Bobbi Brown's Beauty Tips for Women Over 50

Our faces have a lot going on between sun damage, redness, broken capillaries and brown spots, so how much foundation coverage do we choose?

Bobbi: I suggest a tinted moisturizer to give skin a fresh hydrated look, followed by a stick foundation on spots where you need extra coverage. Too often liquid foundations look heavy and masklike on us. The tinted moisturizer gives skin an authentic texture, while the more opaque stick foundation applied only where needed takes care of any redness or brown spots. Be sure to choose a stick shade that's the color of your skin — this is not a concealer — and test in-store to find your shade. A test on your skin is very different from an online color swatch.

What's the most important thing you can do at 50 to define and strengthen eyes that are saggy, hooded or deep-set?

Bobbi: Make sure you wear eyeliner and define the entire upper lid from inner corner to very outside corner. Lining halfway is a mistake lots of women make, and it really makes the eyes look smaller. If your eyes are hooded or saggy, gently pull the lid smooth and start lining from mid-lid to outer corner. Then go back and do inner corner to mid-lid before reapplying the liner the entire length. Go thick enough to see the liner when your deep-set eyes are open. I wear brown during the day for a softer, more natural look, but always black at night. Then add two or three coats of black thickening mascara to finish.

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Should we stick to neutral matte powder shadows or can we play around with cream shadow and trendy colors?

Bobbi: I recommend powder shadow over longer creams since they keep mature lids from looking crepey and lined. My best tip is to use a light shade of shadow all over the lid as a brightening base color. White or bone for fair skin, banana or peachy for darker complexions work well. Then for a basic eye look, blend a medium shadow one step darker than your skin tone, from the lash line to crease. Beige or a soft brown for fair skin, camel or rich brown for darker skin tones are flattering. Avoid shadows with a red or pink tone — they make mature eyes look irritated and washed out.

Does your famous apple technique for applying blush still work at 50 when our faces and cheeks have sagged a bit?

Bobbi: Blush adds a healthy look to your skin, so don't skip it. A cream formula is always better for dry skin since it doesn't settle in lines, but pass on anything with sparkles. Since our “apples” fall lower on the face with age, try my trick. Smile and apply a natural blush from the round apples of your cheeks upward, towards your hairline. The color should be close to the color of your cheeks when you're naturally flushed. Then apply a brighter blush just on the apples for a real pop!

Everyone is talking about “radiance” as the key to a healthy look at 50. What's an easy way to get it?

Bobbi: I like Apricot Kernel Oil, which is $7 at Walmart or Whole Foods, for glow. Just add a few drops to your palm, rub your hands together and pat your face. You can also apply a luminizer product high on the cheekbones over blush, for even more glow.

Are neutrals or bright lipsticks a better choice for women over 50?

Bobbi: It's a personal choice, but the right lipstick — whether neutral or red — will immediately brighten your face. Roses, pinky browns and plums are all good ways to wear a neutral lip with a little more color now, but to find your best neutral, remove all makeup before you shop or test. You want a color that's close to your natural lip color but enhanced — that looks good even on a naked face. If you're lucky enough to look good in a bold red, pink or orange lip, pick your favorite. Just make sure the texture is not too shiny, slippery or greasy — those migrate into lines. I'm a fan of tinted lip balms, too, for those who prefer a more natural, minimal makeup. They're sheer but have intense color.