You can thank me later ladies–I’m a giver and I give you the two best foundations for mature skin!
You know I’ll do anything for you–even if it means years of research for the right foundation!
I cannot begin to tell you about my struggle for a great foundation. I swear it is a struggle that starts when you are a teenager trying to hide pimples when Clearasil just didn’t cut it.
OMG. I can still feel the drying effects of this on my chin. And forehead. And cheeks.
Am I right??
Ah…that squeeze tube with the plastic coating that would peel off in my purse. But the fact is the nude colored Clearasil did hide the small blemishes. And then I graduated to…
Cover Girl Foundation! Hey. Raise your hand if CG was your first foundation!
I’ll do one better. I actually remember this ad with Cybill Shepherd. I wanted to look like her! I can still smell this foundation!
Oh—and because my nubile skin had a greasy and oily “T” zone, I used Angel Face powder.
It’s hard for me to come to terms that my skin was oily enough to use powder. Powder hasn’t touched my face for years!
I’m not kidding when I tell you that I can still smell both those products and the scents were lovely.
Then I went through a period of not using foundation at all. My skin cleared up, I was in my twenties and working and stuck to eye makeup, a bit of blush and lipstick.
Then I had kids and my cosmetics routine diminished down to Chapstick, which I still use every day, mascara and a bit of blush. My eyebrows were still thick and so were my lashes. I didn’t even need eyeliner.
Then I suddenly found myself in my forties—like it happened overnight! And my eyebrows started gradually thinning. My skin started to change—it was getting a bit dry and red and I was acquiring fine lines!
And then the great search for foundation had begun! I was still young enough that I could get by with a drugstore brand. And for a long time, it was L’Oréal’s True Match. In C-3. And as my skin aged, it started getting drier and the True Match was no longer a true match for me.
Inexpensive and a ton of shades to choose from. It worked for many years!
I used many foundations during these years of searching and the one foundation that I did purchase for quite some time was the Makeup Forever HD Foundation. I really really liked this. But something happened and either the formula changed or my aging skin was working against me. The foundation didn’t work for me anymore. It became cakey. And if I used too much, my face looked arid.
This foundation worked for a long time! And suddenly–it stopped!
It was not my best look!
Picture my skin looking like this. Dry and Cakey. With a few unplucked hairs sticking outta the cracks!
And so, the search continued. I tried various foundations from many well-known brands. Monsieur Bonaparte, my personal beauty consultant, and beauty critique, was never at a loss of words—French or English to say to me “Whah do ou ‘av on yeour fhaaaaaahhhzzzz?” “Izz terrible!” “Vous avez l’air de Merde!” “Tek zhat off maintenant!”
Frenchmen. They tell it like it is!
This is NOT a photo of Bonaparte on the terrace looking out at the Mediterranean Sea. He is actually inspecting my face for cracks in the foundation!
Oh, the money I wasted! Shameful!
And through trial and error and more money wasted, I finally found two great foundations that work on my wrinkled, lined, saggy, over-60 face!
Becca and Marc Jacobs.
Here they are. The two foundations that really work for the “over 60 face”. I wrote about both in the past but after much thought, I realized these ARE the two best foundations!
(CAVEAT—my go-to inexpensive foundation is by e.l.f. I use it for travel but I’m not talking drug-store brands today. I’m writing about the non-drug store foundations)
I’ve been using the Marc Jacobs, Super-Charged Genius Gel Foundation for well over a year now. My color is Number 26, Medium Bisque. The foundation comes in a range of 16 shades. My only hope is that it doesn’t go the route of discontinuation as so many of the things I rely on go! And at $48 a bottle, it’s pricey but I’ve had this same bottle for over a year! It lasts a long time!
It’s oil-free but isn’t drying. I’m not going to say that it is a hydrating foundation because it isn’t. The finish is nice. It’s more on the sheer side but with building the coverage improves.
It is easy to apply—and by that, I mean it doesn’t clump or run. I use a damp beauty blender and then brush with my large spoon brush to finish it off.
Next is the Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation. My shade is “Fair” and unlike the selection of the Jacobs foundation, this foundation offers a selection of nine shades. At $44 a bottle it’s not much different in price than the Jacobs.
The texture is a bit thicker than the Jacobs foundation but it goes on very lightly. During the few weeks of this past winter, when my skin was incredibly dry, the foundation wasn’t working for me. However, now that my skin is in better shape, I’m back to using this.
I also find that I do not need as much of the Becca foundation as with the Jacobs.
On the left is the Marc Jacobs Foundation. On the right is the Becca. The Becca is slightly darker–but you can’t tell the difference once applied!
Each foundation has different qualities, but both of these are absolute gems for the over 60 face!
I’m also not going to lie to you. These foundations are not miracle workers. Neither will get rid of the lines and wrinkles. Neither will make us look younger either. But both will enhance our skin and give a healthier glow and appearance. Both will assist in reducing the redness and uneven skin tone. And at this stage, that is a great thing!
Here’s how I applied: NOTE–I applied the Jacobs to one side and the Becca to the other side and I forgot which side is which. Sorry but that only proves they are very similar foundations.
First step. After moisturizing, I applied SkinActives Collagen Serum. I’ve been using this as a primer these days too. I’m about to order my third bottle. I freakin’ LOVE this stuff! It is inexpensive and it WORKS!!! The price went up to $15.50 but it is better than any of the expensive serums. I don’t alternative fact ladies!
OK. I think maybe I applied the Becca on the right side of my face. I use a beauty blending sponge and then a smaller one in the cracks and buff with my spoon brush.
After the foundation is applied. No smoke and mirrors here gals. I purposely took photos in non-friendly light that shows all my wrinkles, lines and crevices!
This is 60 Plus and I ain’t gonna hide it! But I’ll even it out!
Here we have the almost finished look. I used eyeshadow as liner. I need lipstick. See the wrinkles in my lips?
Now I just need to get dressed and fix my hair!
All done! Like my hair? It’s a wig. I’m working on another post about….you guessed it–hair!
Remember, we aren’t getting younger but we should never give up on trying to look our best! It isn’t vanity. It is an appreciation of self!
Never give up!! Don’t give up on yourself or your looks! There’s a lot of livin’ in those 60+ years and plenty to celebrate! Look your best YOU!!
I realize that finding the right foundation can be like pulling mussels from a shell but once you find that special one—or two, life is sweet. Hmmmm. Did I mention “Pulling Mussels?” It must be because I was listening to Squeeze in the car yesterday!
