Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: aging. Or rather, let’s not talk about it like it’s a crime scene we need to “fix.” 🕵️♀️🔍 Raise your hand if you’ve ever panic-bought a “miracle” foundation that promised to erase your laugh lines but just made you look like a powdered donut. 🙋♀️ Guilty. But here’s the tea: chasing “agelessness” is exhausting. So, I rebelled. I tossed my full-coverage concealers and started playing with makeup that celebrates my face—crow’s feet included. And guess what? My confidence skyrocketed. Let me tell you why hiding less actually made me glow more.
First off, let’s unpack the myth that “aging” equals “flawed.” I used to layer on thick foundations to blur my “imperfections,” only to realize I’d turned my face into a flat, lifeless canvas. 🎨 Then I stumbled on a game-changer: sheer formulas. Swap that cakey full-coverage for a tinted moisturizer with a dewy finish—Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint became my holy grail. It lets my freckles peek through and doesn’t settle into fine lines. Pro tip: Apply with fingers to warm up the product—it melts into skin like a filter, but real.
Now, let’s talk about the real magic: strategic shimmer. ✨ I used to avoid glitter like it was responsible for my student loans, but a makeup artist friend changed my mind. “Highlight where the light naturally hits—not where you want to distract,” she said. So, I dabbed a liquid highlighter (RMS Beauty’s Living Luminizer, if you’re curious) on my cheekbones, brow bones, and the inner corners of my eyes. Suddenly, my face had dimension again. The lines around my eyes? They just looked like part of the glow.
But here’s the plot twist: I stopped “contouring” my wrinkles into oblivion. Instead, I embraced cream blushes swept over my laugh lines. Why? Because blending blush across apples of cheeks and up toward temples creates a lifted effect without trying to “reshape” your face. Try Merit’s Flush Balm—it’s foolproof and looks like you’ve just come back from a tropical vacation. 🌴
And eyebrows! For years, I over-plucked to chase that “youthful arch,” only to end up with sparse commas that made me look permanently startled. 😳 Now, I let them grow wild and use a tinted gel (Glossier Boy Brow, duh) to fluff them up. Fuller brows frame the face way better than any Botox-lift illusion.
Oh, and let’s not forget lips. That matte liquid lipstick trend? A desert for mature lips. Instead, I opt for hydrating balms with a hint of color—like Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatment. Swipe it on, and suddenly your lips look juicy, not parched. Bonus: It’s forgiving if your lip line softens over time (which, newsflash, is totally normal).
But here’s the real secret weapon: mindset. 💥 I stopped treating makeup like a disguise and started using it as a celebration. Every time I accentuate my silver strands with a glossy hair serum or play up my eyes with a bronze shadow, I’m not hiding—I’m highlighting the life I’ve lived. And honestly? Nothing’s sexier than that kind of confidence.