Insider Secrets of a Top Makeup Artist

Simplify everything by matching under-eye concealer to your actual facial skin tone and changing your application. Concealer should be applied to the inner eye to brighten dark shadows, and at the outer eye corners for a little sparkle and lift … not in a full crescent semicircle. Avoid excess product sitting in the thin, crinkly, puffy under-eye area. Right now, I’m liking Sarah Creal Face Flex Concealer & Complexion Enhancer With Caffeine ($58, sephora.com), a medium-coverage formula with hyaluronic acid (which can hydrate and plump).

Lois’ picks: Here are a few more affordable hydrating brighteners to try: Tower 28 Beauty Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer With 18 HR Wear ($24, kohls.com); e.l.f. Soft Glam Satin Concealer ($5, cvs.com); and MAC Studio Radiance 24HR Luminous Lift Concealer ($27, macys.com).

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(From left) Clinique Just Browsing Volumizing Waterproof Eyebrow Gel in 01 Sandy Bl; NYX Professional Makeup Zero to Brow Longwear Eyebrow Gel in Taupe.

AARP (Macy’s, 2)

Fill your eyebrows, don’t draw

Don’t worry about perfection or drawing on perfectly sculpted brows hair by hair. It gives your face a hard look. There are so many fast-fix tinted gel wands and jumbo pencils, like the Jones Road Beauty The Brow Pencil in Ash, Blonde, Gray, Light Brunette and Dark Brunette ($24, jonesroadbeauty.com), that fill in bald spots without a lot of drama. Choose a shade that matches your natural hair color. Just slap it on and go.

Lois’ picks: Other good bets include a jumbo crayon, like the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Kabuki Blender Brow Crayon in Blonde, Brunette or Dark Brunette ($18, walgreens.com); and tinted wands like NYX Professional Makeup Zero to Brow Longwear Eyebrow Gel in Taupe, Ash Brown, Ash Blonde, Chocolate or Black ($13, ulta.com); and Clinique Just Browsing Volumizing Waterproof Eyebrow Gel in Sandy Blonde, Soft Brown, and Dark Espresso ($25, macys.com).

(From left) Revlon Glimmer Shadow Multi-Stick in Get Your Bag; Milani Gilded Eyeshadow Stick in Marble; Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eyeshadow Shimmer in Wild Rose.

AARP (Amber Day, CVS, Target, Macy’s)

Brighten eyes with a touch of shimmer

Women over 50 always think matte eyeshadow is the only way to go. I disagree. While using a matte neutral color all over the lid can smooth out any crepey skin and erase redness, it can also have a dulling effect. Always add a little shimmer at the center of the lid to add sparkle to your eyes. And while you’re at it, explore soft colors like bronze or plum in addition to the usual browns and taupes.

Lois’ picks: Shimmer is not the same thing as metallic or glitter; it’s much more subtle. Try one of the new shadow sticks, like the Revlon Glimmer Shadow Multi-Stick in Ghosted and Get Your Bag ($13, cvs.com), pale and brown shimmers; the

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eyeshadow Shimmer in Moonlight, Modern Rose, Metallic Taupe, Mocha, Moonlight and 11 other shades ($29, macys.com); Palladio Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick With Blending Sponge in Taupe Shimmer, Bronze Shimmer, Chocolate Shimmer and Silver Mauve Shimmer ($15, target.com); and Milani Gilded Eyeshadow Sticks in Plum, Canyon, Marble, Lily, Sand or Terra ($12, ulta.com).

Wet n Wild Waterproof Retractable Gel Eyeliner in Black.

Target

Less liner, more definition

You never want to take up a lot of lid space with eyeliner. Bold liner never works for eyes that are hooded, deep-set, saggy or have textured lids. Tracing a slim line at the roots of your upper lashes fills in spaces, makes eyes look naturally bigger and more defined without a lot of drama. Or you can try “tight lining.” Instead of applying liner along the upper lash roots, you lift the lid and apply liner to the rim beneath the roots of your upper lashes. It really defines hooded or deep-set eyes fast. Choose a classic brown, black or even a rich plum, dark blue or green if you’d love to try a hint of color. If you don’t have time for liner, just swipe on brown or black mascara. It’s still a quick way to get fuss-free eye definition.

