by On Monday night, Cher looked every inch the glamorous septuagenarian at the premiere The Bikeriders in Hollywood. Wearing a cropped leather jacket, shiny black cargo trousers and long flowing eyelashes, the 78-year-old defies the notion that you should “tone down” fashion and beauty choices with age. Her skin looked youthful and vibrant with a peach-pink flush to the cheeks and well-defined lips and brows.
Cher has nailed it, according to fellow 70-something make-up artist and brand founder Trish McEvoy, who previously did the faces of Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker. For McEvoy, there’s no reason to wear make-up less as you get older.
“A lot of people say ‘less is more’ but I don’t believe that,” she explains to me on Zoom. At 74, McEvoy looks like she could be in her 50s. “Everyone’s ages are different, I know women in their 40s who look like they’re in their late 20s and also middle-aged women who look older. It’s more about when you look in the mirror and ask yourself how you feel.”
Of course, there are days when you may want to go easy on yourself without too much make-up, or look more defined at other times. Diana Ross at the age of 80 is a great example of how to embrace this flexibility; she opted for peach make-up and defined eyes at a concert in Michigan earlier this month and other septuagerians like Anna Wintour, Helen Mirren and the Queen always look radiant without being overdone.
For McEvoy, no matter what your age, the key is to really assess your skin – for example if your skin is dry, you’ll need to use more hydrating creams and liquid products.
Here’s her expert advice on doing make-up in your 70s.
Focus on luminosity
“A young person has a natural glow to their skin, so we want to recreate that,” says McEvoy. To keep your makeup looking clean and healthy, you need to start with good skin care. A BB cream or tinted moisturizer can add a boost of hydration and give your skin a light layer of coverage. “If you’ve prepared the skin properly and use a moisturizer or primer that gives your skin a hydrated look, any make-up you put on top will last a lot longer,” she says. Try Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Cream SPF35, £65.
Beauty Booster Cream SPF35, £65, by Trish McEvoy
Hide ‘Pinpoint’
As we age pigmentation or uneven skin becomes more common. A generous coverage of sun protection every day can help protect your skin from any sun spots and pigmentation, but to cover any that are already there McEvoy recommends “pinpoint” concealment by applying a thick-ish cream concealer in small areas just when you need it, and smoothly blend.
“If you only use concealer in small areas when you need it, rather than covering too much of the face with product, you’ll still keep the healthy glow of the ‘real skin’ underneath,” she says. . Try the Studio Finish SPF35, £20, by Mac with the Concealer Brush 20, £3.90, by Edy London.
Complete Studio SPF35, £20, by Mac; Concealer Brush 20, £3.90, by Edy London
Add some heat
“Warmth in the skin makes you look like you’re well rested,” says McEvoy. This means bronzer, which is not often seen in the make-up aisle but can have a big impact on the overall “healthy” appearance of the skin. “As we age, our skin can look duller so a soft bronzer adds structure and warmth to the skin,” she says.
Brush a cream bronzer along the jawline to define the area and on the cheekbones and temples to add a sunken look. For McEvoy, creams are best suited for older complexions as they also add a hydrating element to the skin. Try the Sun Melt Natural Cream Bronzer, £26, by Saie.
Sun Melt Natural Cream Bronzer, £26, by Saie
The colors to try
According to McEvoy, pinks and peach tones on the lips and cheeks can bring a fresh vibrancy back to skin over 70. As opposed to a bright opaque lipstick, however, grown-up lip glosses in bright pop colors can add a pop of youth. without feeling too strong. color. On the cheeks, blush placement is important. “You want to apply it high on the cheeks to give an extra lift,” says McEvoy. Try Haus Labs Long-wear Glass Lip Color Set, Lips and Cheeks, £30. For the eyes, don’t bother with black gel lashes although McEvoy reckons deep gray lashes are great for giving the face a more ethereal look.
Longwear Fuse Glass Lips and Cheeks, £30 by Haus Labs
Define your features
“As we age we lose the definition in our features,” says McEvoy. “So we need to put that definition back in our lips and eyes with lip liner and eyeliner.” Lip liners don’t need to look obvious, or even be visible at all – match the shade to your lipstick and it’ll just define the lip line and prevent your lipstick color from settling into fine lines around the mouth. Try the Hot Line Lip Liner, £22, by Monika Blunder Beauty.
McEvoy is a big believer in tinted eyebrows – even if they’re gray – to give you natural definition, and “tighten” the upper lash line with a pencil (gently pressing the product between the lashes) for extreme definition. natural. . “This ‘invisible line’ also makes your lashes look thicker,” she says. Try the Intense Gel Eyeliner, £22, by Trish McEvoy.
Hot Line Lip Liner, £22, by Monika Blunder Beauty; Intense Gel Eyeliner, £22, by Trish McEvoy
