What would you recommend for mature skin?

[Anonymous]

My Nana would like to start using better skin care and makeup products for her aged, more mature skin. She is in her 70s, thought she still looks to be in her 50s or 60s, to me! I do believe she is a little sensitive but nothing horrible. I know she uses makeup that is way too dark and seems to accentuate her fine lines and wrinkles and she has a couple of dark spots as well. She also uses her hands/fingers to apply makeup, which I'm hoping to guide her away from doing so, at least with her eye makeup. I'd like to also get her started on a skin care routine, morning and night, to help "reverse" her aging and lift her skin. I'm totally unsure of where to begin for all that! She travels A TON, so I'd like to keep everything to a minimum as much as possible and any products that can do more than one thing would really benefit for her. She already uses the very minimum but I don't know exactly what she does now, as far as skin care and makeup goes. I'll list a few of the main makeup products we are looking for below. Any help, advice and suggestions are greatly appreciated! (I'm also in beauty school and trying to build my makeup kit, so I appreciate any help when it comes to aging and mature skin!) Skin Type: Mature/agin skin. She is a pretty light to medium, tan skin shade and is in the sun a lot, has mild sensitive skin and has normal skin except for her nose which is a tad bit oily. She has a hard time getting makeup to stay on her nose. What We're Looking For: • Any kind if skin care for her skin type • Primer (Face and Eyes) • Foundation/Concealer • Blush • Eyeshadow • Eyeliner • Eyebrow Pencil/Gel • Lip Liner • Lip Stain/Stick/Gloss • Setting Powder/Spray In the picture provided is my Nana. I did a makeup application for her at my school with what I had to work with, which was "professional" makeup provided in our makeup kits, as well as some products my Nana uses daily.

[flamingolegs]

Your Nana is beautiful!

I picked up on a few things in your post.  

First she travels a ton--this means finding products that can multi-task and where a little goes a long way.  Second, she appears to me to be fairly low-fuss.

Let's start with skin care.  A moisturizing cleanser that it super concentrated is the best bet.  KIEHL'S SINCE 1851 - Ultra Facial Cleanseris a great choice.  A 2.5 ounce tube takes no space to pack and will last me six weeks of twice daily face washes.  You only need pea sized amount--emulsify it in wet hands before washing face.  I've found that it breaks up eye makeup well so I typically need at most a swipe with a Q-Tip dampened with an eye makeup remover under my eye to catch anything leftover.

I'm still looking for a holy grail toner, but I've found when I travel I typically use FIRST AID BEAUTY - Facial Radiance Pads.  They are lightweight and don't count as a liquid at airport security.

The Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum with Hyaluronic Acid 1.69 oz/ 50 mLis a great serum--for daytime use DRUNK ELEPHANT - C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum.  

Don't forget the SPF--there are numerous options, LANCôME - BIENFAIT UV SPF 50+ Super Fluid Facial Sunscreen or Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer™ Physical Daily Defense Face Sunscreen SPF 30

If she is wearing sunscreen, she might want to just mix the two serums above in her hand before applying and find that is enough moisture for the daytime.  At night she can try DRUNK ELEPHANT - Lala Retro Whipped Moisturizer.  Kiehl's Since 1851 Midnight Recovery Eye 0.5 oz/ 15 ml

Onto the makeup.  To be honest with mature skin, less is more.  A hint of blush, brow powder, some mascara, a tinted lip balm with an SPF, she really doesn't need anything else, and the more she wears, the more it's going to settle into her lines and accentuate them.  She might want to try the Smashbox cream blush, I've found it doesn't settle into wrinkles and is buildable, so she can use as much or as little as she wants.  It's long wearing as well.

[outofsugar]

Hi! I’m 47 and these are the products I feel have really protected and nourished my skin over the years: Boscia cleansing oil (great for makeup removal), Murad anti-acne cleanser (she may not need an additional cleanser, the cleansing oil alone may be perfect for her), Murad acne and wrinkle reducer serum, Algenist Genius cream (mornings) and Algenist sleeping collagen cream (night), plus Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment for SPF in the morning after moisturizing. I keep my makeup in the “enhanced natural” color range with lots of pinks/latte/ivory shades which work for my pale complexion with pink undertones. I have abandoned traditional lipstick completely and instead opt for sheer shades or glosses - Nars sheers are great, and if she’s feeling frisky, the Sephora gloss tubes are inexpensive and not a crazy amount of shine/glitter, just a pop of gloss to make the lips stand out without being too color-intensive which I find can accentuate fine lines around the lips. I use Bobby Brown foundation stick if I need to - I find it to be creamy and not drying, though it might be a bit thick/solid for your grandmothers skin - and Tarte shape tape concealer under my eyes. I only recently started using it (though it’s a cult fave) and have been impressed by the huge color range and light, highly blendable consistency. I finally began using a beauty blender sponge to apply both, and while it took some getting used to - fingers are easier and quicker - I find the coverage much better when using it. For a final powder, I love Bare Minerals illuminating Mineral Veil ... a lovely delicate enhancing powder for my skin, not sure how it would be for more heavily textured mature skin but maybe worth a shot? I find it just brightens up my face a bit and gives a more natural finish after using foundation/concealer. Would love a follow-up to know which products you found that work well for your grandmother! 🙂

[NurseAmyB]

How sweet of you to help her! It’s also a wonderful way to spend time together. I have 5 daughters, ages 2-12, and we have THE BEST time together doing each other’s makeup and applying masks, etc. I firmly believe love is spelled T-I-M-E! No, my girls are not allowed to wear makeup out of the house yet but it sure is fun playing around!! Back to the point, I’m 42 and have recently discovered the trick of mixing my full coverage foundation with a drop or 2 of facial oil. I use Sunday Riley’s Juno with Tarte foundation. It is WONDERFUL at helping everything to glide on and believe it or not, NOTHING settles into my fine lines or wrinkles. Then at night, after cleansing my face and washing the day away, I apply the Juno again but of course without the foundation. The Juno is a small bottle and travels easy and if used like I do, it has a double duty. When I apply my foundation as mentioned, I skip the primer so maybe the facial oil could actually have triple duty!! Just an idea but one that I have found to be awesome. Hope this helps in some way and enjoy every minute with your Nana!

[Indy701]

She looks so kind.  For dark spots I’ve seen a huge difference when using KATE SOMERVILLE - ExfoliKate® Intensive Exfoliating Treatment

for fine lines I use DRUNK ELEPHANT - Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil or GLOW RECIPE - Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask at night  You can get all of these in travel size to try out.  During the day I like DRUNK ELEPHANT - Lala Retro Whipped Moisturizer

[Anonymous]

Aww, she is very kind. I love my Nana! And thank you for your reply! We are heading to the store tomorrow so I'll keep your suggestions in mind and see what she thinks. (: