Expert Tips for How to Apply Foundation on Mature Skin
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Time to read: 3 min
IN THIS ARTICLE
Watch how our Co-Founder, Kim Wileman, demonstrates her signature technique using
The Original No Makeup Makeup® Foundation and Brush
We’ve seen beauty routines change again and again, but we always return to the idea that whether you’re looking for a glam look or a natural look, the goal of foundation is to enhance the appearance of your skin, instead of masking it. The best feeling is when you apply your foundation and your skin still looks like skin, just more even and radiant.
As we age, our skin naturally changes. Hormonal shifts, perimenopause, menopause, and years of sun exposure all play a role. What worked in our 20s and 30s often doesn’t anymore, which can make makeup feel more complicated and less intuitive than it used to.
“When you look better, you feel better,” says our founder, Victoria Jackson, and we couldn’t agree more. So, we asked experts like Kim Wileman, Co-Founder and CEO of No Makeup Makeup®, and celebrity makeup artist Johnny Saade to share their best tips for applying makeup to mature skin.
Tip 1: Don’t Skip Skin Prep
Skincare is key, but it doesn’t have to be long or complicated. Your prep plays an important role in how makeup looks and feels. Before applying makeup, Kim Wileman, Co-Founder and CEO of No Makeup Makeup® recommends washing your face with a gentle cleanser, followed by a lightweight moisturizer to ensure the skin is properly hydrated.
Tip 2: Choose a Hydrating Foundation
For skin with fine lines or wrinkles, you’ll want to pick a product that smooths the skin and is engineered to blur discoloration on the face. Foundations that combine hydration and buildable coverage tend to perform beautifully on mature skin.
Hollywood Makeup Artist Johnny Saade recommends picking products that enhance the complexion, while still supporting the skin. “Choosing products with skin-first ingredients like jojoba oil and vitamin E helps replenish moisture and creates the ideal canvas for makeup,” he shares.
Johnny also gravitates towards cream-based formulas, rather than powders because of how they apply to the skin. Creams melt into the skin, and tend to reflect light in a softer, more flattering way than powder products, which can emphasize fine lines or dryness.
For aging skin, Kim suggests The Original No Makeup Makeup® Foundation, a cream-balm formula designed to blur and diffuse redness, camouflage dark circles, and even out hyperpigmentation, without settling into texture or creasing into fine lines. “Mature skin deserves a formula that actually addresses what it's going through,” she explains.
Tip 3: Application is Everything
Before you do your makeup, think about what you can enhance with product, not erase. Natural-looking foundation on mature skin means embracing what makes your skin real, whether it be crow's feet, texture, or natural dimension of the face.
Using a brush is one of the easiest ways to achieve a seamless, natural-looking application. The key is using a soft, tapered brush that can move with the contours of your face and diffuse product as you blend.
As we age, we might feel the urge to actually apply more product to get the coverage that we think we want. Kim’s tip? Less is best. Applying your foundation in thin, buildable layers will make it easier to add coverage where it’s truly needed, so that your foundation still looks like skin. “You want to look polished, not painted,” she says.
Highlights
Foundation should enhance your skin, not mask it.
Hydrating, cream-based foundations work best for mature skin.
Apply foundation in thin, buildable layers for a more natural finish.
Proper skin prep is essential for a radiant, "no makeup" makeup look.
