There’s a lot I have to say about this “less-is-more” makeup vibe that has come to be my new normal.

Even the host/makeup artist from Glow Up Makeup on the BBC agrees that less is more! I’m in good company!

And there’s good reason: at 67, which is soon to be veering more towards 70 and less from my 60’s, my skin has changed over the years. A lot. And I’m sure yours, if you are around my age, has too.  Even in the past seven years since I started this blog, the change has been quite profound.

Me. At 32 when Roman was a year old.  I miss my hair.

Mo’ hair. Mo’ Makeup’ Less blotchiness. Great Glasses! I’ve definitely aged. A lot! It happens.

My skin is blotchier. I’m not gonna go all out and say I have rosacea, because its one of the few aging skin processes I don’t have. However, there is an unevenness in my skin tone that has become quite noticeable.  I have, due to sun exposure, more freckles and age spots. I have lines—not deep set but definite lines and the one thing that really makes me cringe are the cracks around the edges of my mouth and towards my chin.

No makeup. Mo’ freckles or age spots–whatever they are, they are there.  Mo’ uneven skin tone. Mo’ wrinkles. It happens. It’s aging!

But..it’s life. It is the ageing process and unless you can afford fillers on a regular basis or a very excellent face lift (as in checking in to NYC’s Hospital for Special Surgery) done under the expertise of Dr. Andrew Jacono, which most of us cannot afford because we are not wealthy nor are we in the socio-economic grouping of the mega-rich, you gotta learn to deal with the aging face with a French shrug, and work around what aging has done to your face.

I know I’m being hypocritical and I am not ashamed; however, if I won a few million in the lottery tomorrow (or next week), I would be plopping my ass at this guy’s office and getting a face lift–because I could afford it!!

Ain’t gonna lie. I have abused my skin. And whilst abusing my epidermis, it’s been an enjoyable abuse.  Summers of my entire life spent at beaches from Rockaway Beach, New York, to Long Island’s Robert Moses; Fire Island and Montauk. Returning back to NYC to live and spending weekend Saturdays on Long Beach.  To annual summer visits to the Côte d’Azur enjoying the beaches along the Mediterranean Sea.

Yes. I have done this.  I am not ashamed.

I’ve paid a price in the form of MOHS surgery on my face and have to make a dermatologist appointment this week for removal of an epidermoid cyst. It’s so gross and infected and, I did use sunscreen)

..I’m pretty sure the surgeon was thinking this with an “…I’m making a ton of money because of your stupidity”

I shan’t apologize for my love of the summer. I grew up on the beach and to this day, I am most relaxed when I am sitting at ocean’s edge with a good book.  And winter can be just as damaging to skin.

What can I say except that I love the time we spend at the beach–whether in France or the States!

Alas! Let’s not dwell of our shortcomings but let us move forward as to how I am taking a new approach to my face.

I have stopped wearing foundation. That is the greatest and probably kindest thing I can do for me at this juncture in my life journey.  You see, where I used to be able to wear foundation to even out my skin tone, I can’t do it anymore.  Any and every base makeup will settle into the cracks, crevices and wrinkles of the aging face. Some more than others.  On special occasions I’ll carefully stipple a bit of foundation or face makeup where need be, but I won’t allow it to travel further than the small portion of my visage that is smooth.

Bare faced. nothing except moisturizer. My lips are very pigmented. My nose got larger as I’ve aged. I have odd things on my face. My eyes are wonky. And I have wrinkles and cracks–just like old leather. I’m not even gonna discuss the turkey neck!

Instead, I’ve learned to apply a minimal amount of makeup yet achieve quite nice results.  I’ll show you how below.  But first, I want to tell you about products that I stand by.. At the end of this post, I’ll add a link to a new list on my Amazon Storefront. It’s essentials for mature skin. Some of the products, such as Subtl Beauty are not sold on Amazon so I did not add dupes or substitutes because I use only this particular brand.

I’ve written it before and I’ll write it again. I have a love/hate relationship with makeup brands. The majority of them pontificate equality by showcasing all races, all genders with one exception—the wrinkled, aging person. And even the young models are blurred and photoshopped.

Yes. I must put my face on and I use a lot of cosmetics but the majority of cosmetics companies are afraid of me and my aging!

As “mature” woman it is my mission to show you the reality. The ugly truth and turn that into something more pleasing without smoke and mirrors—without blurs or filters.  Today it is indoor light near a window because it is bee season and I’m allergic to bees. I don’t want to end up in the ER today.

So, let’s move on–again, here I am in my bare face!

No photoshopping. No filters. No blurs. Pure, aging, old-lady skin. Real life ladies. Not some overly processed, filtered Instagram pic.

I have used “Goldies Natural Beauty” Orange Cypress Lotion on my body and face! I’ve been using this every since it was placed in our hotel room at the Wythe hotel in Brooklyn some years ago. It is liquid, hydrating—and it multitasks. One lotion is all I need! Especially for summer!

This. I use this religiously over the summer and just reordered. I cannot be without it. Although I use other moisturizers, this is my favorite because I use it on my face too!  It isn’t too heavy.  Doesn’t irritate my eyes and does the job!

My skin is a bit blotchy because the tan is beginning to fade. And, as my face was constantly in a book during our time at the beach, the sun didn’t hit the areas that my sunglasses covered.  In order to “even” out the tone, I took Seint cream bronzer—it was the first cream bronzer I reached for, and stippled it on the areas that needed to be evened out—then I blended with my Leia Beauty blender. Honestly, this is the greatest blender of all time. I used it this summer to apply sunscreen to my face. I apply cream, blush, whatever. I love this little naughty-looking tool.

It might look a bit wonky but I’ve had this for almost two years. Lasts forever and if it expired so what–it still does the job.

