A Simple, Everyday Make-Up Look for the Over 40s and My Go-To Nail Colour

An everyday make-up look for the over 40s | Not Dressed As Lamb
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Following on from last month’s post about optimising your skincare routine to fight ageing, I’m bringing you part two which is my everyday make-up look and go-to nail colour. Judging by my current reader survey many of you are keen to see make-up tutorials and more health/beauty posts on the blog, so I thought showing you how I wear my make-up on a regular basis – and the products I use – would be a good place to start.

(If you haven’t yet completed my reader survey I’d really appreciate it – you could win £30 of Yosa jewellery or accessories, it’s open till the end of February!)

What you may or may not notice is that my go-to make-up look is not what you tend to see on Instagram or Pinterest – if you’re wanting a lot of contouring, false eyelashes and Instagram eyebrows I’m afraid that’s just not me. Like clothes, everyone should be free to wear their make-up however they want, so I think it’s great that girls are experimenting with make-up and being bold with their choices. But what you’ll get from me are more natural looks that I believe work for my face, lifestyle and 43-year-old skin. Another example of #iwillwearwhatilike…!

Like last time, I’ve teamed up with Seven Seas, the vitamins, minerals and supplements supplier, to bring you two posts about the Simple Things, their campaign encouraging us to embrace the simple things in life that make you feel young.

Please do note I’m not claiming to be a make-up or nutrition expert (I’m nothing of the sort!), but I’m hoping that these two posts highlight how what you put into your body has a huge effect on the outside – a lot of it is good, old-fashioned common sense.

I’M HOPING THAT THESE POSTS HIGHLIGHT HOW WHAT YOU PUT INTO YOUR BODY HAS A HUGE EFFECT ON THE OUTSIDE – A LOT OF IT IS GOOD, OLD-FASHIONED COMMON SENSE.

What you will also notice about the make-up posts that I do is that I use mostly drugstore brands – very rarely do I buy high-end brands. I’ll also have roots showing from time to time (getting grey roots retouched is costly, so sorry if that offends!) and you’ll be seeing my skin with all its fine lines without any retouching. There’s no point in showing make-up for the over 40s (that I’d like to think is also relevant for the under 40s!) with all the wrinkles and pores Photoshopped out because I think it’s important to see what 40-something skin really looks like close-up.

So yes, I’ll look a little shiny (I like to call it “dewy” – I won’t be caking on thick, matte make-up just to look good in the photos, though the lighting used is very forgiving), my roots will show and my fine lines will be there for everyone to see. But hopefully the make-up will be real and practical, and for all women.

So without further ado, scroll down to read about my everyday make-up look, I hope you enjoy it!

What is your go-to everyday make-up look? And what are your thoughts on my first proper make-up post – tell me in the comments or tweet me @notlamb!

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An everyday make-up look for the over 40s | Not Dressed As Lamb

An everyday make-up look for the over 40s | Not Dressed As Lamb

My everyday make-up

I’ve decided not to do a full tutorial this time – I just wanted to concentrate on just showing you this very simple make-up look and the products I use because it is exactly that – simple.

The most important part of the look I go for every day is a dewy look to my skin achieved with a light BB cream or foundation and non-chalky face powder. Please do realise I do not have perfect skin – even without any Photoshopping it’s amazing what results you can achieve with make-up and the right lighting. It surprised me how good my skin looked here!

But even though it looks a little shiny, I’m happy that it doesn’t look cakey. I don’t walk around with a 600W ring light on my face(!), so it works better in real life and has more of a dewy look to it.

The other important part of my make-up routine is my eyebrows. Again, they are something of an illusion – they may look quite thick and full but the overplucking of the early 90s took its toll (as with many women my age or older who succumbed in the 70s), so I fill them in with the Stila waterproof brow colour pen. I’ve tried many ways to do my eyebrows over the years, but this is by far the best product I have ever used: You can literally draw on individual hairs, it’s that accurate and fine. On the outer part of my brows, about half the hairs you see are drawn on. You need a steady hand and a lot of practice…!

I’VE TRIED MANY WAYS TO DO MY EYEBROWS OVER THE YEARS, BUT THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST PRODUCT I HAVE EVER USED: YOU CAN LITERALLY DRAW ON INDIVIDUAL HAIRS, IT’S THAT ACCURATE AND FINE.

Other than that it’s simply about adding some colour. A little cream blush, a touch of brown (not black) eyeliner with soft taupe eyeshadow and curled lashes. I’ve found the best pink-brown lip liner ever that works for a totally natural colour lip that only needs a touch of red gloss dabbed on with your finger.


