The Best Makeup for Women Over 50: A Guide From Beauty Experts#

The best makeup for women over 50 meets a particular set of standards—and traditionally, it’s not been easy to find. That’s why in 2024, product developer Sarah Creal launched her eponymous label, a high-performance beauty brand for women over 40. At the time, she told Vogue: “I couldn’t think of a single luxury brand specifically creating products for women like me. So this brand is about me saying, right, fuck it.”

With skincare and makeup focused on “wear, repair, and moisturization,” Creal’s collection belongs to a coveted class of products aimed at pampering and soothing aging skin while playing up one’s best features. Meanwhile, Jones Road, Victoria Beckham, Chanel, Westman Atelier, and even a few choice drugstore brands are also up to the task of helping women over 50 look and feel their best.

The only trick is knowing exactly which products to use—and, of course, how to use them. That’s why we’ve called in the pros. Ahead, celebrity makeup artists share a complete guide to best-in-class makeup for women over 50, with product recommendations for every step from skin care to setting spray.

Vogue’s Favorite Makeup for Women Over 50:#

Featured in this article#

The Firming Treatment

La Mer The Lifting Firming Mask

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The Depuffing Eye Mask

RéVive De-Puffing Gel Eye Mask

Jump to review

The Hydrating Moisturizer

Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator

Jump to review

As you work through the steps, remember that the right mindset is as important as any blush or mascara. “Makeup after 50 is about highlighting your features and feeling good,” says makeup artist Leah Rial, who works with Sharon Stone. “Let your story show; let makeup enhance, not hide. You’ve earned the right to be seen, your way.”

In This Story#

• What should you avoid with makeup on older skin?
• How do you get flawless makeup on older skin?
• 6 Tips for Makeup for Women Over 50
• Meet the Experts

Skin Care Prep#

“I find that the better the skin prep, the less makeup I need to use,” says celebrity makeup artist Lisa Aharon. For women over 50, “my focus is to hydrate, plump, and smooth the skin as much as possible,” she says. “I’ll often start with a sheet mask or serum as it delivers the product more deeply. Then I tend to massage on a heavier cream or oil, or apply a mask that can be left on under makeup to ensure a healthy glow.”

She gravitates toward brightening creams for the eyes. “Just don’t use anything too heavy as the makeup can slip and settle in any fine lines,” she instructs. Aharon is in favor of using the fingers or hands to apply skin care products; a brush will also do the trick.

Tata Harper

Hydrating Floral Mask

Packed with hyaluronic acid, this flower-powered mask replenishes lost moisture while evening out the skin tone—massage a generous layer onto the face and neck, then leave for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing off.

La Mer

The Lifting Firming Mask

Infused with La Mer’s signature Miracle Broth, a bio-fermented blend of marine ingredients that soothes irritation and delivers deep moisture, this creamy mask firms and plumps the skin. It also instantly restores volume—as if by miracle.

RéVive

De-Puffing Gel Eye Mask

Niacinamide and firming peptides take the lead in Révive’s de-puffing mask. Smooth it on and peel it off after 15 minutes to reveal smoother eyes that look wide awake—even before mascara.

Clinique

Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator

Mature skin thrives on moisture. Clinique’s lightweight gel-cream delivers it up to 10 layers deep for ten times the number of hours, creating a petal-soft makeup canvas on skin of any age. It’s a Vogue-editor favorite for hydration on demand.

Next Up, Priming#

Photo: Courtesy of Ingu Chen & Sena Murahashi

“The right primer can really help blur fine lines and pores, and extend the life of your makeup,” Aharon says. She recommends brushing on a thin layer of primer after your skin care products have set in. “Let it settle for a minute before applying foundation,” she says.

Laura Mercier

Perfecting Pure Canvas Primer

With vitamin C for brightening and green tea extract to moisturize, the primer also has aloe vera to soothe irritated skin.

Saie

Glowy Super Gel

If a bronzing, lit-from-within glow is what you're after, look no further that Saie's Glowy Super Gel. This weightless multitasker adds a hint of radiance to the skin—as a primer below foundation or simply on its own.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

The Cell Rejuvenating Illuminator

Victoria Beckham’s lightweight primer smooths and softens the skin while nourishing it with one of the most prized ingredients in the anti-aging game: Dr. Augustinus Bader’s TFC-8, a proprietary, skin-renewing technology, is part of the primer’s secret sauce.

