Makeup, Fashion and Sideburns?

Tassie is a beautiful woman when she’s working in her yard with her face devoid of makeup and her hair tousled by the wind. She’s got that wonderful, nearly translucent skin with nary a blemish or a spot. Like anyone over 60-years-old she does have a few lines/wrinkles but they’re not deep and more on the order of laugh lines and having squinted in bright light. Probably the most prominent wrinkles are around her pretty mouth from smoking when she was young and deliberately “puckering up” when she’s intently pondering something.

She’s still got a trim figure and absolutely gorgeous salt-and-pepper hair. The gray in her hair is the kind that forms little wisps around her face, giving an appearance of gentleness and charm when left to its own devices. Right there, however, is the problem. Tassie looks absolutely great when she leaves well enough alone but when she gets gussied up everything about her great good looks heads south!

After “fixin” her hair and applying makeup the scenario changes drastically and she morphs into something between an ageing Scarlett O’Hara and Bozo the Clown. She’s one of those women who’s not yet realized with age it’s time to change hair styles and makeup on an “as-needed” basis – and as needed can come around regularly once one passes the half-century mark..

Tassie’s not changed her hairstyle since the mid-sixties. Her hair is shoulder length, very thick and she goes to the hairdresser every Thursday to maintain her upswept, big do. As I’ve seen her in the morning before she gets dressed for the day; I know she still sleeps with toilet paper wrapped around her head to keep every hair in place. She’s also got all that hair cemented up there with enough hairspray it could crack if she bumped her head. Yep, shades of the sixties.

Her face, once she’s applied her makeup, is absolutely ready to go onstage as it appears to have been put on with a trowel. I’m not absolutely sure she doesn’t use hairspray to keep all that in place too as when she smiles or frowns her usually minimal wrinkles look like drainage ditches. Tassie, once dressed and ready to go, adds copious amounts of jewelry of every kind – like a ring on every finger, always a necklace of some kind, three or four bracelets( that have no kinship to one another whatsoever) and huge, colorful earrings that drop daringly close to her shoulders. Tassie is a tiny lady – maybe 5’3” tall and with all that stuff on her she looks like an animated Christmas tree.

Tassie came to visit last week to enlist a bit of help with her appearance. Seems she’s got a new “big butter and egg man” on her romantic horizon (oh, yeah – she still considers herself in the old-lady-gets-old-man game) and wanted to update her “look”. First of all, I’m no expert but as I’ve sold cosmetics in my checkered past she thought I’d be a good source for advice. My first suggestion addressed that Mt. Everest pile of hair – cut it, quit spraying it down to the “statue” stage and get a more natural look. She agreed to do that Thursday at her regular hair appointment. As her hairdresser was our age and from the school of put-it-up-on-rollers, tease it to distraction, smooth it a bit and paste it in place; I suggested a new hair stylist. I was shocked when she agreed. We got an appointment set up for her at 2:00 o’clock that very afternoon.

When we got to eyes is when the poop hit the fan. She was determined to use an irridescent blue that accentuated every wrinkle in her ageing eyelids. I won and we used a gentle, pale, rose (very sparingly) that enhanced her marvelous blue eyes. I showed her how to use a soft, brown powder to create shadow close to her lashes, to make her eyes appear larger and then added just enough mascara to accentuate her long eyelashes. After the big set-to about whether to use loose powder over the whole face or not (I won – we didn’t use it) – Tassie studied her image in the mirror.

“I feel naked,” she moaned “my whole bare face is hanging out there!”

“Well, it’s nearly time for your hair appointment. Just wear this face for the afternoon and evening (she had a date with the big-butter-and-egg man) and give it a chance,” I suggested. She left to get her hair cut with the promise she’d stop back by when she was done so I could see it. When she returned even I was amazed. Not only did she look at least 10 years younger with a cute pixie-type haircut but it was “wash and wear” – no more every week at the hairdressers – and she was in tears!

