makeup

Aging Makeup Mishaps

July 26, 2022 by Bethany Siggins

Not Another Anti-Aging Post

As I expressed earlier this year in Episode 39 of my podcast, I am not focused on anti-aging. In fact, I proposed in that episode that we be “anti” anti-aging. Time passes at the same rate for everyone, and the years inevitably show on our faces and our bodies. No one escapes aging. Now that I’m fifty, I want to look and feel my best, period. That’s what this blog post is focused on.

As I said in my May blog post, which focused on “aging” clothing, don’t take the list below as gospel. Instead, reflect on my advice and, if needed, make a few tweaks to keep your makeup modern and fresh. The goal isn’t to look younger but simply our best. Most of the time, that means doing things a little differently than we did them 10+ years ago.

Aging Offenders

There are exceptions to all of these mishaps, and sometimes I completely break them, especially for evening events! That said, here are the top offenders.

Applying with a heavy hand

Walk into any store with a makeup counter, and you’ll see pretty saleswomen wearing lots of gorgeous makeup. They’re selling makeup, after all. In real life, heavy makeup does not translate well. In the last few years, I have been learning to wear less makeup even though I’ve worn a full face of makeup for decades. As I’m seeing more wrinkles and less elasticity in my skin, I’m realizing less is more. I want to glow, and heavy makeup covers the glow. Besides, it settles into creases and it’s distracting.

As Bobbi Brown says in her book, Bobbi Brown Beauty, her beauty style is “modern, pared-down and realistic.” Her makeup philosophy is about a face “that is pretty not because it is perfectly painted… but because it is smooth, natural and healthy looking.”

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The Solution: try a skin tint or a lighter foundation. My favorite foundation product right now is Dr. Jart’s BB cream. It is full coverage, but it leaves the skin glowing. It is skin care and foundation in one. Supply is low at Sephora, so I suggest buying directly from Dr. Jart’s website. He has two BB creams, one with SPF 30 here and another with SPF 40 here. I also love Glossier’s skin tint (photo above). To cover spots around your eyes, nose and other areas, I recommend a concealer pencil over foundation like this one by NYX. Apply only where you need it and pat into the skin to blend.

Metallic and colored eye shadows

Guilty! Do you know how difficult it is to find non-metallic eye shadows? Oh, brother! As we age, metallic shadows emphasize the creases around our eyes and on our eye lids. Colored eye shadow can look harsh against aging skin, and sometimes it looks like we got stuck back in time. It’s best to stick with neutral colors.

The Solution: matte neutral eye shadows. I love the NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette in Warm Neutrals. There are three matte neutrals on the second row that are perfect for daytime makeup.

Black eyeliner

Black is a wonderful liner for evening and dramatic looks. However, it is harsh on aging faces. Most of the time, black eye liner detracts from the natural beauty of your face.

The Solution: try black/brown eyeliner. Black/brown creates a softer impact and allows your eyes to stand out. One of my favorites is L’Oreal Infallible Pencil Eyeliner.

Skipping bronzer or blush

Aging skin often loses its natural color and vitality. Therefore, it becomes more important to add a little bit of color on your cheeks, even if you have never worn cheek color before. No need to apply with a heavy hand. A little bit goes a long way. Be sure to blend it so we don’t see harsh lines.

The Solution: add a bronzer or blush to the apples of your cheeks. I recommend a blush color that is close to the natural color of your lips. This bronzer by Jane Iredale has several color options. Cream blush is nice on aging skin that tends to be dry. Try this one by Ilia in one of the radiant finishes. The one I’m using now is the Miracle Balm by Jones Road Beauty (photo above). The color I’m using is bronze. Tawny is another nice color, as well as dusty rose and golden hour. I dab it onto my cheeks with my fingers and layer the color as needed for more depth. I love it on my lips, too.

Too much powder

Guilty, once again. I used to wear my makeup very matte by covering my foundation with lots of loose powder. Dry skin looks older. Dewy skin appears more vibrant and youthful.

The Solution: strategically place powder around your face like the sides of your nose, under your eyes and along your jawline. The goal is to allow your skin to glow with a small amount of powder to keep makeup in place. I like Glossier’s Wowder (photo above). If you need a nice brush to apply it, I recommend Glossier’s wowder duo.

Not filling in your eyebrows

Eyebrows become less dense over time. Think of them as face accessories. Eyebrows frame your face, and they draw focus to your face, giving it balance. A younger-looking face has full eyebrows.