Lois’ picks: For glide-on ease and no smears even during a rainstorm or a teary movie, try gel liner pencils like the Wet n Wild Waterproof Retractable Gel Eyeliner in Black, Blackest Black or Brick Brown ($2, target.com); CoverGirl Ink Gel Eye Pencil in Shimmering Brown, Matte Jet Black, Bronze Glow ($10, walgreens.com); and Stila Stay All Day Smudge & Set Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Espresso, Damsel Dark Brown and Plumfall ($24, sephora.com).

Skip the heavy lower liner

Line beneath the eyes, but not the same way you do a dark black or brown pencil liner on the upper lids. After 50, a hard, dark line under the eyes can close them in and make them seem smaller. However, don’t skip under-eye definition altogether. Instead, try pairing dark upper-lid liner with a softer eye shadow applied with a brush or a chubby shadow stick below the eyes.

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Lois’ picks: Which ones? Those like Make Up For Ever Aqua Resist Smoky Eyeshadow Stick in 13 Cinder or 06 Earth ($29, kohls.com); Clinique High Impact Shadow Play Shadow + Definer in Rum & Cola, Double Latte ($32, macys.com); Maybelline Color Tattoo Longwear Multi-Use Eyeshadow Stix in I Am Cheeky or I Am Cozy ($12, cvs.com); or Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick in Cashmere Sculpt or Desert Sculpt ($32, ulta.com) make under-eye lining a snap.

(From left) Maybelline Cloudtopia Cheek and Lip Mousse in Moonlit Rose; Covergirl TruBlend Skin Enhancer Blush Balm in Bubblegum Pop; Rare Beauty By Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush in Happy.

AARP (Amber Day, CVS, Target, Kohl’s)

Go bright with blush

A cream blush or even a creamy lipstick applied as blush adds a pop of realistic color and radiance to the face. Choose a clear, bright color — the brighter the better for mature skin. Don’t worry, the new formulas look very vibrant in the package, but they blend to a sheer, healthy color that adds warmth and energy to your skin. I find Maybelline Cloudtopia Cheek and Lip Mousse in Moonlit Rose, Coral Illusion, Dreamy Dawn, Pink Daydream, Solar Serenity and Divine Crimson ($10, cvs.com) seems to work for everyone. I’m always gonna be an “apple” girl — smile and apply blush to the apples trick (the plump part of your cheeks). It’s still effective! However, after 50, you want to apply it more toward the top of that apple for a subtle lift.

Lois’ picks: Some other amazing cream blushes for mature skin are Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush in Grateful, Happy, Alive and Thriving ($27, kohls.com) and CoverGirl TruBlend Skin Enhancer Blush Balm in Pink Sprinkle, Bubblegum Pop, Candied Strawberry, Nude Flush and Sleepy Mauve ($10, target.com). Toss your powder blush ASAP.

(From left) Laura Mercier Petal Soft Lipstick Crayon in Chloe; Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon Lipstick in Lead The Way.

AARP (Macy’s, 2; Target, 2)

Skip the full lip liner

Lip liner is your friend. But if you’re still doing lip liner in the same way you did in 1985, it’s time for an update. As we age, we lose lip definition in the top lip. You want to emphasize the shape there for a more pillowy look without overdrawing the shape. Otherwise you end up with a ring-around-the-mouth Joker look! Combining shaping and color with a moisturizing matte lip-liner lipstick that lines and fills, like Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon Lipstick in Lead the Way, Achieve It All and On the Grind ($10, target.com), is easy. Everyone looks good in a pinky-bronze lip, but choose a lip color that makes you smile more, not what’s trendy.

Lois’ picks: Three more formulas and shades to try are Milk Makeup Line + Fill Lip Liner and Allover Lip Color in Valid, Drop and Elevate, a red for those who prefer a vibrant look ($22, ulta.com); Laura Mercier Petal Soft Lipstick Crayon in Ella, Jeanne, Simone ($36, sephora.com); and Haus Labs Le Monster Lip Crayon Vegan Lipstick and Lip Liner in Rose Matte, Maple Matte or Scarlet Matte ($24, sephora.com). All are creamy, stay put and won’t cake.

Blot the shine … and go!

Always worried your makeup is smearing, smudging or a little too sweaty radiant? Hot flashes, sticky summer days and steamy indoor heating happen to everyone. Take a tissue, separate the sheet into thinner layers, and gently press one onto the oily areas around the nose. Then stop thinking about your makeup and go live your life!