Make-up products used for this look

Base: Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer | Garnier BB Cream in ‘Light’ | YSL Touche Eclat No.1 | Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in No.10 ‘Light’ | NYX Highlight & Contour Wonder Stick in Light/Medium | bareMinerals Illuminating Mineral Veil Powder | Sleek Face Contour Kit Highlighter | Bourjois Cream Blush ‘Rose Tender’

Eyes: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Colour in ‘Dark’ | Rimmel Soft Kohl Liner in ‘Sable Brown’ | Body Shop Eyeshadow in ‘Chocolate Linger’ | Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Mascara in Black

Lips: Maybelline Lip Liner in ‘Sweet Pink’ | A touch of deep red lip gloss (Bourjois Sweet Kiss Lipgloss in ‘Cart Rouge’ is similar)

Key tools used: Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge (used damp for applying/blending BB cream, concealer and blush) | Stila Brush No.9 (for eyeshadow) | Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers | Real Techniques Lash-Brow Groomer

SHOP THE KEY PRODUCTS:

An everyday make-up look for the over 40s | Not Dressed As Lamb

Nail health and my go-to nail colour

The go-to nail colour I use is Barry M’s Gelly Nail Paint in ‘Lychee’ – taupes and nudes are perfect for slapping on when you’re in a hurry, usually give great coverage if you’ve only got time for one coat and go with anything you’re wearing. Oh, and they also flatter all hands because taupe colours make your fingers look longer (same principal as nude heels).

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SHOP NUDE NAIL POLISHES:

The beauty benefits of cod liver oil for healthy skin, hair and nails | Not Dressed As Lamb

I’m often asked about my nails – yes, they are long and no, they are not false nails or extensions. Sort of. I’ll probably write a post about my nails as I do have a trick that means I can keep them long, but I don’t think they’d be as strong as they are if I didn’t eat well and put good food into my body. Like in the post about my skincare, getting enough Omega 3 is vitally important for all sorts of health reasons, but a lot of people just aren’t getting enough of it.

The health benefits of cod liver oil include*:

  • Healthy hair, skin and nails
  • Strong bones and teeth
  • Good vision
  • Building resistance to infections such as coughs and colds
  • The relief of muscular pains, joint pain and stiffness
  • Maintained brain function
  • Support for a healthy heart

*Disclaimer: Food supplements are intended to supplement the diet and should not be regarded as a substitute for a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. See the Seven Seas cod liver oil product details for more information.

So you can see that this supplement is important for the outside as well as the inside. Make-up does a lot to help us improve what we’ve got, but getting the bare, naked base as healthy as we can should be our number one priority!

Catherine

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Disclosure: I have written this post in collaboration with Seven Seas (click here for my full disclosure). All content is original, however, and opinions are my own and 100% honest.

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33 Comments

  1. 24 February 2016 / 2:23 pm

    Very pretty, glowy natural makeup! I have green eyes too, mine are a bit more olive/muddy(!), it's tricky to find eye shadows that work sometimes. I noticed you listed the NYX and the Sleek Highlighter, do you have a preference as I've never tried either and am a highlighter addict? ;-)The Bourjois cream blush is going on my list too :-). I wish I could get over the fishy burps thing because I know the cod oil is good for me. ;-0

    • 1 March 2016 / 4:41 pm

      Aww thank you Steff! I tend to only use the contour part of the NYX product – the highlighter part is a thick, creamy product to use as part of a contouring routine that has to be blended in. I use the Sleek highlighter as it's in powder form and gives a flattering sheen – so it really depends what effect you're after as they do two different things. Hoe that helps! x

      P.S. I don't get the fishy burp thing… Maybe yours are much stronger than mine!

  2. 24 February 2016 / 9:29 am

    Love all these tips, and will be getting the brow pencil, loved your eyebrows when I met you at the awards. By the way, glad you take cod liver oil, agree it does wonders to hair and nails and also fab for runners.

    • 24 February 2016 / 1:41 pm

      YES to the cod liver oil, Mirka!! I've taken it for as long as I can remember, it's the supplement that seems to be the most important in terms of getting enough Omega 3, etc. Zinc too, for the immune system – I swear by that as well. And thank you, my brows are my "thing" so that means a lot as you've seen them IRL!! xx

  3. 23 February 2016 / 3:49 pm

    Absolutely perfect wouldn't change a thing! And so true that less is more as we age- the glow (mine could be menopause ;-)) is so much better than caked on base & powder.
    Looking gorgeous lady xxx

    • 24 February 2016 / 1:39 pm

      I'm not a fan of heavy make-up at all, Michelle – but that's just for me personally. I'd rather go barefaced than wear a heavy mask of make-up, and that's coming from someone who wanted to be a MUA at one point!! I still admire the amazing talent of so many girls on Instagram and YouTube though :)) Thank you so much, you're a sweetheart x

  4. 22 February 2016 / 7:57 pm

    Gorgeous post you natural beauty, love your skincare routine and eating well and exercising hugely contributes to beauty and wellbeing. I cannot wait to read your nails post, mine are terrible xx

    • 24 February 2016 / 1:37 pm

      Aww thank you Vicki my lovely! I agree with you about diet and exercise – what you do to the inside makes SUCH a difference to the outside!! Big kisses xx

  5. 21 February 2016 / 8:02 pm

    Does the Stila Eyebrow pen color existing brow hairs? I'm getting too many grey hairs…suggestions would be most appreciated.

