Fifty is the new 40, particularly now that so many celebrities are hitting the big 5-0 (and 6-0) and looking amazing!
Susan Sarandon, Helen Mirren, and Madonna come to mind as women who are aging particularly well. Hell, even Betty White's still looking dang good for her age.
Don't think that these women are just naturally beautiful. They're taking care of themselves and ensuring that their beauty lasts and doesn't fade -- and you can too!
Check out 10 top makeup tips for moms in their 50s and beyond below!
-Congratulations! You don't need as much makeup now as you did when you were younger. We've all seen what a mature woman in too much makeup looks like, and it's not good. Now is a good time to streamline your routine and use only what's necessary. A natural look is better for you in your 50s and beyond.
-Exfoliate your face and body weekly. Use a dry brush to exfoliate your body and a facial scrub with very fine grit for your face.
-Moisturizing your face has never been more important. Now's the time to invest in a good skin care system if you haven't done so already, and don't forget the SPF and the eye cream!
-Face: Avoid mineral foundation, which can settle in creases, and instead use a light foundation with moisturizer. Use a sponge to dab it on. If you need powder, opt for loose translucent powder, and only use it in your t-zone. Makeup artist Diana Carreiro recommends Face Atelier Ultra Foundation and Yaby micronized Loose Setting Powder.
-For wide-awake eyes in your 50s and beyond, skip the eye shadow and apply a neutral eyeliner to the top of your lashline. Add mascara to your top lashes only.
If you want to use shadow, be sure and apply a shadow primer first, to keep it from settling in the creases of your skin.
-Brows become sparser as we get older -- you'll need to use a pencil to fill in your brow. Use light, feathery strokes and fill in -- don't draw a line.
-Choose a powder blush in your 50s and beyond, in a light, dusty pink. Brush it on the apples of your cheeks for a natural look.
-You'll need to use a lip primer to reduce feathering -- Diana Carreiro likes Mary Kay TimeWise Age Fighting Lip Primer. If you have thin lips, use lipstick with some gloss in it to make them look fuller.
-Don't give up on your hair! Keep it soft and shiny with gloss treatments and sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners. Use deep conditioning treatments every so often to keep your hair healthy. This will also make color look brighter and last longer.
-Consider Botox. It may not be for you, but the women I know who use it swear by it, and many of my friends in their 30s have started using it (although I haven't). There are even "baby Botox" treatments, which use a very minimal amount of Botox so that you can test the effects and see how you like them. Other women swear by fillers, but I'd personally steer clear of them -- I think that fillers often make older women look ridiculous.
Those are my tips. Any you'd add?
Image via David_Shankbone/Flickr