The Solution: follow the natural shape of your brow to fill in sparse areas. I worked with a makeup artist to show me how to properly draw in my eyebrows. I highly recommend it! Plus, she told me about my new favorite brow pencil by Wet n Wild. I am using Ash Brown per her recommendation, and I love it.

Dark lipstick

I love a statement lip! But, once again, I am learning I appear my best in softer lip shades. As we age, we lose volume in our face, and this includes our lips. Dark lipsticks makes lips appear thinner. Lips appear most full when their color is close to the natural lip color.

Ultra Lip Smaller - Aging Makeup Mishaps

The Solution: wear a color that blends nicely with your face and body colors. Fill in lips with a natural lip pencil and cover with a soft lip color for long-staying power. Glossier’s Generation G is a sheer matte lipstick that won’t appear too saturated or dark.

Not prepping your skin

It goes without saying that if you aren’t taking good care of your skin, makeup will not look as natural and beautiful on your face. As I mentioned above with blush and bronzer, a little bit goes a long way with skincare.

The solution: adopt a simple skincare routine. There are many brands out there. If you’d like a few names, check out my blog post about my skincare routine here. The routine I recommend is a gentle cleanser, a toner, a serum, and sunscreen for day. Apply a moisturizer suitable for your skin type after serum at night. That’s it. Click the links to see product recommendations. Once you’re used to a simple skincare routine, it will become second nature. Your skin will thank you!

I’m Here to Help

As always, I can assist you! My philosophy as an image consultant and style coach is I want people to notice you and appreciate who you are just as you are. I’m not in the business of changing people or their style. I am a guide in your journey to greater personal style and increased confidence with your image. If you’d like assistance with skincare, makeup or anything related to your image, message me here. I’d be delighted to assist you in all your image needs!

Affiliated Links

Some, though not all, of the links in this blog post are affiliated, meaning I receive a small commission when you make a purchase. This is appreciated as it helps support my business and this blog. Happy Shopping!

Fall 2015 – The Confident Woman

September 28, 2015 by Bethany Siggins

If you were to look at a list of fall trends year over year, you would notice a lot of repetition: leather, fur, black, gray, red, tweed, belts, boots, smoky eyes, etcetera. To get to the heart of the season, you must look beyond the list. The wide array of designs which walk down the runways of Milan, London, New York and Paris magically come together each year to convey an overall mood. Fall 2015 is all about confidence.

The Fall 2015 woman blazes her own path and she calls her own shots. She wears what she loves, and she masterfully combines masculine with feminine in a way that makes sense and looks very relaxed and easy. She is not trying too hard. Rather, she is perfectly imperfect. The Fall 2015 woman is returning to a more sensible way of dressing, as well. We are seeing large tote bags to hold our stuff, a relaxed fit so we can eat lunch and not pop a seam, and chunky heels so we can stand comfortably for long stretches and not tip over in a strong gust of wind.

For the most part, the fall woman is covered up and she leaves much to the imagination, yet she remains extremely sexy. How is this possible? In short, sexy is all about attitude and presence. A confident woman is a sexy woman.

Several trends which are newer to this fall season (though they are not completely new) include long vests, stocking boots, chokers, flares, high waist and pastels. The Pantone 2015 color of the year is marsala, an earthy brown-red. Thus, it should come as no surprise that red is a standout (yet again) for fall from bright red to deep, dark tones. Red fits perfectly into the fall 2015 mood since it is without a doubt a color that conveys confidence and passion.

Style confidence is easy to achieve if you are willing to forget about the expectations of others. There are many who are more than eager to advise you on what to buy and where to invest most wisely for your fall wardrobe. Instead of listening to them, focus on what you want and focus on the woman you are. Greek philosopher and mathematician Thales is credited with saying, “The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.” I hope it will not be the hardest thing you have ever done, but it does take much effort. Check in with yourself often and trust your gut regarding what is right for you and what is not. The more you trust yourself, the more skilled you will become in choosing pieces that speak to your heart and work for your life.

Have a great fall season, and call me if you need a confidence boost. I am here to help!

Fall Trends 2014

August 19, 2014 by Bethany Siggins

At the end of each summer I produce a card of fall trends, a reference of the biggest trends of the season, in anticipation of fall fashions which begin hitting the stores at about that time. I simply love fall fashion, the rich colors, the textured fabrics and the beautiful leather goods. To me, fall fashion is worthy of investment. Trends come and go, but if you purchase wisely (read: not too trendy) and you take care of your things (yes, pay attention to care instructions), your investments will last you several years (at the least!).

