10 Ways to Look Fresher Fast for Women Over 50

4. Brighten your eyes with concealer.

Sorry to spoil the fun, but all the dark, smoky eye makeup and mascara in the world won’t wake up tired eyes and lids that are crepey, saggy or hooded. They won’t help puffy lids and bags or dark circles, either. What will help is the right concealer, one with hyaluronic acid for a moisture boost and caffeine to deflate puffiness — like L’Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer with Hyaluronic Acid and Caffeine ($18, cvs.com) or Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer with Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid ($32, sephora.com). The real secret to these new concealers is their light-reflecting creamy texture that looks authentic and doesn’t dry out or settle in lines. Start at the inner corner, right up against the nose where dark discolorations start, then swing into the “tear trough” groove and out in a wide crescent beneath the eyes before blending. P.S.: When you’re looking fatigued, pair concealer with minimal makeup on the eyes — softer, lighter cream shadows, brown mascara and liner (not black) applied close to the lash line. You’ll see bright eyes, not the makeup.

Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Overnight Recovery Face Cream + Mask.

Macy’s

5. Reboot with overnight masks.

Want to go to bed with parched skin, chapped lips and hair that feels like straw and wake up with all three renewed, plumped and hydrated? Simplify the process with skin and hair masks that emphasize one or two proven superhero ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides and a lip mask with botanical butters and oils. Make sure all absorb quickly and require no rinsing — so they won’t mess up your pillowcase. These include Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Overnight Recovery Face Cream + Mask ($80, ulta.com) with peptides and hyaluronic acid to fill in crow’s-feet, forehead creases and nasolabial folds by dawn; Amika Dream Routine Overnight Hydrating Hair Mask ($32, sephora.com), another hyaluronic acid powerhouse that can be applied to dry or damp hair before bed; and Kiehl’s Buttermask for Lips Overnight Lip Treatment ($24, sephora.com) with coconut oil and wild mango butter.

(Left to right) CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser; Versed Day Maker Microcrystal Exfoliator.

AARP (Target, 3)

6. Exfoliate gently ASAP.

You can’t expect skin care and makeup to sparkle with a layer of dead cells on your face. That’s what happens when you don’t include regular exfoliation to accelerate cell turnover (which slows with age) in your weekly regimen. Step things up by choosing a mild chemical exfoliant like CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment ($32, ulta.com) or Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser ($13, cvs.com), both with glycolic and lactic acids, alpha hydroxy acids that unglue the bonds between dead cells and the surface of the skin. Or try a gentle physical exfoliating scrub like Versed Day Maker Microcrystal Exfoliator ($17, target.com), which reveals the smoother, brighter skin lying beneath. Use a light touch because aging skin is thin and sensitive. The benefit is immediate, as healthy cells are now visible, all your serums and creams are finally able to penetrate, and makeup looks — for lack of a better word — fresh!

Burt’s Bees Rejuvenating Facial Oil with Rosehip Seed Extract (left) and the Osea Dayglow Face Oil for Sensitive Skin (right).

AARP (Target, Nordstrom)

7.  Add a touch of oil.

For decades, women now 50 and over have made oil-free everything — from skin care to makeup — a mantra. Well, stop worrying about clogged pores, a greasy look and breakouts, because oil, which is an emollient, is the new hottie in beauty. Applied to a bare face, an oil functions as a standalone night or day treatment. Layered over any moisturizer, it promotes glow. And patted on sensitive, irritated, red or dehydrated skin oil, it soothes and protects — and prevents moisture loss. Look for blends that include argan, rosehip, sunflower or grapeseed oil — all packed with antioxidants and fatty acids and all quick-absorbing. Try Summer Fridays Heavenly Sixteen All-In-One Face Oil ($55, sephora.com), a blend of 16 vegan oils including prickly pear, grapeseed and sunflower, Burt’s Bees Rejuvenating Facial Oil with Rosehip Seed Extract ($20, walgreens.com) or Osea Dayglow Face Oil for Sensitive Skin ($58, ulta.com) with argan and grapeseed oil. Rub a few drops between your fingertips and pat onto bare skin or over moisturizer to seal in hydration and add extra glow. Then let it absorb for a minute or two before applying makeup.

