Beauty Thought Leader: Elise Marquam-Jahns
Finding the best beauty tools for mature skin doesn’t have to be overwhelming, especially when you know what actually works after 50.
Although aging is inevitable–looking and feeling our best is something we do have within our power. We can embrace the changes that the passing years bring with confidence and grace by incorporating the best makeup products, tools and practices into our daily routine.
Today we’ll focus on the beauty tools that can make the biggest difference for us now as well as some top beauty secrets that no one talks about.
Why These Are the Best Beauty Tools For Mature Skin Right Now:
Using the skincare products that address our needs now is truly non- negotiable. But before we even reach for those important serums and creams we need to make sure our skin can fully absorb them. That’s why double cleansing is so important if we’ve worn sunscreen, moisturizer or makeup during the day.
When we were living in Arizona, I’d always go for an early morning walk and slather on heavy duty tinted sunscreen before stepping outside. One morning I forgot to remove the sunscreen before jumping in the shower. So I made sure to wash my face twice to make sure I’d remove all the sunscreen. After stepping out of the shower, I thought to myself: “I wonder if that cleanser really removed all the sunscreen.”
So I took an oval cotton pad, thoroughly saturated it with micellar water and rubbed it across my face. Since I use a tinted sunscreen, I could see how much sunscreen was coming off on the cotton pad and I was appalled!
Micellar Water, A Gentle Must-Have:
Because micellar water cleans our faces very effectively—and is extremely gentle to boot—it’s important to do an initial face cleanse with micellar water and then follow it with an application of our usual gentle cleanser.
And because it’s so gentle, it’s especially good to use on our eyelids if we’ve worn any eye makeup. Simply let a saturated cotton pad rest on the eyelid for 10 to 15 seconds, and then gently wipe the makeup away.
The Importance Of Cleaning Makeup Brushes:
A next step that can really make a difference for how our makeup looks is to make sure that our serums and skin prep can effectively absorb into our skin. We can ensure this by removing facial hair that increases as we get older.
This allows makeup to adhere better and blend seamlessly which results in a more natural, flawless finish. Removing the hair also removes dead skin cells which further enhances the smoothness and radiance of the skin.
And the safest and easiest way I’ve found to do this is with this small Finishing Touch electric razor. It’s battery operated, small, light and portable and is gentle on the skin.
We all know we should do this next step, but most of us definitely don’t want to do it. And that’s cleaning our makeup brushes. It’s a little like exercising. Most of us don’t want to do it, but we feel so much better once we have done it.
Bacteria build up on our brushes can lead to breakouts and skin irritation and even infections. This is because dirty makeup brushes are loaded with oily makeup products, dead skin cells, and bacteria, which is not a good combination for something that regularly comes into contact with our face!
Investing In Quality Brushes:
In addition to the hygiene factor, clean makeup brushes give a far better makeup application. Using a dirty brush can lead to uneven spotty coverage, poor color blending and a less than flawless look. And by cleaning blushes, we’re extending their life span which in the end, saves us money.
I’ve tried many different brush cleaning products, but the one I keep coming back to is an all natural brush soap that’s made with coconut oil that’s from Cinema Secrets. And it also comes with a small texturized matte which is crucial to use in order to really get our brushes clean.
My preferred textured matte, however, is a bigger one from Sigma because it has suction cups on the bottom which keep it securely attached to our bathroom sink and it’s perfectly shaped to fit easily into a sink.
And speaking of makeup brushes, let me answer a question that I get often. And that question is: “Do I need to buy more expensive makeup brushes?” Less expensive brushes definitely will work.
But you’ll find that more expensive brushes are softer and apply makeup more easily than less expensive brushes. And this translates to being able to apply our makeup faster and more easily. In addition, higher quality brushes will last longer. My top favorites for eyes are from Sigma Beauty. Their E25 brush is the perfect shape for applying eyeshadow.
Top Makeup Brush Picks:
Their E30 pencil brush is great for more precise eyeshadow application under the eyes, under the arch of the brow or in the crease.