Armani Beauty

Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer

Shea butter, rice bran, and glycerin make Armani’s formula a hydrating, blurring balm for aging skin. Celebrity makeup artist Alexa Perisco previously told Vogue that the product “smooths the skin with a weightless feel and helps grip makeup.”

Concealer for Women Over 50#

The best concealers for women over 50 meld hydrating ingredients with actives, such as peptides, for anti-aging benefits. When it comes to application, a gentle approach pays off. “On the delicate under-eye area, less is always more,” says celebrity makeup artist Azra Red, who works with Isabella Rossellini. “Proper hydration is essential, so start with a hydrating eye cream and incorporate eye masks into your routine—they make a noticeable difference. I like to keep my eye patches in the fridge and apply them in the morning while going about my daily tasks.”

Once the area is well-hydrated, Red uses concealer sparingly, targeting only the spots that need coverage. “Instead of swiping concealer all over or applying it too close to the eye, I focus on brightening the inner corners, where most of us have darkness,” she says. “This prevents creasing, which can happen if you overapply the product.”

She also avoids applying concealer near smile lines, opting instead for a touch of balm as a final finishing touch. This will keep the area looking fresh and natural, without accentuating any fine lines or wrinkles. “To add staying power, I use a tiny amount of invisible powder to set the under-eye area, again carefully avoiding the smile lines,” she says.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

The Concealer Pen

Infused with Augustinus Bader’s TFC-8—a propriety ingredient complex known to hydrate, soothe, and protect aging skin—Victoria Beckham’s luminous concealer provides second-skin coverage while nourishing the delicate area with peptides, polyglutamic acid, and squalane.

Merit Beauty

The Minimalist

A cult-loved product that multitasks as a foundation, concealer, and contour, Merit’s creamy complexion stick has a fan in 83-year-old-and-still-luminous Martha Stewart. Enhanced with moisturizing fatty acids that impart a dewy gleam at any age, the formulation also contains sea daffodil extract to brighten dark spots.

Westman Atelier

Vital Skincare Concealer

Available in 16 hues, Westman Atelier’s concealer harnesses natural, sustainably harvested ingredients—including coffee leaf extract and licorice root—to lift, brighten, and depuff. Ophthalmologist- and dermatologist-approved, the product is also safe for mature and sensitive eyes.

Chanel

Sublimage Le Correcteur Yeux

A makeup-artist fave, Chanel’s light-reflecting concealer offers lightweight, buildable coverage. Its velvety texture gives it the feel of a luxurious eye cream, and it functions similarly to plump and smooth the delicate skin around the eyes.

The Makeup Base#

Photo: Courtesy of Ingu Chen & Sena Murahashi

Think thin when it comes to makeup. “The more mature you are, the less heavy your foundation should be,” says Rose-Marie Swift, makeup artist and RMS Beauty founder. “Thick makeup applied onto mature skin only exaggerates the quality of the skin. The thinner the base and more moisturizing it is, the better it will look.”

Tinted moisturizer is a great option for “fresh and easy everyday skin,” Aharon says. “But if you’re looking for coverage or a flawless finish, go with foundation.” For women over 50, she recommends a foundation with medium coverage and a skin-like finish—”one that is long-lasting and won’t settle into fine lines,” she says. “When it comes to concealer, a formula that won’t easily crease or look dry is important.”

A sponge, a brush, or clean fingertips are all perfectly acceptable for application. “I always recommend that people use whatever tool they feel most comfortable with,” Aharon says.

Giorgio Armani

Luminous Silk Foundation

Beloved for its luminous, skin-perfecting finish, the oil-free foundation is a longtime favorite for mature skin.

L'Oréal Paris

True Match Tinted Serum Foundation

Made with one percent hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump mature skin, this drugstore gem is a best-kept secret among industry pros. Catherine Zeta-Jones’ makeup artist Brett Freedman previously told Vogue: “This has such a great texture; it literally becomes one with your skin. And the finish is demi-matte perfection.”

Estée Lauder

Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation

Makeup artist Brielle Pollara previously told Vogue: “While this is a full-coverage formula, it works beautifully on mature skin. Its long-wear and oil-free formula means it won’t budge or slide into creases throughout the day.” Pro tip: apply it with a damp sponge to sheer out the product and prevent it from settling into fine lines.

