About 9 months ago I moved to Cuenca, Ecuador, and boy, is it awesome. If I really explained how great it is, you would first wet yourself, then you’d sell everything and move here. It’s that cool IMO. Having said that, I have worked as a makeup artist on sets (mostly TV and print) for, like, 25+ years. When I moved here, I went 100% online, and, to my surprise, I missed the collaborative atmosphere of the film and photography crew. Because of this, I put out a call to anyone over 50 interested in getting a makeover on-camera so I could get my groove back. After over 20 women responded, I realized what an important and fun boost this gave to everyone involved, including me!
“When we were small children, we all played dress-up and everybody had a good time. So why stop?”
Iris Apfel
In this episode of my Mature Women Makeover Series on YouTube, Chris bravely sat in the chair and gave me full throttle to do whatever I wanted. Her fabulous short hair and stand-out eyes called out to be the focal point. As a former language school principal, Chris lived an academics conservative life, so heading into smokey eye territory was an adventure, to say the least.
Color Choices for Grey Hair
Grey hair is gorgeous and opens up doors to color palettes many of you haven’t sampled. For example, with Chris’ short sassy haircut and grey locks, I headed straight for a blue/grey all over her lid, and then a bright blue next to her eye line. Her eyes are hazel, so she can pull off blue, green, brown, grey, pink, and various shades of deep grape.
The important bit with color is to not have the makeup enter the room before you, but rather to flatter your face and coloring. Chris wore a white top, and could’ve easily also gone with grey, blue, or a deep blue-green. We also spiked her hair a bit before the final shot, which works really well with her vibrant energy.
Smokey Eye Basics (If There is Such a Thing)
There are many ways to skin a cat, as the story goes. Smokey eye makeup is no different. I prefer techniques to be practical and functional, so this is a very simple smokey eye that takes only a little effort to master. As a base, I started with a cream eyeshadow called Tailor Grey. The cream shadows can last longer, and not set in crinkly lids, but some of that is determined on how dry your lids are. For crepey or dry lids, use a little vitamin C serum like I did in the video, it helps to hydrate and plump the skin so it handles makeup better.
After that, I applied a waterproof eyeliner in navy very close to the lashes. And finally, I used a blending brush to add the bright blue shadow over the eyeliner. In her crease, I added a slightly darker blue shadow to open up her eyes more and add more drama. Waterproof liner and shadow can be a double-edged sword as it stays on much better than regular liner, but can be challenging to remove. In the end, I prefer waterproof, but you do you.
Love and Makeup
Chris and I are both single, and really happy with that status. What does that have to do with makeup, you ask? Why do we want to look pretty? In my younger years, it was to catch attention and a fella, but in my later years, I’d say it’s all about me. Chris agrees, as we both love the energy of feeling and looking our best no matter who is looking. Personally, I find this idea very liberating.
On a similar note, both Chris and I are tall and Ecuadorian men are, well, short. This is irrelevant when it comes to love, but when we finished her makeup, Chris wanted to go out on the town! As a keen observer of the results of makeup, I find that when a woman feels beautiful, it’s more about the joy and positive vibes it brings than anything else. It brings women together in the mutual admirer’s club, and we might even flirt a bit with our fabulous smokey eye!
Whatever your reasons for loving makeup and trying a new look, have fun with it! Or, if you’re like me today, no makeup feels good as I clomp away on the computer. No matter what, it’s all about love. Love who you are, love your innate beauty, and love your life!
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