Doll 10’s Sculpt Brush and Makeup by Mario’s F4 brush are very similar dual ended brushes. The larger size is perfect for foundation application and I love the smaller side for blending in contour.
And the newest brush I’ve fallen in love with is the BK Beauty A506 brush which is perfect for blending out concealer under the eyes.
As my eyebrows have gotten sparser and thinner with more white and grey hairs peeking through, it’s become a little more challenging to create a freehand outline of my brows. So I’m relying more and more often on my eyebrow stencil to create an even outline on both brows that matches.
Tools For Brows And Fine Lines:
The last tool I want to mention is the one that’s helped me the very most in dealing with fine lines around my mouth, between my brows and under my cheekbones. It’s also improved the skin texture under my eyes and along my cheekbones.
It’s the NIRA Pro Plus laser tool. This is the fastest and most powerful at home laser device which delivers professional-grade wrinkle reduction in just 2 minutes a day. It uses the same non-fractional laser technology trusted by dermatologists and works by stimulating natural collagen production to smooth fine lines, restore firmness, and reverse signs of aging—all without pain or downtime.
It’s clinically proven, FDA-cleared, and safe for all skin types. What I love about it most is how quick and easy it is to use and what a difference it’s made in how firm and healthy my skin looks.
Confidence The Ultimate Beauty Tool:
In addition to talking about the tools that can help us the most, I also want to touch on something that’s even more important: our sense of confidence. It’s very easy as we get older to feel our confidence slip.
We convey our confidence through the way we carry ourselves, how we think and feel and the energy we radiate. Just picture someone walking into a room who has wonderful posture. That person immediately gives off an aura of confidence and strength.
There are two other things that can also make a big difference in our sense of confidence, how we’re perceived and how we feel. The first is our self-talk. I think it’s fairly common for those of us who are older not to indulge in positive self-talk when we first see ourselves in the mirror each morning.
So let’s try banishing that negative self-talk and replacing it with phrases that help us stand up taller when we look in that mirror. That might include phrases like “I am a unique and beautiful person,” or “I’m confident and blessed” or “I radiate a sense of grace and peace.”
Positive Self-Talk For Radiance:
And the third thing we can do is to smile more often. That’s because there are actually eleven science-based benefits of smiling. Although it’s said that laughter is the best medicine, it’s amazing what just smiling can do.
First, it releases endorphins which are known as our happy hormones. Smiling can also help reduce stress due to the neuropeptides that are released. It decreases heart rate, lowers blood pressure and improves our endurance. In addition, it reduces pain, the risk of heart disease, strengthens relationships, releases anxiety, and correlates with a longer life span.
And most importantly, as we get older, our immune system weakens and smiling can boost our immunity by raising the level of immune cells and boosting infection fighting antibodies.
We can trigger more smiling by practicing gratitude, reading or watching something funny, doing good things for others daily, practicing oral hygiene and spending time in nature.
So let’s end with a few funny jokes that can help our health and hopefully also make us smile. So here’s the first one: “I told my wife she should embrace her mistakes, so she gave me a hug.” “What’s big, green, fuzzy, has four legs, and will kill you if it falls out of a tree?
A pool table” And the last one: “I childproofed my house. Somehow, they still got in.” Let’s all remember to smile often, smile freely and let our joy be contagious.
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About the Author:
Elise Marquam-Jahns is a professional, working makeup-artist who is passionate about helping women 45+ get their glow back. In addition to her work as a makeup artist for a major cosmetics line, she founded Boomer and Beyond Beauty. Be sure to check out Elise’s YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 45+.
Don’t forget to subscribe! Elise is also an author and speaker and hosts Normandale Community College’s monthly Learning Well Edge Talk Radio show where she interviews experts in the field of health and wellness. And, if you’d like to receive more inspiration each week, check out my weekly newsletter. To get your copy, just drop me an email at bo*******************@***il.com to let me know you’d like to receive it.
