The Blog post50women over 50fifty

The 5 Beauty Must-Haves For Women Over 40

After a certain age, no matter how good you look, there are some realities we just can't deny. Our eyesight takes a hit, hair grows where it shouldn't, and we slowly but surely turn gray. At this stage I don't believe in miracle products, but I do believe in things that make our daily beauty routine easier.
Open Image Modal
By 

Founder of VivaFifty.com, author and speaker

Founder of VivaFifty.com, author and speaker
|
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

After a certain age, no matter how good you look, there are some realities we just can't deny. Our eyesight takes a hit, hair grows where it shouldn't, and we slowly but surely turn gray. At this stage of life I don't believe in miracle products, but I do believe in things that make our daily beauty routine easier. So here I'm sharing five things that are always on my bathroom counter at 52 and that I hope will help you too.

1. -- An enlargement mirror
I usually apply makeup and beauty treatments wearing multifocal contacts as my progressive glasses get in the way and I can no longer see clearly without them. But ever since I bought an enlargement mirror, I can be sure that I won't step out looking like a clown. Yes, I admit it's a bit daunting to see my wrinkles and imperfections blown up to unsightly proportions, but really, the results of using such a mirror are so positive, that it's worth going through that moment of anguish. If you can get an enlargement mirror with a light, so much the better.


(c) Lorraine C. Ladish

2. -- Tweezers
Oh, my, these are no longer just to pluck my eyebrows, which are actually thinning out (I did use Latisse for a while and now I choose to pencil in the bald spots) but now I need tweezers to pluck out hairs that grow fast and furious on my chin and, yikes, above my lip. If your issue with facial hair in midlife is, ahem, a little more serious, then you may want to use facial wax.

3. -- Gray hair coverage
There comes a point when your grays fiercely take over and it's hard to keep up with covering your roots. If you're not so gray that it would make sense to just let go of hair dye, then there are short-term solutions for in-between touchups or visits to the hair salon. There are touchup pens, sprays and rinses.

4. -- A moisturizing foundation primer
Foundation primers help even out your skin tone, but they also fill in fine lines and help foundation stay in place longer. If you don't like to layer on the makeup, then you can also use foundation primer on its own, instead of regular foundation. Your skin will glow.

5. -- A hand-held fan!
No matter where you live, a beautiful fan not only helps you keep your hands busy when you're fidgety, it also takes care of hot flashes, so common in menopause. Besides, it's stylish.

What would you add to this list?

[This post first ran on Viva Fifty!]

Earlier on Huff/Post50:

8 Items That Slow The Aging Process
Pomegranate Juice(01 of08)
Open Image Modal
Studies show that a glass of pomegranate juice a day could keep the wrinkles at bay. Pomegranate has previously been linked to the prevention of heart disease and stress relief, but now researchers have found that the fruit juice also slows down the natural oxidation ("wear and tear") of DNA. (credit:Getty Images)
Berries(02 of08)
Open Image Modal
Blueberries and blackberries and other berries are packed with antioxidant compounds known as anthocyanins, which have been shown to reduce the growth of certain cancers while also helping with brain function and muscle tone. (credit:Shutterstock)
Green Tea(03 of08)
Open Image Modal
Green tea has all sorts of health benefits including the ability to quell inflammation with its strong antioxidants. Chronic inflammation has a part in diabetes and other diseases. In addition, researchers have found that green tea can inhibit oxidative stress and the potential inflammation that might result from it. (credit:Getty Images)
Olive Oil(04 of08)
Open Image Modal
Studies have shown that olive oil's strong antioxidants may help prevent age-related diseases. In addition, the low rates of heart disease and cancer on the Greek island of Crete are attributed in large part to olive oil's monounsaturated fats. (credit:Getty Images)
Vitamin C(05 of08)
Open Image Modal
Many studies have illustrated the benefits of vitamin C in boosting cell renewal. Indeed, vitamin C helps form collagen, which smooths fine lines and wrinkles. (credit:Getty Images)
Fish(06 of08)
Open Image Modal
Studies have even shown that people who eat loads of fish live longer. One study of middle-aged American men found that those who ate fish two to three times per week boasted a 40 percent lower mortality rate than those who did not. (credit:Getty Images)
Orange Veggies(07 of08)
Open Image Modal
Orange veggies such as carrots, pumpkin and squash are packed with alpha-carotene. And studies show that people whose blood levels measured highest for alpha-carotene were least likely to die of cancer, heart disease or any other cause over an 18-year period. (credit:AP)
Sunscreen(08 of08)
Open Image Modal
Australian researchers have found that people who applied a daily dollop of sunscreen had fewer wrinkles on their skin than those who didn't use sunscreen regularly. (credit:Getty Images)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip