How to Choose and Apply Make-Up For Dry or Mature Skin

Most women with dry or mature skin assume that what they've been using for foundation, blusher and lipstick will never change. Wrong! If you have dry or mature skin here are some make-up buying and application tips to keep you looking your best and help your make-up last all day.

Things You'll Need

• Cream foundation or tinted moisturizer
• concealer
• eye cream
• concealer brush
• foundation brush
• cream blush
• cream eye shadow
• light colored gloss
• matching pencil

Instructions

1. If you have dry or mature skin, it must be prepared before you apply make-up. Apply a good moisturizer or a foundation primer each time you make up. You will get better results and you will use less foundation. Be careful, not all foundation primers are meant for dry or mature skin. In fact, some come in an oil blotting formula, which is last thing you need. Those formulas will dry out dry skin even more. They may even irritate thinner more mature skin. If you can't find a formula that suits you try a wrinkle filler. Garnier and L'oreal both make one. It works like spackle. It will fill in those dry lines and wrinkles so the make-up doesn't settle into them. This should be used before you apply any make-up. Apply to the whole face if you want just avoid the eye area.

2. Apply your eye cream, gently patting it in. This is a must if you expect the concealer or foundation to go on properly. The skin around the eye is very thin and delicate. You don't want to use too much foundation or concealer it will look cakey. This will keep it from happening. Don't use a regular moisturizer it won't sink in and it may sting if you get it in your eyes. You don't have to spend a fortune. A drugstore brand will do nicely. Use it sparingly a little goes a long way.

3. Apply concealer. Again make sure it is the correct formula. You want something creamy that will blend well. Only go one shade lighter than your skin tone or you'll look like you have white circles under your eyes. Use your concealer brush, and go gently. You'll find you don't use as much when you use a make-up brush.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply a cream foundation or a tinted moisturizer, depending upon the level of coverage you like. A tinted moistuizer is lighter and is a good choice for summer if you don't like the feel of foundation on your skin. It offers a more natural look. Cream foundations offer more coverage. You will use less if you apply with a foundation brush. Apply with downward strokes. This keeps the little hairs on the skin from standing up(don't worry we all have them) You also use less foundation.

• Apply a cream blusher high on the cheek and blend well. Cream blusher lasts longer than powder. Powder sometimes blows off a simply fades off dry skin it also settles into wrinkles. If you want to put a little in apple of your cheek smile and dot a very small amount on. Blend well. You are not sculpting cheekbones nor are you putting blush circles on our face. You're not a super model or a 20 year old be, realistic. What do you look like when you've been exercising, or out in the cold? You're going for that color only more subtle. Choose a pink or peach based color Most of women fall in to one or the other category and there are a lot of shades to chose from in each color family. Pinks are meant for someone with a blue or pink undertone to the skin. Peach colors are meant for someone with a more golden undertone to the skin. Browns are not flattering to pale mature skin they tend to look dirty. If you have trouble selecting a shade ask at your favorite make-up counter in your favorite department store But be clear about the formula you want. Don't allow them to sell you a powder. Powder is not the friend of anyone with aging or dry skin.

• Use a neutral pink or peach cream eye shadow all over the lid. Powders tend to make the lid look more wrinkled so do shadows with too much frost or shimmer.

• Outline your lips with the outer edge not the tip of your lip pencil, it's gives your mouth a softer look.

• Fill in with a matching lighter formula lipstick or gloss, something with a little shine. No frosts and no two tone lips please. Add some mascara in a natural formula in a soft black.

• DO NOT FINISH WITH POWDER! Powder is the enemy of anyone with dry or mature skin. You'll ruin all your hard work if you apply a ton of powder to "Set" your makeup. The moisturizer and the wrinkle filler or primer have given you your perfect canvas. The cream formulas will last longer than powder formulas. There's nothing left to do.