Christine Barker is one of the lucky few: She's never had acne and her skin is neither too dry nor too oily. At age 51, she doesn't even have crow's feet.
Still, Barker has found she's had to adjust her skin care and makeup routines to suit her age.
"I like to look really good, but I like to look my age in a sophisticated way," says Barker, a cosmetic sales associate at Foley's in Albuquerque, N.M.
"I'm older now; I want to enhance my skin in the most proper way and look as good as I can with what I have."
Experts say Barker's approach is a smart one. As women mature, most need to make some adjustments in their makeup regimen to suit their changing skin texture.
Years ago, Barker says she washed her face with regular hand soap. She started noticing her skin becoming drier, and the skin under her eyes getting slightly thinner and looser. "I said, 'I need to get on the ball before it gets too late.'"
Working in the department store enabled Barker to try products from various makeup lines until she found the ones that worked best for her.
"I would say today's mature woman is still very trendy, she still wants to wear color, yet she doesn't want to look like her daughter or granddaughter," says Anthony Vasquez, makeup artist and counter manager for Prescriptives in Albuquerque, N.M.
One of the most common mistakes baby boomer women make is using a heavy hand with foundation, he adds. "I find that less is better for sheer coverage. Heavier foundation tends to settle in."
As women age, their skin may develop crevices "where makeup will collect," agrees Luana Pohl, esthetician at Renaissance Hair Skin and Nails in Albuquerque, N.M.
That means women might consider switching from powdered eye shadows and blushes to creamy formulas.
A good, tangible way to see why is to wrinkle a piece of paper, Pohl says. Smooth it out, and on one side, use powdered eye shadow. On the other, try a cream shadow. The powdered shadow will "collect on top of wrinkles and make them darker," Pohl says. "The cream creates a smooth camouflage."
Taking Care
Before any type of makeup can look good, Vasquez and Pohl agree that women need to develop a good skin-care regimen. Generally, that means experimenting with a mild cleanser, toner and moisturizer. Prescriptives has a moisturizer "which helps rebuild the lipid barrier and gives a nice, plump look," Vasquez says.
Vigorous scrubbing or cleansing oily skin with alcohol can backfire, Pohl adds. "Your skin has to have some kind of sebum on it. If there's no oil, it will overcompensate by producing it."
If you don't know how to break out of your rut, consider scheduling a professional makeup application, Pohl says. "It gives you a different perspective on what looks good on you."
Boomer women can still wear eye shadows with deep color, Vasquez says, "but I would stay away from that '70s glitter look." Look for shadows with just a hint of shimmer for a look that's "more modern, more subtle," he says.
If you use a concealer, especially under the eyes, go with a color as close to your natural skin tone as possible, or maybe just half a shade lighter, Vasquez says. Anything lighter "tends to look a little more ghostly, producing that racoon look."
On cheeks, Vasquez suggests women avoid heavy reds in favor of peachy, apricot or light rose shades. Line lips with a lip pencil and fill in afterward to soften the effect.
Avoid dark eyebrow pencils, Vasquez says, and try to keep brows a shade lighter than your hair color.
Pohl says she's a big fan of toner spray, which sets makeup and is very hydrating.
Next: Five makeup application tips for you >
