Tricks To Wearing Lipstick After 50

 Makeup Artists Reveal The Tricks

By Julie Kendrick Apr 27, 2024

Remember when you used to slap on a coat of lipstick as you dashed out the door — and still managed to look great? If you’re anywhere north of 50, it’s likely those days are over.

You may have already noticed how lipstick tends to run into even the finest lines around your mouth, leaving you with a smeary mess that can’t be blotted away with tissues.

Fortunately, there are smart, savvy makeup artists who have shared their expertise with us. They offered some insight on why our lipstick seems to suddenly turn on us.

Michelle Wong, the cosmetic chemist behind the popular site Lab Muffin, said: “As you get older, your skin tends to thin and develop more lines and furrows, which act as ‘channels’ for lipstick, which has pigments that are slightly soluble in the product’s oils.”’

Is there an official name for this new indignity? “It’s called lipstick ‘feathering,’ because instead of a sharp, crisp line around the lips, it can look like a feather around the edges — a bit soft and never defined,” explained makeup artist Mila Thomas.

What to avoid: formulas that are wet, thick and glossy.

After all those years of aiming for moist, glossy lips, you’re going to need to transition away from those types of products. “Oily, liquid lip products are more prone to feathering,” Wong said. “Lip glosses applied on top of lipsticks are common culprits.”

"MAC is a classic for gorgeous lip colors,"
  "I highly recommend the Ruby Woo shade."

Makeup artist Jamie Greenberg said that matte products might be a better fit for an older cosmetics user. “Anything too wet, glossy or thick will make the problem worse,” she said.

Thomas explained the reason why: “If the formula is too wet, it will more easily bleed into the skin beyond the lip line.”

There is much more...

What are the best lip products to buy?

“Use a more matte long-wear color for better control,” Lobell said. “A matte lipstick that’s full-coverage with a smudge-resistant finish is going to ‘travel’ less than other formulas.”

Still craving a bit of shine? “Keep gloss away from the edges of your lips, and apply it sparingly,” Wong said.

“If you need your gloss, keep it more centered on the lips when you apply it, tap lips together, and allow the extra to make it evenly shiny,” Lobell said. “If you love a creamy formula, tap the lips with blotting paper after you apply it.”