I love that I get to age—it’s a privilege not everyone is granted. At 52, I view aging as a gift, and while I’m committed to aging gracefully, I also want to look and feel my best. Fortunately, I’ve been lucky with my skin throughout my life, from my teenage years to my time modeling in NYC. Now, even though I prefer to keep my makeup routine simple, I do use it to feel polished and poised for work. However, I draw the line at a complicated regimen—I stick to a routine that takes no more than five minutes.
For women 50 and older, simplicity is key. A few great products that cater to mature skin can enhance your natural beauty without feeling heavy or overly complicated. I don’t want to look like I’ve had Botox (and I am not shaming anyone; this is just my preference); I just want to age gracefully and have good skin. Ilia, Lancôme, and Merit are products I love because they accomplish exactly that. Ilia offers clean, skin-loving formulas that provide a natural glow, Lancôme delivers luxurious, hydrating products that smooth and refine the skin’s texture, and Merit emphasizes minimalism, ideal for a polished, natural look in just a few steps.
These brands help you achieve a fresh, radiant appearance while embracing your age beautifully. And today I am sharing my favorites. Those awesome products that help me be ready in 5 minutes.
Lancôme is my go-to to prepare my face. The Teint Idole Ultra Wear Concealer has a hydrating formula that help maintain skin's moisture, provides excellent coverage without being heavy, which helps to conceal age spots, dark circles, and other imperfections effectively. It blends beautifully and with a natural finish.
Lancôme’s Skin Feels Good is an ideal product for women 50 and older because it’s a hydrating skin tint that combines makeup with skincare benefits. As skin ages, it tends to become drier and more prone to fine lines, so products that moisturize while providing coverage are essential.
Its lightweight and evens out the complexion without settling into wrinkles, giving a natural, radiant finish that enhances mature skin. Plus, it contains SPF, offering sun protection, which is crucial for preventing further skin aging.
Merit’s Bronze Balm is a fantastic bronzer because of its lightweight, creamy formula that blends seamlessly into the skin. It glides on like butter. As I age, I notice that powder-based products can sometimes emphasize fine lines or dryness, but this balm provides a natural, sun-kissed glow without settling into wrinkles or looking heavy.
I also love that it is buildable. You can easily control how much color you want, from a soft glow to a more defined contour, all while maintaining a fresh, dewy finish that complements mature skin. Its sheer, hydrating texture enhances your complexion instead of overpowering it. If I do not want to wear makeup, but want a radiant glow, this is the product I reach for.
Favorite Shade: Leo
Ilia’s Multi-Stick is a fantastic choice because it offers versatility, ease of use, and a formula that works beautifully with mature skin. This creamy, blendable stick can be used on the cheeks, lips, and even eyes, making it a great all-in-one product for a simplified makeup routine.
My favorite aspect is that gives you a natural flush of color without emphasizing fine lines or dryness. Its creamy formula ensures that it blends smoothly into the skin, offering a radiant, dewy finish rather than a powdery look that can age the complexion. It’s perfect for achieving a fresh, youthful glow while allowing your natural beauty to shine through.
Favorite Shades: A Fine Romance
Merit’s Cream-to-Powder Eyeshadow
Merit’s Clean Lash Mascara
Nothing can make us look drawn and older than eye makeup. And Merit’s Cream-to-Powder Eyeshadow is perfect because it combines the smooth application of a cream with the long-lasting benefits of a powder, without creasing or settling into fine lines. This eyeshadow’s creamy formula glides on effortlessly, providing a soft, blendable finish that doesn’t tug on mature skin.
Once applied, it transforms into a velvety powder, delivering a natural look that enhances the eyes without looking heavy. Its crease-resistant formula ensures it stays in place throughout the day, maintaining a polished, flattering appearance.
Merit’s Clean Lash Mascara offers length and definition without clumping (it is the worse when that happens) or weighing down the lashes, which is ideal for mature eyes. As we age, our lashes can become thinner or sparse, and heavy or overly dramatic mascaras can feel uncomfortable or emphasize aging around the eyes.
Merit’s mascara has a lightweight, buildable formula that creates natural, fluttery lashes while keeping them soft and flexible. It’s designed to lift and separate lashes for a more wide-awake, youthful look. Plus, the clean formula is gentle, avoiding harsh chemicals that could irritate sensitive eyes, which can become more common with age.
Last but not least, let’s talk lips— my favorite. I love me a good lipstick, but especially love lip balms. And this is why the Ilia’s Tinted Lip Balm is my favorite “lipstick.” It combines hydrating care with a touch of color, providing a fresh and youthful appearance without being too heavy or drying. As we age, our lips can lose moisture and appear thinner, and traditional lipsticks can sometimes emphasize these changes by settling into fine lines or causing dryness.
This tinted balm is packed with nourishing ingredients which deeply moisturize the lips, leaving them soft and smooth. It offers a sheer, buildable color that adds just the right amount of tint to enhance your natural lip tone, perfect for a fresh, everyday look.
Favorite Shade: Wanderlust
Now, let’s talk about the newest addition to the Ilia brand— the Sketch Lip Crayon. I was hesitant because I cannot stand a fully matte lipstick. Just… no. But after trying it, I stand by this product. It offers precision, hydration, and long-lasting color in one easy-to-use product. Score! This lip crayon provides more control, allowing you to define your lips with accuracy while delivering rich color.
Its creamy texture glides on effortlessly without tugging, and it delivers a semi-matte finish that feels comfortable all day, while giving you a polished look that feels both natural and sophisticated.
Favorite Shades: Blue Note and Gala
What are some of your favorite clean products or brands?
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