I’d like some makeup help, especially with my eyes, which always look tired and faded behind my glasses. I don’t want to look like a clown, or that dreaded phenomenon, “mutton dressed as lamb.” (Anyone know that expression?) I’ll be 65 this week- yikes. :eek:
I want someone who knows what they’re doing. I never know which counter to approach. Should I stick with tried and true [del]old lady[/del] classic brands like Clinique, Lancome, Chanel, or go with trendier brands like MAC, Origins, Benefit? Would I be better off at Sephora or Ulta? Which of them give their people good training? I don’t mind buying products, even expensive products.
I would recommend Bobbi Brown or Clinique, because their products and philosophy tend towards “let’s enhance the features you have with subtle natural colors” rather than going bold, bright, and unnatural. Especially Bobbi Brown – it says right on her website,
Go to the counters for these brands, rather than Sephora, where (IMO) the sales staff tends to be young and favors really bold makeup. Or check them out online first and see if you like what they offer:
The people who work at department store counters are better trained at selling you products than at teaching you what kind you should wear and how to wear them. You’re better off spending a bit more money and finding a professional makeup artist who offers one-on-one training.
If you insist though, I’d say you should avoid Benefit, Clinique and MAC.
MAC in my experience has been awesome at showing me neat, natural-looking stuff and not being pushy about needing to wear more makeup, etc. Don’t let the oft-theatrical styles they’re wearing fool you.
I’m not a big makeup person, but I did go through a job search earlier this year and figured I oughta wear makeup to the interviews. I went to a local skin care place - the kind of spa that does laser hair removal, Botox, vein treatments, and is overseen by an RN and an MD. They also do massage, pedicures, and sell high-end makeup. Part of their makeup service is consultations. I went there, had a one-on-one with a very professional woman, had her show me how to put it on (along with writing everything down so I’d remember it!), helped pick out colors, and ended up buying a bunch of makeup.
It was very much worth it. I felt like I had quality products that matched my skin, I knew how to use them, and I looked professional at my interviews. It was far from cheap, but I got what I wanted.
For the record, the stuff I ended up buying was Jane Iredale. It seems to stay on, doesn’t irritate my skin at all, and feels good on my skin.
I have worked for several different cosmetic companies in a department store. I would personally not recommend Clinique. Their makeup, in my opinion does not go on nicely nor does it last as long as some of the other brands. It was developed for young women and teens as a cheaper alternative to more expensive brands and is fine for that purpose. I think that Estee Lauder would be better for you. I have never worked for Lauder, but do know that they give better training than some of the lines and it is age appropriate. One thing to watch out for no matter what line you choose, is to go to someone that you like the looks of. If someone is wearing a ton of makeup, they tend to put a lot on their clients as well. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for samples. Some counters act like you are trying to steal from them, but trust me, they are given samples and strongly encouraged to give them out.
It really depends on the store imho which reps are stars.
Bobbi Brown is aimed at the professional woman it seems to me. The colors are natural and not OTT dramatic like MAC. The times Ive been to Needless Markup in Oakbrook at the BB counter, Ive learned some new tricks and come away with a look I like.
You might like the Tightliner look (Laura Mercier has a cake liner and the SA can show you how it works.) It really makes eyes pop in a natural way w/o the old heavy black liner look.
If you truly think you look tired and faded why not invest in some eye products too? There are serums that are lightweight and powerful and can lift and lighten the area. Look for the ingredients vitamin K and chrysin to lighten, and DMAE and dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline to lift. Good luck/have fun!
As a tired looking 67 year old, I’d love to hear from you how this goes, ThelmaLou. I don’t wear any make up and am allergic to a lot of things, including sunscreen, so I am a tough case, though.
Laura Mercier. I learned a ton about makeup from their reps. Their philosophy is definitely geared toward a more natural, practical look, and they tend not to try to sell you things you don’t need or want (or won’t persist after you show lack of interest). Almost all the products are very good at what they are supposed to do. Foundations are a strength of this line. Colors in this brand are very flattering.
How about an alternative to the makeup counter, which is very public, and going with the privacy of a YouTube Makeup guru?
Here you can stop, rewind, practice at your pace, in the privacy of your bathroom counter sink (or vanity or kitchen counter, lol) using makeup that you have on hand. My recommendation is GossMakeupartist. He has several videos for older woman, and also videos that demonstrate makeup looks/mistakes to avoid.
He is not the only one on youtube of course, but in my experience, his tutorials and product reviews are the most realistic and trust worthy, followed by Kandee Johnson and Samantha Schuerman.
Sephora will have her most popular foundations and the cake eyeliner. These are the major strengths of the brand.
But if you can ever find a real LM counter somewhere–that is where I learned how to really do makeup that I like and look good in. Their professionals spend time with you and listen to what you really want. They choose products that fit your desires and lifestyle, and show you how to apply. The colors are really flattering, and all products are high quality. It’s expensive, but totally worth it. I never wore makeup regularly before I discovered LM. I had countless makeovers at other counters, but none of them ever gave me a look I liked that I could reproduce on a daily basis before LM.
Try Lisa Eldridge if you want a super internet makeup tutor. Her videos are fab. She is a professional makeup artist. She also lists all the products she uses.
Really? I avoid MAC completely because their stores are filled with women made up as clowns. If that’s the look I was going for, I’d buy Homer Simpson’s makeup-applying shotgun.
I’ve had decent luck with some of the reps at Sephora, but it’s hit or miss. Their procedure, when I went in for makeup advice, is to choose products, do up one of your eyes so you can see the look, and then let you do the other eye to see if you can recreate it yourself. Lots of the Sephora gals are also a little on the clowny side, though, so I’m not sure how comfortable you’ll be asking them to help you look natural.
My Mom’s partial to Clinique products, and they’re quite good at picking the right shades for you, both based on your preferences and your skin. Not sure how they are at teaching you to do it yourself, though.
There are tons of makeup tutorials online - maybe after picking out the right products somewhere, you can learn technique on your own?
I highly recommend Trish McEvoy. It’s all I wear except for lipstick and mascara. The way they do it with the compacts and the interchangeable makeup pans is so practical and easy to use, the colors are great, and I’ve found that the salespeople are highly knowledgeable and won’t try to oversell.
Also, I’m not sure if you’re near a big city (or if you even have to be), but sometimes brand reps come in for a few days, and you can sign up for a consultation. There you can get some real expertise. Other brands do this too, but I once went to an event at Bloomingdales in NYC where we had champagne, Trish gave a talk, and we all had consultations. I felt like a very fancy lady!
I’ve never tried Laura Mercier, but I’ve had salespeople suggest that if I like Trish, I might like Laura Mercier as well. It seems that the two brands have some similarities. I stick to Trish because I’m very satisfied and it’s easier to just use one brand.
I’ve not been impressed with the salespeople at Sephora. There are just too many brands there for them to really know their stuff. Do you have a Blue Mercury around? I’ve had very good help there.
No way. I used Clinique for years, and bought it at various different places, and not once did they get it right. I just thought I couldn’t wear foundation, concealer, and blush because it always looked so bad on me. They saw my red hair and just put me in the lightest foundation/concealer and didn’t even to bother to really consider what my skin tone was. I’m a dark-eyed redhead. I don’t burn all that easily and apparently, I ain’t that pale either. I was flabbergasted the first time I went to a Trish McEvoy counter and they gave me 3rd lightest shade of concealer and powder! It was perfect.
At least watch the first 15 seconds. You’ll see the finished look and then what she looks like barefaced. (She’s Vietnamese) I couldn’t believe it was the same person so I watched the whole thing. Wow
I haven’t tried to put the stuff on myself yet.