The best makeup advice comes from someone who truly understands your skin and beauty goals—whether you want to enhance your eyes with full lashes, create a flawless base, or try the latest trends. That’s why Vogue turned to the real experts for our guide to spring and summer beauty for women over 50: world-renowned makeup artists who are themselves 50 and older.
### Vogue’s Top Summer Beauty Picks for Women Over 50
– Best Moisturizer: Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream ($100)
– Best Primer: Laura Geller Hydrating Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer ($36)
– Best Concealer: RMS Beauty UnCoverup Concealer ($40)
– Best Foundation: Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Hydrating Foundation Stick ($46)
– Best Blush: Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick ($48)
– Best Eyeliner: Lisa Eldridge Seamless Glide Eye Pencil
– Best Mascara: Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara ($33)
– Best for Lips: Estée Lauder Pure Color Melt-On Glosstick ($38)
Ahead, legendary makeup artists—including Charlotte Tilbury, Laura Geller, Rose-Marie Swift, and Lisa Eldridge—share their best tips for women over 50. As Tilbury says: “Darling, I have so many tricks for achieving radiant, smooth, and youthful skin at any age.” And these beauty icons aren’t holding back. Here’s their expert guide to glowing skin.
### Step 1: Prep a Smooth, Hydrated Base
Charlotte Tilbury believes “you can’t have a beautiful painting without a beautiful canvas.” As skin matures, fine lines, wrinkles, and dryness can affect how makeup applies—but it doesn’t have to. Her first tip? Use hydrating, smoothing products with skin-loving ingredients. “Look for formulas that retexturize and revive—you don’t want makeup settling into fine lines,” she advises. Apply moisturizer in an upward “angel wing” motion to lift the face, and always use a primer.
Laura Geller calls primer “non-negotiable” for mature skin. “It smooths texture and helps makeup last,” she says.
Top Picks:
– Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream ($100, Nordstrom)
– U Beauty The SUPER Hydrator ($134, U Beauty)
– Laura Geller Hydrating Spackle Primer ($36, Amazon)
– StriVectin Line BlurFector Primer ($39, Nordstrom)
### Step 2: Conceal Lightly, Correct Smartly
For concealer, Geller recommends a creamy formula—especially under the eyes. “Avoid anything too thin—it won’t last or cover well,” she says. Gently press (never rub!) with your ring finger, and apply before foundation.
Rose-Marie Swift warns against overdoing it: “Concealer can be a disaster if you pile it on. Correct, don’t cover!”
### Step 3: Choose the Right Foundation
Many women avoid foundation, fearing it will settle into lines or look heavy. But the right formula makes all the difference.Not all foundations are the same, and Tilbury believes the right one can give mature skin a radiant glow. She recommends choosing a formula with a smoothing, blurring effect—especially if it includes hydrating ingredients. Geller shares her favorite for mature skin: baked foundations. “They begin as a cream, so they lock in moisture, but apply like a powder for a lightweight feel,” she explains. “Mature skin often needs balance—hydration without heaviness or settling into fine lines.”
Step 3: Brighten Cheeks With Peach Tones
With pastel shades trending for spring 2025, Geller encourages mature women to experiment with soft, spring-like colors, especially on the cheeks. “Warm pastels like apricot and peach add brightness and vitality to mature skin, which can lose its glow over time,” she says. “A soft peach blush gives a fresh, youthful look.” Swift prefers cream or gel blushes for mature skin, as they provide a natural, diffused flush. But powders shouldn’t be dismissed—Lisa Eldridge notes that modern powder blushes can layer beautifully with creams to add volume, perfect for women over 50.
For application, Swift advises, “Press blush into the apples of your cheeks with your fingers and blend upward for a natural flush.” She adds, “Never apply blush below the nose—it drags the face down. As we age, we want lift, not droop!”
Step 4: Soften Eyes With Smudged Liner
Geller loves smudged eyeliner for mature eyes. “It’s a softer, more forgiving way to define your eyes,” she says. “Choose creamy pencil liners in rich neutrals like brown or bronze—they glide on smoothly and blend easily.” She recommends smudging with a brush or fingertip for a lived-in look. Pro tip: “Use a light beige on the waterline to keep eyes bright and open—it’s chic at any age.”