    • 24 February 2016 / 1:35 pm

      Not really, Juliann – it comes in three colours so you're meant to choose the one that's nearest to your natural colour. As the pen is so fine (to recreate individual hairs), you'd have to almost "colour in" with it to try and tint the hair – and you'd probably end up with Sharpie eyebrows (and no one wants that)!

      To colour white hairs I'd suggest either a brow gel first, or tinting them. Then you can use the Stila pen to fill in the gaps. Hope that helps! x

  6. 20 February 2016 / 11:06 pm

    Ahhh, Catherine, you're far more hardworking than I am with my face 🙂 I use MAC Loose Powder, Maybelline eyebrow pencil (terribly guilty of overplucking brows as a teenager so they're very scant these days), Younique mascara (no curler, I once lost all the hairs on my left eye because I pressed the curler too hard, for too long), and lipstick when I go out. That's it. Nails, au naturel, varnish can't keep up with the typing and the housework and the gym GRIN and up until yesterday, I had 8" of grey roots showing hahaha it's so expensive to do touch-ups so I do them myself and because that takes some effort and time, I get lazy 🙂

    You look AMAZING I never understood the concept of a peaches and cream complexion until I saw yours xoxo

    • 24 February 2016 / 1:32 pm

      Oh Sheela you absolute sweetheart – thank you!!! I can abslutely recommend the Stila brow pen if you ever want a product that won't budge (once they're on, they're ON – for the rest of the day). And ouch! for your eyelashes!! I'm very careful with my curlers, they're easily damaged as you've proved!

      And yes – getting roots done is very expensive, but it's one thing I splash out on and always have done professionally. I never get manis or pedis (I do them myself), so I guess I save there!! x

  7. 20 February 2016 / 12:25 pm

    Yet another great post! Love the natural look Catherine and I should definitely buy that eye brow pencil…

    • 20 February 2016 / 4:39 pm

      Kathleen thank you – you won't regret getting the Stila brow pen, it's a life changer! x

    • 20 February 2016 / 4:38 pm

      Thank you Kirsten, I appreciate that – and thank you, you too! x

    • 18 February 2016 / 9:10 pm

      That's really lovely of you, thank you Vicki! xx

  8. 18 February 2016 / 2:42 pm

    Gorgeous skin, and makeup results too! I use less makeup than this, but then, I don't look as fab as you, either : >

    xox,-Patti
    http://notdeadyetstyle.com

    • 18 February 2016 / 3:58 pm

      Thank you so much Patti – it's funny you say that, when I read what products younger girls are wearing to do their make-up (Youtube videos, etc.) I'm amazed at how may more products they use than I do. And anyway, you're pretty darn fabulous, Patti – and even *I* don't look as good IRL as I do in the pictures, they're static don't forget…! x

    • 18 February 2016 / 3:55 pm

      MUAH Suzy you're a sweetheart, thank you! x

    • 18 February 2016 / 3:54 pm

      Helena that's really lovely of you to say – thank you xx

  9. 18 February 2016 / 9:13 am

    oops found you at #brilliantblogposts xx

  10. 18 February 2016 / 9:07 am

    wow! i'm 42 and would not want a non-photoshopped close up – you have amazing skin – am definitely going to follow your blog etc etc – for your tips!

    • 18 February 2016 / 3:54 pm

      Aww sweetie that's so nice of you – thank you!! Nice to e-meet you x

  11. 18 February 2016 / 8:23 am

    Fab eyebrows – that pen is on my radar as I dislike the painted effect of powder. You have ace nails so would love to know your tricks. Mine are thin and delaminate easily, and I also have very fine hair – I reckon the two are connected.

    I love cod liver oil too – helps with the runner's knees!

    • 18 February 2016 / 3:49 pm

      I will do a post about the nails – and honestly that pen was a game-changer!! I couldn't believe how amazing the results were. It does take a bit of practice though (I think a tutorial on brows is in order too)! Thank you so much sweetie xx

  12. 18 February 2016 / 2:37 am

    I'm rocking gray roots right now, so no judgement here…lol! In my case it's a bit of laziness as I color my own hair. It grows so insanely fast that the roots need done every two to three weeks so I'd have to take out a loan if I went to the salon. Your makeup is beautiful. I go for a simple every day look as well. It's one of those lessons that come with age…find what works and stick with it!
    Debbie
    http://www.fashionfairydust.com

    • 18 February 2016 / 3:47 pm

      Thank you Debbie!! I can't believe you colour your own hair, your hair is incredible with all the different colours in it…!! You're right about finding out what works, though I think a lot of older women don't think to switch up their routine and the products they use. Beauty blogs have a done a lot to introduce me to new brands and products I would never have known about otherwise! x

  13. 17 February 2016 / 8:50 pm

    Your skin is absolutely AMAZING. The end. No need for photoshopping anything, lady.

    • 17 February 2016 / 9:06 pm

      Oh Lisa thank you – remember I did say that the lighting was incredibly flattering…! But I appreciate you saying that =blush=

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