas of what constitutes "out of date" or frumpy are also really variable. My mom is 73 and insists that long hair is frumpy, and I'm convinced that it's because when she was a kid, long hair was what I call "grandma" hair. That was the style worn by older women who held onto the past.
She insists that short hair is younger and more fashionable, but for me, I will forever see a short chin-length bob as "grandma" hair, or the poodle perm or teased hair of any kind.
And oddly, teasing and rats are apparently making a comeback among 20-somethings, which amazes me. For me, a chin-length bob with fingerwaves is instantly aging, but lots of vintage devotees love this look.
There's nothing new under the sun ... -
Hmm..anti aging looks..
1. Dress modestly. I see so many women in their 40's and 50's that want to dress like they are 20. It really dates them and they look silly. Grandma clothes are a no as well. They should be banned completely.
2. Anorexia is neither cool or pretty. Tanorexia is even worse.
3. Don't smoke and don't drink excessively.
4. Gray hair is an iffy. I think my husband looks HOT with his salt and pepper look. He looks very distinguished, but I'm biased. I've seen both beautiful and awful looking gray hair. And none of this blue hair thing.
5. Less is more with make-up.
6. No elastic pants. Or the creepy embroidered shirt/pant sets with birdhouses or other creepy things. I don't know how to describe the clothing. My local Pamida has clothing like this and it's awful. Yet I see older women wearing these clothes all the time. *shivers*
7. Don't wear the biggest eye glasses you can possibly own.
That's all I can think of for now.
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