Dior

Forever Skin Glow Hydrating Foundation SPF 15

Infused with SPF 15 for a touch of extra sun protection, Christian Dior’s hydrating formula has iris extract to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The blurring foundation is also forgiving to pores, and it offers up to 24 hours of comfortable wear.

Eyes & Lashes#

For women over 50, “I like to really work the lashes,” says Swift. “That includes curling, and my preference is always black mascara. As we get older, the black gives so much more brightness to the eyes. Brown mascara can make the eyes look tired and even slightly yellow. ”

When it comes to eyeshadows, “those with a matte or satin finish look smoothest and most flattering,” Aharon says. “If used up to the crease, a cream shadow can also be very flattering.”

Hourglass

Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara

The lifting, ultra-black formula fans out lashes for dramatic effect, all while refusing to smudge.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

Eyewear

The buttery stick shadow—which provides eight-hour wear—is infused with collagen to smooth and firm the eyelids.

Sarah Creal

Eyes Up Kajal Eyeliner

Sarah Creal’s new kajal liner, designed for women over 50, has a cream-gel formula that glides easily over the eyes without a skip or tug. Infused with soothing allantoin, it can be used along the waterline and lashline, as well as on the lids—and it’s dermatologist-and ophthalmologist-tested for all three areas.

Trinny London

Eye2Eye

Aharon previously told Vogue that Trinny London’s creamy eyeshadow glides on effortlessly. “It blends easily, meaning there’s no tugging or pulling at your lids—and you can easily build intensity,” she said.

Perfect the Brow#

Photo: Courtesy of Ingu Chen & Sena Murahashi

Moving upwards, “I do not like a gray brow,” Swift admits. “ I like to go back to the color of your original eyebrows. The contrast adds brightness and opens and frames the face.” And when it comes to shape, roundness rules.

“Do not square off your eyebrows,” Swift cautions. “All that does is make you look stern and hard. It pulls the eyes together and creates darkness.” Instead, she recommends softening and rounding the shape. “If brows need to be drawn in, use a pencil with a very fine head to mimic brow hairs,” she says. “You can draw in a very realistic brow where hair is missing.”

RMS Beauty

Back2Brow

“I work with powders for the brow,” says Swift. “It looks slightly softer, and better visually.” This finely milled iteration has a slight hint of luminosity to mimic real hair.

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Brow Wiz

A cult classic for realistically drawn hairs, Anastasia’s ultra-slim pencil glides on easily and has a smudgeproof finish.

Merit

Brow 1980

Merit’s volumizing formula conditions the brows with vitamin B5 and uses kaolin clay and mineral pigments to add natural-looking color. Insider tip: Pomades tend to work particularly well on oily skin, since they’re not prone to budging.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

FeatherFix

Lifting, separating, and defining, Victoria Beckham’s brow gel can hold the brows in place for up to 24 hours. What’s more, the formula is waterproof and infused with hair-strengthening ingredients such as biotin and panthenol.

Add Color & Shimmer#

Photo: Courtesy of Ingu Chen & Sena Murahashi

Color comes next, and it provides a significant payoff. “Cream blush is fabulous for mature skin,” says Swift. “It adds hydrating color to make the skin look more youthful.” To apply a cream blush, “I like to tap on the blush with my fingertips and then blend out with a brush or sponge,” Aharon says.

Just be mindful where you tap and blend. “The placement should be more on the apples of cheeks to add that fresh flush,” says Barose. “Avoid putting blush on the side or using it like a contour—that will instantly age you.” Likewise, “do not use bronzers for contouring,” Swift says. “Bronzer should be applied to the areas where the sun kisses the skin.” She recommends applying bronzer horizontally across the forehead, the cheeks, and the bridge of the nose, and using it lightly along the jaw.

As for added glimmer, “anything with shimmer is out” for women over 50, Swift insists. “Shimmer accents skin problems and aging of the skin. However, I do like products with a subtle luminosity as they attract light. That light-reflecting property makes the skin look dewy, moist, and most of all, youthful.”

Jones Road

Miracle Balm

The multitasking balm—which brings easy color to lips and cheeks—has jojoba seed oil to hydrate the skin and impart a beautiful sunkissed glow.

RMS Beauty

Luminizer

Youthful-looking skin is “all about the light,” says Swift. “You want to add a subtle luminosity to elevated areas of the face. That includes brow bones, cheek bones, bow of lips, and the corner of the eyes near the tear ducts. Nothing beats this product for dewy, sensual skin.”