Step 5: Try Monochrome Lids
Monochrome lids are in for spring, and mature women can easily embrace this trend. “Stick with gentle shades that enhance your eye color,” Geller suggests. “Neutral beige or soft pink is always flattering. Avoid dramatic shades like dark blue, which can look harsh.”
For green eyes, she recommends light pink; warm browns flatter blue eyes, while copper or bronze adds depth to brown eyes. “The key is soft, enhancing shades—nothing overpowering,” she says.
Swift prefers creamy or hydrating eyeshadows that won’t dry out mature lids. “Apply with your finger and blend upward for a seamless look.”“A single wash of color on the eyes is effortlessly chic at any age,” she says. “It’s quick, modern, and brightens the eyes.”
Mineral Fusion Summer Vacation Eyeshadow
$29 → $20 | [AMAZON](LINK)
Lisa Eldridge Liquid Silk Eyeshadow
$37 | [LISA ELDRIDGE](LINK)
Trinny London Eye2Eye Cream Eyeshadow
$26 | [TRINNY LONDON](LINK)
Merit Beauty Solo Shadow
$24 | [MERIT BEAUTY](LINK)
### Step 6: Boost Your Lashes
“Mascara is the finishing touch for eye makeup,” says Geller—and it works for women of all ages. “Many mascaras focus on just one thing, like volume or length, but I prefer one that does it all.” She recommends formulas that add volume, length, and deep pigment to define the eyes, which can appear less prominent with age.
While brown mascara is trendy, Swift insists on “Always black!” for mature lashes. “It brightens the eyes and makes the whites appear whiter. Brown can accentuate redness or yellowness in the eyes as we age.”
Before applying, curl lashes and comb through if they clump. Eldridge’s tip: “Focus on the roots first—hold the wand there and gently wiggle before sweeping outward. Repeat a few times, then lightly coat the tips.”
Geller suggests applying mascara to lower lashes for balance, but Swift advises skipping them if lashes are sparse, as they can cast shadows and weigh the eyes down.
Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara
$33 | [NORDSTROM](LINK)
Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara
$33 | [NORDSTROM](LINK)
Kevyn Aucoin The Volime Mascara
$32 | [DERMSTORE](LINK)
Westman Atelier Eye Want You Mascara
$45 | [NORDSTROM](LINK)
### Step 7: Finish with a Soft Lip
For warm weather, lightweight lip tints and stains are ideal—especially for mature lips. Swift advises against long-wear lipsticks, which can be drying, and recommends hydrating formulas with antioxidants instead.
Celebrity makeup artist Fabiola suggests choosing a shade one step darker than your natural lip color for a youthful flush. If you want to experiment with bold colors, Eldridge recommends tapping a stain lightly onto the center of the lips and blending outward for a soft, diffused look.
To prevent feathering, Geller’s trick is to “start with lip liner to define the shape, then fill in the entire lip for staying power. Top with a balm or lip oil for a natural finish.”
Estée Lauder Pure Color Melt-On Glosstick
$38 | [ESTEE LAUDER](LINK)
SWEED Le Lipstick Crayon
$28 | [AMAZON](LINK)
Clarins Hydrating Water Lip Stain
$32 | [NORDSTROM](LINK)
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner
$26 | [CHARLOTTE TILBURY](LINK)Meet the Experts
Lisa Eldridge is a celebrity makeup artist and the founder of Lisa Eldridge Beauty, known for working with stars like Kate Winslet.
Fabiola is a celebrity makeup artist specializing in clients over 50, including Hillary Swank and Padma Lakshmi.
Laura Geller is a makeup artist and the founder of Laura Geller Beauty and Laura Geller Makeup Studios.
Charlotte Tilbury is a makeup artist and the founder, CEO, and creative director of her namesake brand, Charlotte Tilbury.
Rose-Marie Swift is a makeup artist and the creator of RMS Beauty.