“I’m ruined, just ruined. I feel like I’ve been scalped!” No amount of flattery could appease her. As I had a start with updating her appearance I decided to go one step farther.

“How about, since I’m responsible for your new look, even though you don’t like it, that I help you get dressed for your date this evening – you know, so your clothes and jewelry will compliment your new makeup and hair? Once you see the whole new you – you might like it?” I was floored when she agreed.

When I arrived at her house about 6:00 p.m. she’d left the makeup and hair alone – no changes there – but had a pair of black, denim jeans and a severely tailored black blouse already laid out to wear along with a pair of orthopedic-type flat-heeled shoes. My first thought was in that garb she’d look like Morticia.

I suggested a pair of pale, well tailored slacks, a beautiful chocolate brown cashmere, turtleneck sweater and high-heeled brown boots with a great belt that sat low on her hips. Her reply to my suggestions was she’d look like a storm trooper in that outfit – but she put it on – and began adding jewelry. I put the kibosh on that and finally got her down to a watch, a simple gold bracelet and pair of medium-sized, gold loop earrings.

When I left her house – after discouraging her from adding copious amounts (of what I call) “Meet Me Under the Bridge” perfume in favor of a gentle spritz of body spray – she was dressed and ready to go but still very apprehensive about her new look.

Heavy makeup accentuates wrinkles: By its very nature extremely heavy makeup bases gravitate to wrinkles and stay there enhancing the wrinkles themselves. To cover up blemishes, spots, etc. use a cover-up stick/crème before applying makeup base. This is great for under eye circles, too. Makeup base that’s too heavy creates a mask appearance which is most unflattering for mature women. Our younger counterparts can get away with it just fine – we can’t!

Beware of bright red or purple tint blush: Mature skin often becomes pale (and sometimes sallow) as we age. Bright red blush can create the look of circus makeup as it will contrast so vividly with ageing skin. Any blush with a purple tint ages the mature wearer tremendously.

Think twice about using loose powder: Loose powder absorbs oil and can take all the “glow” away from mature skin creating a mask-like, unnatural appearance. It also gravitates to wrinkles and looks “crepey”. The one exception to loose powders (I’ve found) is Mineral Veil by Bare Essentuals. And yes – Bare Essentuals is a totally powder based line of makeup but you CAN use their Mineral Veil Powder with other makeups and it looks great. It’s all natural, light and stays put. (There’s more info on Bare Essentials to follow).

Choose eye shadows carefully: Crème eye shadows, as a general rule, compliment ageing skin. It takes a bit more expertise to apply but doesn’t leave a “crepe” appearance to already wrinkled eyelids. More natural colors such as soft browns, beiges, rose or gray create a more gentle look and again, don’t accentuate ageing eyelids. Apply carefully and minimally. Iridescent eye shadows are rarely attractive on mature women and can appear, if applied with a heavy hand, down right ridiculous. As to the “smokey eye” on mature women – think “corpse” ladies and “no-no.”

Coal black eyebrow/eyeliner pencils are a no-no: A black eyebrow pencil, in this old woman’s opinion, should be banned from every dressing table of women over 60. If you’re going to use a pencil choose a black/brown combination – or even lighter if your skin and hair is pale. It takes a bit of practice to apply but powder eyebrow/eyeliners are far preferable, definitely more natural and appear much softer on anyone – particularly the over-60-set.

Lipstick can be a deal breaker: Always choose a matte-finish lipstick. The metallic looking lipsticks do not compliment the mature woman’s lips whether a pale pink or deep wine. As to color; think enough color to show up but not vivid enough to look like one’s been hit in the mouth with an axe. Nearly everyone over 60 has a few wrinkles around the mouth and bright red lipstick – when it runs into wrinkles – looks kind of like a wilting red flower shooting off in every direction.