Sarah Creal

Just Like Paradise Sculpting Bronzer

The silky cream bronzer gives the high points of the face a subtle, buildable, just-back-from-vacation glow. It’s also infused with peptides and plant extracts to hydrate and smooth aging skin.

Westman Atelier

Baby Cheeks Blush Stick

A red-carpet staple for 58-year-old Nicole Kidman, Westman Atelier’s creamy blush gives the cheeks a youthful, lit-from-within flush. It also hydrates, thanks to natural ingredients like jojoba seed oil and raspberry leaf stem cell extract.

The Finishing Touch#

Photo: Courtesy of Ingu Chen & Sena Murahashi

Powder can also add a pristine final touch, if applied judiciously. “A light powder through the center of the face can leave you with a beautiful finish,” says Aharon. “Just use it sparingly, and skip it altogether if you lean dry.”

Mally Beauty

Face Defender

“Opt for a lightweight powder that’s not mattifying or shine control but rather blurs out fine lines,” says Barose. “My favorite is the Mally Face Defender.”

Westman Atelier

Vital Pressed Skin Care Powder

The clean, weightless powder melts into the skin to smooth out pores and mattify shine; over time, its active ingredients can help regulate sebum production.

Hourglass

Veil Translucent Setting Powder

With light-reflecting particles that blur the skin for an airbrushed effect, Hourglass’s celebrity-approved setting powder effectively minimizes fine lines.

Laura Mercier

Translucent Pressed Setting Powder Ultra-Blur

An infusion of hylauronic acid gives Laura Mercier’s powder a comfortable, second-skin feel—which is a good thing, since it can stay put for up to 24 hours. The powder resists caking and comes with a puff for easy reapplication on the go.

Add Extra Hydration#

To set the look, “I’m not really a fan of setting spray, especially when you want skin to look fresh and dewy,” says Barose. “I prefer a mist. It gives skin that extra dewy freshness at the end.” Aharon likes to seal a look with a spritz of soothing rosewater.

Avène

Thermal Spring Water

Avene's face mist is one of the most acclaimed French pharmacy finds out there. Formulated with water from the brand's thermal springs, it refreshes skin while priming it for any makeup (or skin care!) that follows.

Mario Badescu

Facial Spray

“A mist of rosewater that simply brings the makeup together is my preference,” says Aharon. This classic formula is also infused with aloe and gardenia for glow-boosting effect.

Chantecaille

Pure Rosewater

Made of steam-distilled petals from a Rose de Mai blossom, Chantecaille’s hydrating face mist passes the flower’s soothing, antioxidant properties onto the skin. It can be used throughout the day to give makeup a rose-scented refresh.

Tatcha

Luminous Dewy Skin Mist

Designed to enhance makeup with a dewy glow, Tatcha’s dermatologist-tested mist blends clinical hydators with Japanese botanicals. Its anti-aging ingredients include plumping and hydrating hyaluronic acid and red algae; it also has biomimetic squalane to seal in moisture.

Lip Products for Women Over 50#

“For women over 50, the secret to beautiful lips is keeping them hydrated with a touch of color,” Red says. Adding a lip treatment to one’s daily routine is a simple way to keep lips moisturized, even in the coldest months, she says. “Follow the treatment with a natural lip color pencil, outlining and filling in the entire lip to avoid leaving a visible line after eating,” she advises.

Makeup artist Pilar DeMann adds: “For women over 50, I line the lips just outside the natural lip line so they are slightly fuller-looking but not overdone, then I go over the whole lip with a balm. Balms are great ways to try brighter colors like reds or fuschias. Bright colors really enliven your face but as we get older, our lips get smaller and darker lipstick can make them look even smaller.”

Think of it like this: In the same way that black clothes are said to be slimming, darker colors on the lips can create a shadowing effect. Similarly, opaque lip colors can cloak the lips in a flat hue that has little light reflection, which makes the lips appear less voluminous. “Glosses and balms are sheer and add a pop of color without being opaque,” DeMann says. “My clients, like me, swear by moisturizing lip tints,” Red adds. “They not only enhance the lips’ appearance and comfort but are also easy to reapply without a mirror!” While Red and DeMann generally steer away from lipsticks for women over 50, there are hydrating formulations that celebrity makeup artists keep in their kits for mature clients. The rule of thumb: The lipsticks must be lightweight and hydrating, so as to not settle into fine lines, and it helps if they’re fortified with ingredients that tend to lip health.

