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Here's a fun question for today: How have you updated your makeup over the years?
I've recently seen a few YouTube videos suggesting that the “newer” way to do blush placement on is high on your cheekbones, instead of on the apple of your cheeks, which was news to me — as well as some suggestions for “lower lash mascara,” which I had always associated with the ’80s — so I thought it might be interesting to discuss.
What makeup looks dated to you? What makeup looks do you think are classic/HG for your situation (face shape, eyelid shape, brow density, cheekbone sharpness, etc.)? What newer makeup looks do you want to try?
Another interesting question: Have you changed certain things like eyeliner or eyeshadow placement, or have you kept that pretty consistent because you feel like it's based on the shape of your eyes? Ditto for brows — there are several popular product types for brows (brow gel like Boy Brow, brow pencil, the microfill “tattoo” gel pen for brows (like this), brow creme like Urban Decay or Anastasia, and of course microblading and dyeing your brows). Do any of those methods look “dated” to you?
{related: beauty empties: products we finish and buy again and again (Kat's and the readers!}
I suspect this conversation will vary widely based on how old you are (and maybe where you're located also!), so if you can, please share that info when you comment.
For my $02… I'm questioning a lot of stuff right now! Here's what I know about my own makeup routine and how it's changed over the years:
- I vastly prefer brow creme or brow pencil if I've got time — but most days brows aren't included in my two-minute makeup routine. My brows aren't terribly unruly (so no benefit from a gel) and are just a liiiiitle sparse, but not evenly, so pencil or creme is the best for me. Dyeing my brows at home, while super easy, didn't add enough darkness to frame my face, but maybe I chose the wrong color — I have dark brown hair but often choose blonde pencils because my face is so pale that dark brown eyebrows are too much, I feel. I did choose brown hair dye for my brows, but perhaps should have gone even darker. Hmmn.
- For years and years I used liquid eyeliner, but I switched to waterproof pencil liner somewhere between the time I damaged my eyes and had kids, in part because liquid liner just felt too drying/uncomfortable. But I never really adapted my pencil eyeliner technique and am now hunting for a good tutorial to help me choose because I feel like I should have more of a strategy.
- Blush/bronzer/highlighter… I've been experimenting. For years now I've put highlighter on high/outside cheekbones, blush on the apple of my cheeks, and (sucking in) put bronzer under the cheekbones — but now sometimes my two-minute makeup routine is just putting blush on high cheekbones. Again, I'm reassessing.
- For better or worse, something I associate as a definite trend right now that I'm still pondering is shinier, luminescent, almost oily skin — I keep seeing older women (like 45-50ish) do tutorials resulting in extremely shiny skin after $1000s of products and… I'm not sure I'm into it.
In large ways, though, my makeup routine has largely stayed consistent for years. I still love my rose plum lipsticks, my brownish/blackish/dark navy eyeliner colors, my gray/brown eyeshadows… I still love the same highlighter and blush I've used for years. Here are some of my favorites:
As of 2024, my short makeup routine is pretty boring — curled eyelashes + concealer + blush (Nars Orgasm) + powder, with a different lipstick and eyeliner depending on my mood. If I'm feeling extra fancy I'll add mascara, highlighter, and/or do my brows with this cream and a brush similar to this one (here's my review). (I also add eye shadows in the “extra” days but it's a huge variety, maybe 25 or so different ones.)
Some favorite lipsticks include Clinique (Graped Up), NARS lipstick (Damage), Fenty (Goji Gang), NARS gloss (Orgasm, Fast Lane), and Clinique (Black Honey). I use this NYX lipliner (Natural) for almost all of them.
Favorite eyeliners include Chanel (Espresso), Urban Decay (Sabbath, Smoke), and Clinique (Intense Chocolate & Plum).
Readers, how about you? How have you changed your makeup routine over the years? What do you think looks dated; what do you think is perfect for your situation?
LaurenB
Eyeshadow is like a thing of the past for me — special occasions only (of which there are none right now). Much less concerned w covering freckles than I was when I was younger.
bellatrix
I don’t think I have enough in the way of cheekbones for there to be a discernable difference between my cheekbone and the apple of my cheek. But at this point I’ve forgotten how to do makeup – I haven’t worn more than tinted sunscreen and mascara since March. I think a post-pandemic tutorial is going to be necessary at some point. So maybe I’ll learn the new ways then?
Anon
The apple is the puffy part when you smile. The cheekbone is the bony part under your eye.
Aunt Jamesina
Cheekbone is actually under the apple of your cheek, not under your eye! See https://post.healthline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/5991-Low_Cheekbones_vs_High_Cheekbones-732×549-Thumbnail.jpg
Anon
When you feel your cheekbone it starts under your eye – the top of the bone forms the orbital socket. There aren’t a lot of separate bones in the skull. We are talking about the same thing.
Anon
Yes for sure. I’m very into a slightly shimmery eye all of a sudden, unlike Lauren B, but I stick to one color, whereas I would have done a contouring three color thing in the past.
Most of my makeup time now is spent on having the appearance of clear, dewy skin, so more of it is skincare and less of it is covering up. I use sheerer face makeup now.
I did change the placement of my blush a little to bring it up from the outer apples to the corner of my eye. I very lightly layer bronzer and blush, with the blush being slightly higher, but they’re well blended and I hardly have any on my brush when I apply them.
Defined focus on the brows more than I used to.
