Makeup for Older Women: The Best Video Tutorials

As a teenager I couldn’t wait to wear makeup. I wanted to look older and more sophisticated. (Anyone remember Twiggy?) Now that I’m over 60, nature has taken care of the “looking older” part, and I’ve discovered that I have a love-hate relationship with makeup. It’s a little like my love-hate relationship with technology.

Cosmetics, like high-tech gadgets, are always being upgraded. Whether it’s a smartphone or a foundation, there’s always a new latest and greatest – or a many of them. With the number of choices burgeoning, especially in the age-friendly makeup category (yes, marketers have us in their sights), I often don’t know how to even start finding the best  product for me.

Good-looking makeup is a combination of product selection and careful application. And both are based on age, personal taste and lifestyle – just like with technology. I use my iPhone differently than many 25-year-old women do and I probably shouldn’t wear the same makeup.

That’s one thing I’ve finally learned: The makeup routine I got comfortable with decades ago just isn’t right for me anymore.

On the Hunt for Makeup Help

Having decided that my makeup collection and techniques might benefit from a face lift (so to speak), I hopped online to look for instructional videos of practical makeup tips for older women.

I started my search on Google and Google Video, and continued the hunt on YouTube, Vimeo, Pinterest and even Twitter. On each platform, I used the search phrases “makeup tips for older women” and “makeup tips for women over 60,” plus “over 70” and even “over 50.” I could barely stand to watch some of the videos, because the language was so ageist. I also noticed that older women of color are hugely under-represented in makeup video tutorials.

Here are some of the best professional makeup video tutorials for older women I found on the Internet. Each tutorial offers suggestions on how we can change our makeup routines to look our best without trying to “look younger.”

As the model in Lisa Eldridge’s video below says, “Embrace your lines.”

Lisa Eldridge, Makeup Artist

Lisa Eldridge has been one of the United Kingdom’s most authoritative makeup artists for over 20 years. In this tutorial, she demonstrates techniques on 64-year-old Yvonne, who happens to have lots of wrinkles. This video went viral in 2013 and now has over 1.2 million views.

Eldridge identifies onscreen the products and tools that she’s using as well as offering a detailed list below the videos.

(Video link for “Glowing, Youthful Day Makeup Tutorial for Mature Skin“)

I liked that Eldridge works with a variety of makeup brands and mentions alternate product choices for different skin types. But if you lead a busy life or can’t be bothered with a lot of makeup, this video might not be for you. While Eldridge calls it a “really modern, simple make up look,” there are too many products and steps for me to follow before rushing out the door in the morning.

Eldridge has four videos aimed at older women, including a “Menopausal Make-Up Tips & Chat,” which uses a model in her 50s but gives tips that address the types of issues most older women deal with every day – how to combat sweating, camouflage facial hair and cover age spots.

Tricia Cusden’s “Look Fabulous Forever”

Founder and M.D. of Look Fabulous Forever (LFF) Tricia Cusden began her company in her 60s. She was frustrated by how hard it was to find makeup that worked on her 65-year-old face and guessed that other women felt the same. LFF is a line of makeup specifically formulated for older eyes, faces and lips, and these videos tell you how to use the products. Still, once you get past the “only use this makeup brand” message, Cusden’s videos provide useful techniques – and you can substitute your preferred cosmetics.

The Look Fabulous Forever YouTube Channel contains more than 25 videos to date, with specific under-a-minute, how-to videos as well as longer, full face makeovers. Cusden delivers the instructional voiceovers while makeup artist Linda Sullivan demonstrates on real women.

I learned about a problem that many women face, and which increases as we age, called hooded eyes. Our eyes look smaller as the skin below our brows gets looser and sags down, covering the socket line and resting on our eyelids.

Here’s the LFF video on how to apply makeup to look better with hooded eyes:

(Video link for “MakeUp for Older Women: Define your Hooded Eyes“)

Here are some other tutorials in the series that I liked:

• “Quick and Easy Day Makeup“
• “How to Apply Eye MakeUp When You Wear Glasses“
• “Makeup for the Mother of the Bride or Groom, “which has good tips for any special occasion.

Sixty and Me with Ariane Poole, Makeup Artist

Sixty And Me is an online community of women age 60 and over. Its founder, Margaret Manning, surveyed the group and learned that women wanted videos with practical, positive-aging makeup tips for older women. She found that there wasn’t much available, so she partnered with celebrity makeup artist Ariane Poole, and together they recordeda series of 22 beauty videos, MakeupTips for Older Women. Manning is the model in the series and Poole provides simple, step-by-step tips and techniques.

Their banter is authentic and humorous, plus Poole makes it clear that she is one of us – we loved that she had to put on her glasses before she began. Poole only applies makeup on half of Manning’s face, and it’s interesting to see the side-by-side contrast as the lessons progress. Not only does Poole work with a variety of brands, she also incorporates products that Manning already has in her makeup bag into her new beauty routine.

In this video, Poole and Manning discuss which questions you can ask consultants at a makeup counter so that you get what you want for cosmetics toolkit.

(Video link for “How to Choose Makeup for Older Women: Questions to Ask At the Makeup Counter“)

More Videos Worth Watching

These makeup artists’ videos are worth a look-see:

“Flawless Makeup for Mature Skin: A Makeup Tutorial Video”

Makeup artist and author Robert Jones gives a detailed demo while he explains the how, what and why of his product choices and techniques. He also includes links below the video for the Robert Jones Beauty Academy, a fee-based online makeup school.

(Video link for mobile)

“Easy Natural Day Look for Mature Skin”

British makeup artist Harriet Hadfield demonstrates on her mother, who is beautiful without a stitch of makeup. Hadfield has a clear, breezy style and uses brands with different price points – but her routine is far from “easy” day-to-day.

(Video link for mobile)

“Natural Makeup Tutorial for Mature Women”

This is another daughter-mother demo, but NYC makeup artist Kerry-Lou Brehm’s mother looks like women I know – not like a model. In the description below the video, her list of the products that she uses is helpful, too.

(Video link for mobile)

• More makeup tips: Read Anti-Aging Is a Scam: Makeup Tips for Older Women on Senior Planet.

Have you changed your makeup routine as you’ve gotten older? Do you have any online videos that have been helpful? Please share below.