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10 Underrated Beauty Tips for Women Over 40 From a Pro Makeup Artist

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After years behind the makeup chair AND in front of the mirror myself, I’ve learned this: the best beauty secrets and advice for women as they age aren’t louder — they’re smarter.

They’re about glow over glitter, confidence over contour, and knowing exactly which habits, mindsets, and products actually make you look lifted, radiant, and pulled together in real life.

Woman smiling while applying eyeshadow with pink brush and holding sage green eyeshadow palette, wearing gray mockneck sweater with colorful striped sleeves in pink, green, red, and blue, gold chunky hoop earrings, silver watch and gemstone bracelet, colorful disco ball artwork in background, makeup brushes in foreground

Consider this your hype-girl-approved cheat sheet for the beginning of 2026!  I want to share my “Top 10 Underrated Makeup Advice” and tips that truly make a difference for me. And a few of these I’ll pair with real product recommendations that work beautifully on mature skin. You can also check out my previous post about highly underrated makeup products that more people should be talking about here! 

So if you’re ready to feel invigorated, inspired, fresher, and more confident without overcomplicating the way you feel about your daily beauty routine, let’s get into it…

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Underrated Beauty Advice

Reinvention

Woman seated at makeup desk with chin resting on hand, wearing gray mockneck sweater with colorful striped sleeves, gold hoop earrings, gold necklace, colorful gemstone bracelet, makeup brushes in holder, sage green palette, lip product, and gold eyelash curler on marble surface, disco ball artwork behind
  1. You can reinvent your “look” as many times as you want to. Maybe you feel like you should have a “signature look” or repeat the same makeup routine over and over again because it’s comfortable. That’s fine, unless it’s not. Don’t be scared to step out of the box in makeup and in your style. Some of the best results happen because of experimentation.

No Age Limitations

2. Stop telling yourself “I can’t wear that because I’m  _____ years old.” You’re right on time. It’s a complaint as old as time. Sadly, I see other women comment these types of things on others’ social media that they are “too old” to wear X-Y- or Z. Or I hear my own friends say this type of thing when they see me sport a fake strip lash or bold eyeshadow, that they “could never!” 

Woman making shushing gesture with finger to lips, wearing red halter neck smocked top, long crystal fringe drop earrings, gold textured ring, nude-mauve lipstick, soft smokey eye makeup, gallery wall with lips art print visible in background

Confidence

Woman holding colorful rainbow eyeshadow palette with pastel and bright shades and burgundy eyeshadow brush, wearing blue and lavender eyeshadow look on lids, pastel floral print blouse, large gold teardrop hoop earrings, glossy pink lips, white manicure

3. Your age has nothing to do with it. Your makeup will work, IF you own it. Refer back to my point #2. If you want to wear a screaming hot pink lip, do it with confidence and hold that head up high! 

High & Low

4. Mix high and low. Pricier skin care + drugstore makeup can totally work and vice versa! Currently using the Clarins Multi-Active Day Moisturizer for Lines, Pores, Glow with Niacinamide, $68, along with my trusty Maybelline 4 in 1 glow perfector, $14, before adding in any foundation and concealer. It is a beautiful testament of the combination of drugstore and high-end working together.

Woman with bare face adjusting pink cherry print spa headband on head, wearing yellow floral print silk robe, hot pink manicure, preparing for skincare routine, natural lighting from bathroom window

Red Lipstick

Woman wearing bold matte red lipstick with blue and white striped button-down shirt, gold aviator glasses, gold chunky chain link hoop earrings, soft rosy cheeks, sleek straightened hair with bangs

5. Own at least one red lipstick. It’s an instant mood when you apply it – bold, alive, fearless. I say go for it with an opaque satin or matte red. Matte red looks very old Hollywood and sophisticated. Try a vibrant blue-red like this one from Anastasia Beverly Hills full pigment velvet lipstick in “Royal Red,” $26. And don’t forget this post I did a couple of weeks back was giving high praise to this exact brand! 

Experiment

6. Stuck in a makeup rut? Experiment. You’ll never know if something new works for you until you try it. Especially going back to #4 if you don’t already have red lipstick in your makeup arsenal.  I remember when I bought this Nouveau palette, $55, with all the strange colors. I wasn’t sure how I could make it work, but after playing around, I mixed around 7 of these colors in one eye look, and I love it! 

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Smile

Woman laughing with big smile looking upward, wearing white linen button-down shirt with yellow lemon print, gold chunky hoop earrings, coral-pink lipstick, pearl bracelet, demonstrating that a smile is the best makeup accessory

7. Your makeup will ALWAYS look better if you’re smiling.  How can we forget Marilyn Monroe’s famous quote, “A smile is the best makeup a girl could wear!” Just don’t forget to get those teeth as white as possible. Try an LED mouthguard whitening kit, $48, to make getting whiter teeth a breeze without going to spend a fortune in the dentist’s office!

No Judgement

8. A truly confident female will NEVER judge another woman for wearing too much OR too little makeup. Ever. Point blank.  Just leaving this very obvious point about being a good human right here. The picture of Beth and me above is one of my faves doing our makeup together – we both have different makeup styles, and that’s OK!

Two women doing makeup together at vanity, woman with silver pixie cut wearing denim zip-up shirt holding makeup brush and lipstick, woman with brown highlighted hair and bangs wearing chambray shirt and leopard print headband applying powder with brush, both smiling at each other, makeup products and brushes on desk, monstera leaf art and cityscape print on wall behind

Quality Products

Woman resting chin on hands above large professional makeup brush roll filled with dozens of brushes in various sizes including BK Beauty burgundy-handled brushes, wearing gray sweater with colorful striped sleeves, gold hoop earrings, silver watch, colorful gemstone bracelet, soft pink makeup look, disco ball artwork in background

9. Invest in good-quality makeup brushes. They’ll last you a very long time if you take care of them and wash them. You long-time readers already know that I highly suggest and am a loyal fan of the BK Beauty brand of brushes. And if you need new eye brushes, they’re 30% off right now through 2/16, so take advantage. And here’s a mega cute brush holder on Amazon, $18,  you could store them in!

No Comparison

10. Admire someone else’s beauty without questioning your own. I didn’t come up with this one, but it has been a piece of advice I’ve always subscribed to. Especially reminding my teen daughter, Vivian, of this since she’s subjected to so much social media and seeing other girls/women that she might compare herself to.

Mother and teenage daughter Vivian smiling together in outdoor shopping center selfie with large decorated Christmas tree behind them, daughter wearing gray t-shirt with gold star pendant necklace and small gold hoop earrings, mother wearing sage green graphic sweatshirt, tortoise cat-eye glasses, gold hoop earrings, both with natural glowing makeup and big smiles

Closing Thoughts – Beauty Tips for Mature Women

If you’re reading this on Valentine’s Day and need some romantic makeup ideas, check out last week’s tutorial post on quick ideas of how to get the look! 

Now I’d love to hear which one of these really resonates with you? Or do you have one piece of beauty advice you abide by – I’d love to hear! 

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