the sunday brief | spring skincare and beauty tips

it’s mid-april, gang. spring has sprung. okay, some parts of the country are still getting hammered with another snowstorm (God bless you). but when the seasons change it’s time to switch gears with our skincare and makeup routines.

today i’m sharing an everyday makeup look. while makeup is a key factor in looking our best. a flawless face starts with great skincare. if i’m going to spend big bucks it will always be with skincare. because i want my skin to look plump, bright, firm(er). and i try my best to find products that diminish the sun damage i encountered during my sun worshipping days. what were we thinking when we slathered our bodies with baby oil then baked for hours?! good grief…

personally, i do not want to look as young as i can for as long as i can. my aim is to look the best that i can no matter what age. if you’re interested to learn more of my thoughts on aging please read how to boldly age with Livestrong.com.

according to many leading dermatologists, it’s important to use a variety of products. the recommendation is to switch skincare products every three to six months. why? our skin builds a tolerance to any product we use consistently.  if you’re wondering if that anti-aging serum you love doesn’t seem to give the results it once did, you’re not crazy. most likely it isn’t performing as well as it did in the beginning.

but there’s good news. skincare ingredients like vitamin C, retinoids or peptides are commonly used across the beauty and skincare industry. so if your skin has built up a tolerance to one specific product try a different brand. each brand creates formulas that activate different enzymes. switching to another brand is all you need to do to get your skincare groove back. so feel free to mix and match your skin care products and regularly try new items. and there’s no better time to change your routine than with a seasonal switch.

here’s a list of some of my favorite skin care products.

elemis nourishing omega rich cleansing oil, elemis pro-collagen cleansing balm, sulwhasoo timeless treasure renovating serum, elemis pro-collagen marine cream, biossance squalane + vitamin C rose oil, strivectin melting cleanser, elemis superfood berry boost mask, strivectin s.t.a.r. light retinol night oil, perricone md intensive overnight moisturizer, biossance squalane glycolic renewal facial, and sulwhasoo ginseng renewing cream.

now, onto my everyday makeup routine. come spring and summer we all want lighter and brighter makeup products. but as we age, we need to take a close look at the products we’re using. makeup should be our friend, not our enemy. we cannot paint over the cracks with foundation. but we do want an even bright skin tone. for me, skin tone is the most important factor. not hiding my wrinkles. so i look for a foundation that gives a smooth texture. for the past year, i’ve combined tinted moisturizer with foundation. dab equal parts of each then blend. for a flawless finish that makeup artists deliver, i use an automated brush from blendSmart that’s fantastic. but before my foundation is applied i prime my skin with sunscreen and primer.

eye makeup is important as we age as our eyes become invisible. and we don’t want the beauty of our eyes to be lost. concealer under my eyes is the first step. but it has to have a light texture. i’ve been happy with nars vanilla and laura mercier .5. both are light and creamy. recently i’m using born this way, very fair, by two faced.

next, an eyeshadow primer keeps the shadow in place and opens up the eye. lately, i’ve used an anti-aging eyeshadow primer potion from urban decay. as far as eyeshadows go there are so many palettes available so pick your favorite. this spring i’m wearing full spectrum by urban decay that has a wide variety of shades. be warned. for whatever reason the past six months, i’ve been on an urban decay kick. 

after my eyeshadow primer is in place and before i apply eyeshadow i dab an urban decay eye pencil (mushroom) into the root of my lashes. this gives the illusion of thicker lashes. i also use an eyelash curler before i apply mascara to add lift and a lash primer by, you guessed it, urban decay. one of my favorite mascara’s of all-time is diorshow blackout. but recently i discovered better than sex mascara from two faced. a-ma-zing. to create bulk at the roots i use several layers.

eyebrows start to get crazy as we age. they start to thin; the hair sticks out, the list goes on. am i right?! brow pencils fill in the gaps but pay attention to the right color. this has been a struggle for me. but anastassia brow wiz is a great product. but i also like precisely my brow by benefit. i try my best to use feathery strokes when i apply so my eyebrows don’t look too dark or overdone. afterward, i gel them into place.

nars blush has been my go-to for years and i swear by it. orgasm is a universal color and flattering on most skin tones. i also use a soft glow stick from marc jacobs for illumination right above the blush line. 

as we get older, our lips lose definition and become thinner. to remedy the situation i put on a lip plumping gloss by buxom ten minutes before i add lipstick. and i use a lip liner. you don’t have to line the entire lips. instead, use the pencil where you’ve lost definition. my favorite lip liner is chanel in 05 nude. the final step with my makeup application is lipstick or a lip gloss. i have so many favorites it’s hard to narrow the list down. here are my recent top picks: chanel pirate, tom ford exotica, and laura mercier carnation rosy pink

last but not least i always clean my makeup brushes before i stash them away. i spray a brush cleanser on my brushes then dab them in a charcoal cleanser.

happy sunday, ladies!

Beth Djalali

is the Founder and CEO of Style at a Certain Age. She writes Sundays-Fridays on all topics ranging from fashion, health, wellness, home design and more.

She’s 65, 5’8, and size 8.

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