There comes a point when you look in the mirror and realize the concealer you've been using forever isn't doing you any favors anymore.
You put it under your eyes to hide the dark circles... and somehow you've managed to make every little line more noticeable.
So you add a little more.
Big mistake.
Now you have dark circles and concealer sitting in places you didn't even know you had places.
Welcome to makeup after 50. :)
The good news? You probably don't need more makeup. You may just need to change how you're using it.
Our Skin Changed. Our Makeup Needs to Change Too.
As our skin matures, it tends to become drier and thinner, and we start losing some of the elasticity we had when we were younger.
And yet, for some reason, we're still trying to apply concealer the way we did at 30.
I'm a big believer that makeup should make our skin look better — not make us look like we're wearing more makeup.
That starts before the concealer ever comes out of the tube.
Hydrate First. Seriously.
If you've followed Beauty Cafe for any length of time, you probably know I'm a longtime fan of Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré.
And when I say longtime, I mean longtime.
I've been using it almost every day for nearly 20 years.
It's one of those products I keep coming back to because it does exactly what I need it to do. It's a wonderful moisturizer, but it also creates a beautiful base underneath makeup.
Especially concealer.
When the skin underneath your eyes is dry, adding more pigment on top isn't going to magically make it look smoother. Give your moisturizer a few minutes to settle into the skin first.
That little bit of prep can make a surprisingly big difference.
Stop Putting Concealer Everywhere
Remember when we were told to draw a giant triangle of concealer underneath each eye?
Can we officially retire that?
You don't necessarily need concealer across your entire under-eye area.
Look in the mirror and find where the darkness actually is.
For many of us, the deepest shadow is concentrated around the inner corner of the eye and extends slightly underneath it.
Start with a tiny amount and gently blend it outward.
You can always add more.
Taking it away once you've applied half the tube is considerably more difficult. :)
More Concealer Does NOT Mean More Coverage
This is probably the biggest mistake I see.
Something isn't covered, so naturally we add more product.
Then more.
Then maybe just a teensy bit more...
And suddenly our concealer has developed its own zip code.
Highly pigmented products work differently.
You don't need a thick layer to get serious coverage. In fact, you'll often get a much prettier result by using a tiny amount of concentrated pigment exactly where you need it.
This happens to be one of the reasons I've loved Keromask Camouflage Cream for so many years.
Keromask isn't really a traditional concealer. It's a highly concentrated camouflage cream designed for situations where regular concealer simply isn't giving you enough coverage.
And a little goes a very long way.
The trick isn't piling it on.
The trick is learning how little you actually need.
Sometimes Concealer Isn't the Problem — Color Is
Here's another little beauty lesson that can save you from applying layer after layer of concealer.
Sometimes darkness needs to be corrected before it can be concealed.
Blue, purple, red and brown discoloration can behave differently underneath makeup. If you keep putting a skin-colored concealer over a strongly contrasting color, you may end up using far more product than necessary.
That's where color correction comes in.
The right correcting tone can help neutralize the discoloration first, which means you may need much less camouflage product over it.
And less product usually means a much more natural-looking finish.
We'll get into color correction in another Beauty Cafe post because that subject deserves one all its own.
Be Careful With Powder
Powder and mature skin have a somewhat complicated relationship.
A little can help set makeup beautifully.
A lot can make every tiny line stand up and introduce itself.
If you need to set your concealer, try using the smallest amount possible and concentrate it only where you actually need it.
You don't have to "bake" your face just because someone on TikTok told you to.
I promise. :)
Your Makeup Isn't Supposed to Make You Look 25
And frankly, I'm perfectly fine with that.
I don't want makeup that makes me look like a completely different person.
I want my skin to look like my skin — on a really good day.
That's always been my philosophy with Beauty Cafe.
Use products you love. Learn how to use them well. And don't feel like you have to chase every new beauty trend that comes along.
Sometimes the product you've loved for years still works beautifully.
You just need to use it a little differently than you did 20 years ago.
And if your everyday concealer really isn't giving you the coverage you need anymore?
That's when it might be time to explore the difference between concealer and camouflage makeup.
Funny you should mention it...
I think I know what we're talking about next. :)