If you love something but cannot afford it, look for the best version of the knock off or scour vintage stores for something similar. As you know in fashion, everything old is new again, so it is quite possible what you love has been done before in a previous decade. One fall I really wanted a moto jacket, but I did not have the budget for a leather jacket. So, I purchased a pleather version and wore the heck out of it. A few years later, I got the real thing.

My fall 2014 trends card does not cover all the trends, so below is an extensive list . If you would like a trends card and a couple of extras for friends, message me. I would be delighted to send them to you!

Colors: cobalt, steel, dark red, moss green, pastels, orange and jewel tones

To see a list of the Pantone fall 2014, click here.

Fabrics: shearling, leather, tweed, knits, fur, metallic and velvet

Prints/Patterns: plaid, abstract, color blocking, patchwork and diagonal lines

Oversized: coats, collars on coats, dresses, sweaters (including turtlenecks) and pants

Office: midi skirts, pant suits, sharp blazers, pin stripes, menswear and neck tie blouses

Details: feathers, accordion pleats, fringe, sequins, western and puffy sleeves

Top layer: ponchos, capes, varsity jackets, bombers, blanket coats and fur-trimmed parkas

Bags: bucket, totes, jeweled clutches and fur top-handle handbags

Shoes: sneakers, flats, ankle boots, brogues and ankle-strap heels

Beauty: ponytails, braids, oversized buns, colorful cat eyes, nude and berry lips and nude and Bordeaux nails

Whew, I probably missed a few, but not many. If you need assistance finding what suits you, call me. I love making the shopping experience quick and easy. I especially enjoy helping people find pieces they would have never considered if they had shopped on their own! Happy Shopping!

Alternative to Shorts

April 25, 2014 by Bethany Siggins

Some of you face a dilemma this time of year. The temps are creeping up, but you are not a “shorts” person. What is a gal to do? Allow me to suggest an alternative, which is universally flattering. Enter the circle skirt. This skirt has ease around the hips because of its slight a-line shape. This is great for the gal with more down below who needs a bit of room for comfort, and this is also great for the gal who lacks shape to give her the appearance of curves.

The ideal length is to the knee (either just above or just below). I realize the midi skirt is very popular right now, which goes to mid-calf. However, this length is extremely difficult to pull off if you are not particular tall or thin as stops in an odd place at mid-calf (much like the Capri pant), creating a shorter leg line and visually widening the wearer. The last time I checked, no woman has ever told me she wishes she looked shorter and wider!

I created the following set in Polyvore to provide you with a couple of ideas for wearing this skirt. I paired both skirts with a button front shirt, which looks a bit more dressed up than a simple t-shirt is able to accomplish.

Two pieces of advice on the top: roll the sleeves and make sure the hem of the top ends around your hip bones. If you do not tuck your tops, and the top is too long, ask your tailor or dry cleaner to cut it, a very simple alteration. Rolling the sleeves is heightening, and it certainly makes sense now that the mercury is rising. Finish the outfit with your favorite sandals, bag and jewelry, and you are done.

So easy, right? Hop to it! Happy Friday and thanks for reading!

Be A Red Tulip

March 14, 2013 by Bethany Siggins

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My family and I enjoyed a lovely outing to The Dallas Arboretum last Saturday to view the annual Dallas Blooms. The flowers were out in full colorful force, and everywhere you looked the view was breathtaking.

One Tulip Stood Out

On the way out of the Arboretum, I was stopped in my tracks by a red tulip blossoming in a sea of yellow daffodils and tulips. It made me smile. The tulip was not concerned about its color being different from the others. It simply bloomed. The red tulip struck me as proud of not looking like the others.

You Are a Red Tulip

Each of us is a red tulip in a field of yellow flowers, beautifully created as a unique individual unlike any other person in the history of the universe. Despite our fine, special design, we often cover up the things that make us unique to look like the yellow flowers around us. Why do we do this?

Celebrate You

Downplaying the things that make us different is counter to the greater plan for our lives. When we celebrate ourselves just as we are, we are opening ourselves up to the opportunities we were made for and the people we were meant to know. When we relax in our skin, we feel better, we are happier and the result is evident to everyone around us. To make ourselves into the yellow flowers is a wasteful exertion of energy and, quite frankly, a sad way to live one’s life.

Embrace your differences. You look like you do on purpose. Embrace being a red tulip!