Lipliner – this is a life safer: Lip liners help corral lipstick that wants to veer off into wrinkles. There’s a clear, non-color lip liner that prevents lipstick from feathering (in fact most brands will refer to “feathering” on their packaging so look for it when you go to purchase). You apply it before your lipstick and lipstick will stay exactly where you put it. I consider this to be the most important helper I own – couldn’t do without it. Many colored lip liners also keep lipstick from running away but if you go this route choose one the EXACT color of your lipstick. Don’t use a dark lip liner and then a paler lipstick as it minimizes lips and as lips grow thinner with age you’ll be accenting a problem not solving it.

Makeup I love: I’ve been a huge advocate of the Bare Essentuals line of makeup products for years. It’s a totally powder based line and is all natural – they even advertise it’s so natural you can sleep in it. I have and it’s true as it’s completely hypo-allergenic . They have a huge selection of tints, hues, etc. that come closer to matching natural skin tones than any other I’ve seen. Perhaps the most important plus for the entire line is none of their powders make skin “crepe up” as many others do.

I have dry skin so use a moisturizer before applying this makeup and it works just fine, looks fresh and natural all day. It’s a bit pricey but you can buy trial sizes reasonably so it’s not like you’ll have a huge investment before you try it. As to using the entire line exclusively – it’s not that much more expensive than any other good makeup but goes a whole lot farther so you don’t have to buy as often.

Maintaining Ageing Skin: Everyone I know has a different regimen for skin care but I divide them into two camps: The Soap and Water Camp and the Cleansing Cream Camp. I’m from the soap and water group myself but have used cleansing creams from time-to-time. Many don’t agree with me but I find plain, old Ponds Cleansing Cream to be as good or better than any expensive, main line creams I’ve found – and I’ve had a lot of years for trial and error.

If you’ve not tried it and have a bent for the natural – try Crisco! Yep, the kind you cook with. It’s all vegetable and melts on contact with the skin and removes even deep down makeup like a charm. Many actors/actresses use this to remove stage makeup (which is terrible on skin to begin with). A good moisturizer? Again, the old standby Ponds Dry Skin Cream or Ponds Moisturizing Cream is as good as any.

A good natural moisturizer is Safflower Oil. To use Safflower Oil make sure the face is damp and apply as long as the oil is absorbing into the skin. When it begins to stand ON the skin that’s enough. I also keep a bottle by my bathtub and use it as a body moisturizer after bath/shower while the skin is still damp.

If you’re in the soap and water group of facial care that’s pretty self-explanatory but spend a bit more on a good, gentle face soap – no detergent-type bath soaps. Also, a good, rough wash cloth will exfoliate the skin every time you use it so it's a good choice for before-bed evening skin care.

So . . . what happened to Tassie’s makeover? Well, she hit my door at a dead run the morning after her date. Seems the new big-butter-and-egg-man prefers long hair and likes “fixey” women with lots of makeup and jewelry. Tassie’s exact comment to me, was “I may never see him again now that I look like a little boy!” She moped and moaned and one would think this old guy was the last available man in the world. For a fact, as one ages available guys do get a bit harder to find – and certainly more elusive – if a gal’s looking for a husband and I think that’s the case with Tassie. She finally left, still with a long face, and bemoaning her single woman status.

In the end, I think everything worked out all right and I didn’t ruin her whole life with my well- intended advice. She introduced me to “Cal” – her intended main squeeze – at a social affair the other night. Upon being introduced he said “Howdy, Doll – good to meet ‘cha!” He had on a double-knit leisure suit, a huge gold medallion and chain around his neck and sideburns reminiscent of Elvis. He also had about as many teeth as one of those types sittin’ in the front row at a Willie Nelson concert.

I strongly suspect Cal and Tassie are about in the same place when it comes to style and appearance – just a few limps shy of 1970. As I got in my truck to head home I remembered an old song that just fit Cal . . . “I Like My Women Just A Little On the Trashy Side!” Who knows – Cassie’s dern sure available and old Cal may have found the woman of his dreams (when her hair grows out)!

AngelaBlair© 2012 All Rights Reserved.