I swear by this. For blending foundation or cc cream or sunscreen or blush or cream bronzer, this is the greatest little tool–even if it looks a bit naughty!

Next, I took concealer and a small Real Techniques mini blender to use as a primer on my eyes. Experts recommend not doing using concealer as primer but you know what? It works for me and you need such a tiny amount!  I’ve been using the Tarte brand for almost a year and there is still plenty left—that’s how little you need.

This mini blender from Real Techniques is perfect for blending concealer-as-eye primer on lids and in corners.

The “experts” say don’t use concealer as eye primer. Don’t listen to the experts.

The concealer gives a good base and acts like the glue to hold the eyeshadow. My eyeshadow lasts all day.

Next are the brows. My brows are not identical twins and I am not going for that effect. I’m going for a more natural look. And, again, contrary to what the “experts” say, I love a dark brow. I was born with dark brows and I shall spend my days with my brows entering the dark side.  I use Trestiques’s Brow Crayon which is my Holy Grail—I have a subscription to this product. That’s how much I love it.  It stays on all day—even during the sweatiest, most humidity-filled dog days of summer.  I have one in each of my Trestique travel sets and mini versions in my mini-travel sets. I love this.  I also swipe elf brow gel in an upward motion to achieve that natural, fuller brow.  At five bucks the elf brow gel is wonderful!

And at five dollars, the elf brow gel is steller. Just as good, if not better than Glossier’s Boy Brow.

Now its eye shadow.  I have weird eyes—since my eyes are naturally crossed due to amblyopia and strabismus, they are two different entities and two different shapes. It used to bother me when I was younger. And, truth be told, even into adulthood, I’ve always felt “ugly”—especially when people made fun of me. Yes. From grammar school into adulthood, people made fun of and added snark about my eyes.  These days it doesn’t bother me anymore—at least I can see out of one eye so it’s all good.

A perfect neutral duo, Subtl Beauty’s Cruise duo is wonderfully pigmented. I’ll use the darker in the evening when The Frenchman and I go out. But for day, the lighter shade is all you need!

I’m using “Cruise” powdered shadow from Subtl Beauty. I swear by this brand. The eyeshadows contain no talc. They are smooth as butter and pigmented like nobody’s business! I love the shade of the lighter of the two shadows in Cruise because it is reminiscent of the discontinued MAC shade Quarry that I loved so much.  It gives a nice definition to the eyes.

Okay. We’re getting there!

And, as with Trestique, I have a stack of Subtl Beauty’s makeup in my travel bags and purses.

I suppose you could say that I’m well-stacked!

I curl the eyelashes with an inexpensive eyelash curler. I don’t use Latisse anymore because, quite frankly, I forget to apply it.

My eyelash curler is used every day. Even when I don’t wear mascara!

Besides, mascara does the job.   Today I’m priming the lashes with Milk primer and using Thrive mascara. I usually use L’Oréal primer and L’Oréal Voluminous mascara but I grabbed these items first.

I purchased the Milk brand eyelash primer at TJ Maxx in the sale bin. I don’t even know if it is still made. The Thrive mascara is incredible–but pricey. I use it for special occasions.

A swipe of Trestique blush in pink. Oops. I spot a lady whisker on my chin. Time to get the tweezer out.

The minis!  I don’t know if the brand makes mini sets any  more but I used this mini-blush and mini eye liner crayon today. I will say that next to the brow crayon, the eyeliner crayon is superb! Another HG of mine!

Done!  Lastly, the lips. Okay. You know how I’m a sucker for multi-tasking. The pink shadow due from Subtl Beauty, Wanderlust just doesn’t work on my eyes. Any pinkish eyeshadows make me look as though I’ve been crying or my allergies are acting up.  So, some days I use this pretty pink eyeshadow as blush but today, I’m using it as lip color!

The Wanderlust eyeshadow duo doesn’t work for me on the eyes but as blush and lip color–it’s great! And a swipe of Biossance Vegan Lip Balm  gives the lips a nice shine!

Yeah. You read it right. Lip color!  I tap the color into place then go over it with a clear lip gloss.

Yup! Eyeshadow-as-lip color. Who’da thunk?  I thunk–that’s who!

And here we go! The finished face with a head o’ hair plopped atop my noggin. I’m wearing Ocean by Estetica Designs. I don’t recall the color but I love the blondeness!

Sweet mother of Mary. I always feel better when the glasses are on!

Sigh. I’ve been told, from my reviews on YouTube (which I rarely do anymore because nobody watches me) that I need to use more lip color. I despise red lip color on me simply because I feel that red doesn’t look great on some mature women. For me, it’s a miss.  However, I do have a bright lip balm from MOB beauty that I’ll glide on over a clear gloss when a little “oomph” is rarely needed.

I never noticed how much this lip balm by MOB Beauty resembles my OPI Cajun Shrimp nail color!  I do dab this VERY LIGHTLY on my mouth for a touch more color!

See? Very discreet–just a hint more color.

And when all else fails—sunglasses are the greatest beauty accessory!

I’m in love with these glasses by Sojos. They are polarized and mirrored. And they look so darn good–very  Byrds-inspired!

One can never own too many pairs of sunnies. These readers are always at the beach with me.

Here’s my Amazon List: Mature Beauty Essentials for you to shop. (Yes. I’m shilling—but I’m shilling products I use and love)!

Remember. Wrinkles. Lines. Other imperfections–they are what makes you YOU! Embrace aging (even though I would get a face lift if I had the money). 

Last words. Do NOT, and I repeat do NOT allow any of the influencer photos on Instagram that are filtered and blurred make you feel less about yourself. Those photos are smoke and mirrors. They are not real.  All you need is a bit of makeup. And if you don’t want to wear any makeup–that’s fine too!

Hope your holiday weekend was wonderful. XOXOXOXO