“My biggest tip is to always prep your skin before makeup,” says Geller. “Start with a hydrating moisturizer, then apply this primer to create a smooth and supple base so your foundation glides on evenly and looks flawless.” The formula is packed with hydration thanks to shea butter, jojoba oil, and squalane, but it also smooths pores and texture, per Oprah Daily beauty director Kate Sandoval Box in her review of the primer. “As we age, our skin naturally becomes drier and benefits from nourishing, comfortable formulas that smooth the skin,” says Geller.
This formula is one of Taylor’s favorite complexion products because “it has skincare ingredients, like hyaluronic acid and peptides, to make you look fresh and hydrated while also providing coverage,” she says.
Taylor’s important application tip: “One of the biggest mistakes I see is waiting too long after applying skincare to put on makeup. When skincare fully dries down, it can create a film on the skin and cause foundation to pill or sit unevenly. Be sure to apply makeup while the skin is still slightly dewy, so everything blends seamlessly.”
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Prep your eyes just like you prep your face, says Taylor. Before applying your under-eye concealer, layer a little bit of this eye oil underneath. “It softens and nourishes the delicate under-eye skin, which makes concealer look smoother instantly,” she says. This formula contains tomato, marine bamboo extracts, and coffee oil to brighten and soften the appearance of lines and wrinkles. The rollerball applicator makes it easy to glide the perfect amount of product underneath the eyes without a mess.
Hydrating makeup is the name of the game when it comes to mature skin. That’s why Gerstein recommends this moisturizing concealer, which comes in a wide range of skin tones. In addition to effectively concealing darkness, discoloration, and redness, it also helps to improve the appearance of each of these concerns, thanks to caffeine, pink algae extract, hyaluronic acid, peptides, arnica, and panthenol.
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There’s a trick to powder if you have mature skin: use it “minimally and mindfully,” says Gerstein. “Apply only in strategic areas to set makeup or to blur any texture you want to smooth over.” Taylor agrees: “Mature skin doesn’t need heavy powder application because it can instantly emphasize texture and fine lines, especially under the eyes. I avoid powdering the under-eye area altogether since that’s where skin is the driest and most delicate.” Instead, she recommends using a soft, fluffy brush to apply this hydrating powder only where you need it, such as the T-zone. This is talc-free, which “looks softer and is less drying on mature skin,” Taylor says.
Both Gerstein and Taylor say this skincare-infused setting spray is a must-have, especially after using powder. “It takes away that dry, powdery look and brings life back to the makeup,” says Taylor. The combination of ceramides, ginger flower water, and lime pearl extract hydrates the skin, supports the skin barrier, and gently exfoliates for a more luminous and radiant complexion.
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Add this color corrector into your routine, and you won’t need as much concealer and foundation, which means it’s less likely for things to get cakey, heavy, or thick, Gerstein says. It neutralizes dark circles, discoloration, and redness under the eyes or around post-pimple blemishes (thanks, perimenopausal acne).
Getting older can sometimes cause lips to lose definition, volume, and fullness, which can lead to lipstick feathering and smudging. But this lip liner changes the game. The domed shape “defines lips without creating that harsh outline around the mouth, and still prevents feathering,” Gerstein says. You can use it as a lipstick, too. “The easy shape lends itself to filling in the entire lip if you want.”
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Add a gloss into your routine to make lips appear full and plump. Gerstein recommends this formula because it creates the illusion of volume without the tackiness of a typical lip gloss. “It comes in three shades, all of which are lovely and soft,” she adds. The formula is packed with ceramides and plumping peptides to help boost fullness over time as well.
In general, you want to opt for cream over powder formulas, and that includes blush. “As we mature, matte textures can make skin look flat and emphasize dryness and fine lines. I encourage switching to more cream-based formulas and choosing makeup that’s infused with skincare benefits,” Taylor says. “These products move with the skin, add hydration, and help create that healthy, radiant finish that looks modern and flattering at any age.”
Both Taylor and Gerstein like Merit formulas because they do just that. Make sure to apply your blush slightly higher than the apples of your cheeks. “This lifts the face rather than dragging features downward,” adds Taylor. (Our editors also love the brand; read our full review here.)
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Whether your thinning brows are due to aging or the physical trauma of over-tweezing in the early aughts, adding a brow gel helps fill in sparse areas easily. This formula offers sheer coverage, making it foolproof to use. Rake it through your brows and watch it instantly “add feathery texture and definition that looks beautiful and fresh,” says Gerstein.
Name a more iconic mascara. If you’ve been using this all your life, then good news: there’s no reason to stop now. “If lashes are thinner or more fragile, then a smaller mascara brush, like this one, can grab each lash at the root. Wiggle the wand, and lift upward as you apply. That lifting motion instantly opens the eyes,” says Taylor.
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Available in shimmer and matte finishes, these cream eyeshadows glide across textured lids beautifully. Geller and Taylor recommend applying color higher than your crease so it remains visible when your eyes are open. “I’m known for saying “over the river and through the hood” as I apply eye shadow to remind you that it needs to go on the hooded part of your lids,” says Taylor. “Keeping shadow slightly above the natural crease helps lift and open the eyes instead of letting them disappear under the hood.”
Geller says that black eyeliner can appear dark and heavy on mature eyes. “Reach for nudes or soft browns to brighten and open the eyes,” she says. A super creamy liner, like this one, “is soft and blendable, so it doesn’t tug at delicate skin. Still, it’s densely pigmented to add fast definition around the eyes, and stays in place while still being easy to remove when the time comes,” says Gerstein.
Genesis Rivas is the Beauty Editor at Oprah Daily, where she covers hair, makeup, skin, nails, and more. Before joining the Oprah Daily team, she wrote for several publications, including InStyle, Real Simple, and Shape. When she’s not testing, researching, and writing fun and educational beauty content, you can find her dancing and eating her way through New York City. Follow her on Instagram or TikTok
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