8. Let stick-on patches improve wrinkles, puffs and circles.

There are days when face crinkles, creases and puffy under-eyes are annoying. That’s because no matter how diligent you are about sunscreen and moisturizer now, skin over 50 will still crease and crinkle based on past sun exposure, the loss of collagen, and simple factors like dehydration and stress. Many mature celebs solve this situation by showing up for makeup prep before a photo shoot wearing stick-on patches. Borrow that trick. Infused with hydrating ingredients like peptides, hyaluronic acid, and squalane and botanical extracts that brighten, these patches work in about 10 to 15 minutes (but you can wear them longer) to plump up wrinkles temporarily for a day or evening — enough to get you through. Hold the filler and Botox and put these on your list. Good Molecules Caffeine Energizing Hydrogel Eye Patches ($18 for 30 pairs, ulta.com) are infused with caffeine to reduce puffiness and licorice extract, peptides and aloe vera to brighten dark circles; the BioRepublic Skin Care Lost Baggage Eye Mask ($5 for 1 pair, target.com) has peptides, hyaluronic acid and squalane; and RoC Correxion Deep Wrinkle Targeted Patches ($30 for 6, rocskincare.com) contain hyaluronic acid and peptides to improve 11s between the brows, laugh lines around the mouth and crow’s-feet … with results promised in two hours.

(Left to Right) Laura Dern, Emily Mortimer and Neve Campbell; InfinitiPRO by Conair DigitalAIRE Hair Dryer

AARP (Getty Images, 3; Target)

 9. Fluff up your hair or cut bangs.

Ditch the scrunchie, toss the hair elastics, claw clips and hairbands. Ponytails, updos and firmly pulled-back styles won’t provide the facelift effect you’re hoping it will. What provides an instant boost is loose face-framing hair that moves. This is where a swingy bob, tousled layers or bangs come in. Just blow-dry hair from beneath by bending at the waist and keeping the nozzle moving while you use your fingers as a rake to encourage lift, volume and separation. You can even do this on dry hair; just use the cool setting and follow the same bend and fluff. And let’s not forget the bangs option. Nothing hides forehead wrinkles, the vertical 11s between your eyes that make you appear angry, and misshapen brows faster than a long, flirty fringe. Works to freshen any length hair stat!

(Left to right) Julianne Moore, Tracee Ellis Ross; Dior Rouge Dior Lipstick Velvet Finish - Limited Edition in 999 The Iconic Red; Chanel Rouge Coco Balm Lip Balm in 920 In Love; Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren; Revlon ColorStay Matte Lite Crayon in Air Kiss, and Maybelline Super Stay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipstick in 25 Red-Hot.

AARP (Getty Images, 4; Nordstrom, Macy’s, Ulta, Target)

10. Brighten your lips and smile.

It’s no lie that red lipstick is still one of the speediest ways to energize your face with makeup. If you’re hesitant to break away from easy-wear nude lipstick, stop worrying. Updated formulas have changed everything. Red lipsticks no longer bleed, feather or look dry and caked, and there’s a texture and shade to brighten every skin tone and smile. Go sheer with a low-drama red balm like Chanel Rouge Coco Baume Lip Balm in 920 In Love ($45, nordstrom.com), or one that is bolder and more opaque with a full-strength, no-budge version — shiny or matte — like Dior Rouge Dior Lipstick Velvet Finish — Limited Edition in 999 The Iconic Red ($54, neimanmarcus.com). Not sure you’re up to the lining and shaping part of wearing red? Let a refined-tip chubby pencil like the Revlon ColorStay Matte Lite Crayon in Air Kiss ($13, walgreens.com) or a liquid lip with a doe-foot applicator like Maybelline Super Stay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipstick in 25 Red-Hot ($11, target.com) provide a defined shape. Both glide on easily and give even thin lips and those with uneven or faded borders a pro effect.