NY CPA
I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve put on any kind of makeup since mid-March.
I had just started wearing makeup regularly in the last few months before COVID, and was getting used to eyeliner, but I don’t know that it really does much for me. On a go-forward basis, I don’t think I need more than eyebrows and maybe mascara.
Does anyone have any favorite brow products that give a natural look for sparse brows (especially at the tail ends) with dark hair?
Anon
I am fair but like the glossier brow gel.
I’ve been doing brows/eyes because it makes my face show up on Zoom. And I’ve been wearing foundation because I had no idea, until Zoom, how often I blush very, very visibly with my rosacea!
Anon
I asked the question on this board and the overwhelming response was the Anastasia brow pencil. A technique I learned online was to draw a line along the bottom of the brow I wanted to create, then fill in the brows by flicking the pencil up from then bottom line, drawing imaginary brows. Then use the spooling brush on the other end of the pencil to blend. This has been working really well on my sparse eyebrows.
I like the idea of a brow gel like boybrow but it’s not going to help create brow hairs where I have none.
Anon
Oh and another tip on choosing colors in the brow pencil. Go for the cool or ashy shades unless you have red hair. They’re far more natural looking on most of us vs the warm shades.
ElisaR
i’m a little late with this comment, but as a redhead I found the best brow pencil is from a brand called “just for redheads”
Christina A Chieffo
I started using the Anastasia pencil, and I’ve found that NYX is a much more affordable option.
Christina A Chieffo
I love the NYX Micro Brow pencil to fill in the gaps in my brows. I think the very fine point makes it look natural- you can basically draw in little hairs. I have medium brown hair, but dark brows, and I use Ash Brown. https://www.ulta.com/micro-brow-pencil?productId=xlsImpprod12011193
Brows are the biggest thing that has changed for me. I was so afraid that I had bushy brows when I was younger and was obsessive about plucking. Now, I’m filling them in, probably as a result of said plucking. Now, I basically do brows, undereye concealer, and mascara; sometimes also a cream blush (the Multiple Stick by NARS). I’ve majorly simplified my makeup routine since having kids.
Friday
I wear tinted sunscreen instead of a full made up face. I was never full face Mac, but I used to be pretty close. Since we’re back in the office (for now), I add mascara and this morning I added bronzer to my cheekbones b/c I felt like I looked washed out. TBH I am not sure what’s trending or if I will ever go back to a full face of makeup. Now it’s more about moisturizing and taking care of my skin than trying to cover up acne, or look done up. I would like to find a good brow brush.
Anon
I have this jacket in black, I went up two sizes from my normal Lululemon top size to get a fit that was comfortable, it’s still tailored but not too tight. I have long arms and I love how long the arms are. It’s super cute but it’s not that warm if you need cold weather running gear.
savannah331
Love this brow dye! My brows get sparse at the tails and this helps them show up.
Reflectosil KIT – Cream Hair Dye + Creme Oxidant 3% 3.4oz + Mixing Dish + Mascara Brush (Light Brown) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I4LX6K8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabt1_PfBRFb1VHR6F9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Lazy
I was just going to post about this amazing trick. I apply this 10-minute dye about every two weeks and no longer need to spend time on my eyebrows every morning.
A
I’ve always been a no makeup- makeup person, so even with lipstick, I dab and blot until it looks like I just ate some berries.
Gave up eyeshadow years ago- too time-consuming and makes me look older. My foundation got more sheer as my acne cleared up, and I’ve just worn tinted sunscreen for the past 2 years. I gave up mascara this year because it was irritating my eyes.
What I added? Brows. Love how adding brow gel makes them frame my face more.
Current routine: tinted sunscreen, under eye concealer, brow gel, blush, lipstick.
Anonymous
I do believe just a soft touch of nuetral eyeshadow works best in any situation. Only takes a second and it is more noticeable ithan if you did not.
Kris
Ali Andreea and ‘the pretty Fix’ have such great YouTube tutorials by the way – simple and effective. Ali Andreea also has some more complicated /complex routines so it varies, but overall I find cool stuff in both channels. I recently stumbled across Alex Anela – also great videos.
I find, like a few peeps have mentioned above, that I’m also just wearing way less foundation and rather just a wash of Jane iredale’s pure pressed powder (skipping under eyes and around nose to avoid anything any possible settling into lines which just makes it look like I’m wearing foundation). And recently I re-discovered Bare Minerals complexion rescue, which is essentially a tinted moisturiser. I am not happy with the fact that it has Aluminum in it though, and wondering if anyone has found a light , clean tinted moisturiser?
I have also changed my blush placement to higher up. And I’m loving the concept of a single wash of colour on the lids. Recently bought a Charlotte Tilbury mesmerising eyes and it’s divine I must say. And for lips I tend to do more lip stains now (Clarins is still my favourite).
Wow that was a long comment – and I hardly ever leave comments ? just wanted to share what’s been working for me lately.
Little Red
I’ve started wearing liquid eyeliner.
Ponka
I stopped doing make up totally
I almost never used eye makeup because of glasses/contacts
My eyebrows has enough of color in them, but sometimes I dye them
Before COVID I always used the lipstick, bet it’s impossible with a mask
A friend reccommended to me permanent lip make up and I am very happy about it – I need only Carmex and I am very happy about it
I invest more in skincare – lotions, peelings, botox. So my skin looks perfectly fine without any make up