Ask Liz: I'm 41 and I don't have a makeup routine!
Hi everyone! I thought I’d bring back my Ask Liz column - it’s been a while since I’ve tackled reader questions, so I’m excited to get back to it. I received this question via Instagram from Billie. I answered her immediately, but I thought that I’d get into more detail here! Let’s read her message.
Good afternoon Liz. I am writing today to request your advice. I am 41 yrs old, with combination to oily skin. I dont wear make up. I only stick with my AM and PM skin regimen. In the morning, I only cleanse, treat and protect by using sunscreen and thats it. Sometimes, I get envious of other ladies with clean face. Im not sure if they wear make up. But they are clean, not oily and well made up, very pleasing and presentable to my eyes. I need your advice on what product to try na hindi ako tatamarin to use everyday. Hope you can help me. ❤️ - Billie
Before anything I want to say that confidence is the best look on anyone. Even without makeup, we can look fabulous if we believe we look fabulous (and often even when we don’t)! When I was younger I couldn’t leave the house without a stitch of makeup because I was very self-conscious back then. Well, I’m 34 and still a little self-conscious but now I am a lot more comfortable being seen in public without makeup. I simply realized that it’s not as important as what I can bring to the table.
But of course, sometimes I just want to look like an infant who’ve had eight straight hours of sleep (and then some) and that’s when makeup comes in! It’s a great way to amp things up and take what I have to the next level. And because I’m often rushed, I don’t have that much time to spend on a full look before I dash out the door.
Billie, if you want to look brighter and more presentable, I recommend just a few easy things!
Conceal and brighten
A brightening concealer to apply around the under eyes, sides of the mouth, sides of the nose, forehead, and chin. A good concealer can lift up those areas with a lot less effort than full foundation. It also looks so natural! You can use your fingers or a dense synthetic brush to get a good blend. Try to get the product to adhere to the skin as closely as possible.
Try: Ever Bilena Plus Wide Awake Caffeine Concealer (P265) does this job wonderfully! It’s so cheap but it works so well and is fast becoming a fave for me. I also recommend the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer (P1,900), as it works well both as an under eye and blemish concealer. Plus, it stays on all day too.
Set and go
Then, set the concealer with some powder. It can be a translucent powder if you want a natural finish, or a powder foundation for more coverage. If you have fairly good skin, a translucent powder would be perfect! Just retouch throughout the day as needed.
Try: The GRWM Velvet Setting Powder (P549) is so smoothing and has the right coverage for setting makeup. I also love the Laura Mercier Pressed (or Loose) Setting Powder (P2,250) for the splurge option - it’s a classic for a reason.
Lift and shade the brows
This one is a bit more optional, and depends on what kind of brows you have. If you have thick brows a bit of brow mascara is more than enough to effectively frame the face. If you have finer brows like I do a filling in with a pencil or pen does wonders in looking done up especially when you don’t want to apply mascara or eyeliner.
Try: The Happy Skin Holy Grail Micro Tip Brow Pencil + Brush (P499) creates fine hair like strokes and since it has a microtip, you can get into those bald spots on the brows. I also love the K-Palette Nuance Eyebrow Mascara (P645) for a soft one-and-done mascara that both colors and sets the hairs in place.
Add color on the lips and cheeks
Add some color with a multi-use product. Go with something you can use on the lips and cheeks so as to cut application time and get a gorgeous cohesive look. This would usually be in a cream or liquid format! Pro tip: you can use any lipstick as a blush by dipping a small brush into your lips and then applying the color on the cheeks. I actually made a TikTok video on this!
@projectvanitycom Love this hack, will definitely do it again! I learned this from @Katiejanehughes ❤️ #projectvanity #projectvanitycom #makeuphack #beautytok #makeupreview #beautytokph #foryoupage #fyp #blushaslipstick #shiseido ♬ original sound - projectvanitycom
Try: The Blk Creamy All Over Paint in Palm Springs (P319) is a beautiful daily color that’s ultra flattering on Asian skin. It’s warm browny pink! It works equally well on the cheeks and lips and is super affordable. The Rare Beauty Liquid Blush (P1,350) is an HG of mine - I love the shade Joy for a fresh peachy pink look. It will make your skin look so good! It’s best as a blush but I enjoy it as a lip tint as well.
And that’s it! This three or four step routine should be easy to follow but has the maximum result.I hope this helps! If you guys have more questions for me, please do leave a comment or send me a message on @lizlanuzo or @projectvanitycom any time!