True Botanicals

Pure Radiance Overnight Lip Treatment

Red’s go-to lip treatment is True Botanicals’s. Formulated with arctic cloudberry, Tsubaki oil, and red raspberry seed oil, the overnight salve boosts moisture levels in the lips. It also smooths fine lines and plumps the lips, and its calming bergamot scent makes it fit neatly into a bedtime wind-down regime.

Burt's Bees

Tinted Lip Balm

“My number one go-to for older women is not sexy, but it’s the best,” DeMann says. “It’s Burt’s Bees tinted balm. It swipes on as easy as a chapstick, and it’s smooth and moisturizing.” Enhanced with shea butter and botanical waxes, the formulation leaves the lips with a sheer wash of color. “My favorite color is Pink Blossom,” DeMann says. “It’s got a slightly pinky color that works on pretty much everyone.” At 53 years old, she also uses it on herself. “I have one in my car, one in my purse, and one on my desk—and I give them out during my makeup lessons,” she says. “I use it alone or I use it with a lip liner.”

Charlotte Tilbury

Lip Cheat Pillow Talk

“The best lip liner for mature lips, hands down, is Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk,” DeMann insists. “It’s available in a few neutral shades, one lighter, one medium, one darker. It’s so easy to use—it glides on so smoothly, and it lasts.” Designed to make lips appear fuller, the liner has jojoba seed oil to lock moisture into the pout. The cult classic is a favorite for legions of celebrities, including 51-year-old Kate Moss.

Jones Road

The Classic Lip

Jones Road’s first-ever lipstick, a new launch for the brand, is formulated with peptides and vitamin E for a creamy, cushiony feel. With a natural-looking satin finish, the lipstick can stay in place for up to eight hours.

Everything You Need to Know#

What should you avoid with makeup on older skin?

Bobbi Brown, legendary makeup artist and Jones Road founder, says that she sees two main makeup mistakes in women over 50. “I see women who wear absolutely nothing; they don't know what to do. They have just given up,” she says. “I love when these women come in and we say sit down, let's show you what we could do.” On the opposite end of the spectrum, she sees older women who have too heavy a hand with coverage. “They think by putting on full-coverage makeup, it hides everything. It doesn't; it makes it look worse,” she says.

How do you get flawless makeup on older skin?

“As we get older, the most important factor to remember when choosing makeup is paying close attention to the texture and tone of the makeup we wear,” Brown says. “Always choose textures that are hydrating versus drying. Your makeup should go on smoothly and feel good on your skin.” And when it comes to colors, she says, “Wear the colors that you like, but just be sure the shade complements your skin tone.” A good rule of thumb? “Choose colors that enhance your natural beauty, rather than making you look washed-out or garish,” she says.

6 Tips for Makeup for Women Over 50

According to Brown, these quick, best-practice tips will keep makeup looking fresh and natural on aging skin, brows, eyes, and lips.

• Foundations: “Choose luminous, sheer foundations or tinted moisturizers for a radiant look,” Brown says.
• Blush: “Cream blush adds a natural lift to cheeks,” Brown says.
• Brows: Brown advises older clients to keep the brows soft by using a gentle pencil.
• Eyeliner: Brown’s pick for lining mature eyes is an easy-to-smudge pencil instead of a liquid formula, as liquid liner can crease.
• Mascara: Use a tubing mascara to define lashes without smudging or flaking.
• Lip Color: “Lips look best with creamy color and a soft liner to prevent feathering,” Brown concludes.

Meet the Experts

• Nick Barose is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Lupita Nyong’o and Lily Gladstone.
• Rose-Marie Swift is a makeup artist and the founder of RMS Beauty.
• Lisa Aharon is New York-based celebrity makeup artist with clients such as Rachel Brosnahan and Molly Ringwald.
• Pilar DeMann is a Connecticut-based makeup artist who specializes in teaching women over 40 how to perfect a clean, natural-looking beauty style.
• Azra Red is a celebrity makeup artist and hairstylist whose clients include Isabella Rossellini.
• Leah Rial is a celebrity hair and makeup artist whose clients include Sharon Stone.
• Bobbi Brown is a makeup artist and the founder of Jones Road.