5 Makeup Tips to Look Younger In Your 50s
Quick answer: Prep with skincare and a glow-giving primer, keep foundation light, add warmth with bronzer, place blush higher on the cheekbones and define your eyes with soft liner and curled lashes. Start with Thin Lizzy Perfectly Primed Primer for a smooth, radiant base.
Your 50s are a great time to enjoy makeup. You don't need to throw out the looks you love; a few small changes to technique and texture can make your skin look fresher and your features more lifted. Here are five easy tips, with the products that make each one simple.
1. Create a Radiant Base
Good makeup starts with good skin prep. Use a gentle, non-foaming cleanser that won't strip your skin, exfoliate gently once or twice a week, and follow with a hydrating serum and moisturiser. Use an eye cream to keep the under-eye area smooth. Then add a primer that gives a soft glow, so your skin looks lit from within rather than flat.
Perfectly Primed Primer
Best for: a smooth, glowing base that helps makeup go on evenly.
A champagne-pearl tinted primer that gives skin a subtle "warm and awake" glow without looking greasy or sparkly. It's light and hydrating, with castor and jojoba seed oils and vitamin E, and light-diffusing particles soften the look of fine lines. Wear it under foundation or on its own.
- Subtle, natural glow
- Light, hydrating formula
- Suits every skin tone
2. Keep Your Foundation Light
Less is more. Heavy foundation and thick powder can settle into fine lines and make skin look flat. Choose a lightweight liquid foundation, apply thin layers with a damp sponge or brush, and only build coverage where you need it.
Airbrushed Silk Foundation
Best for: light, buildable coverage with a natural glow.
An oil-free, weightless foundation with a luminous, silky finish. Fine silky micro-spheres give a soft-focus effect that visibly blurs imperfections and pores. It's buildable, long-lasting and comes in 12 shades.
- Oil-free and weightless
- Luminous, soft-focus finish
- 12 shades
3. Warm Things Up
Warm tones counteract dullness and give skin a healthy glow. Choose a foundation shade with a warm undertone if it suits you, blend it down onto your neck, and sweep a little bronzer where the sun naturally hits: forehead, cheekbones and nose. You can also use bronzer to softly sculpt under the cheekbones.
6in1 Professional Face Powder Compact
Best for: adding warmth and soft definition.
One compact you can use as a bronzer, blush, contour, face framer, eyeshadow and lip colour. Choose light or dark and build up the colour gradually for a natural, healthy glow.
4. Place Your Blush Higher
Instead of applying blush to the apples of your cheeks, apply it to the tops of your cheekbones and blend up and back towards your temples. This gives the face a lifted look. A creamy or luminous blush looks fresher than a flat, matte powder.
Sweet Face Blush Trio
Best for: a fresh, luminous flush of colour that's easy to blend.
A baked blush with a creamy, velvety texture and a soft, luminous finish. You get three shades in one mirrored palette: Strawberry Cheesecake, Raspberry Ripple and Peaches and Cream. It blends and builds easily, so it's hard to overdo.
- Three shades in one palette
- Luminous, blendable finish
5. Open Up Your Eyes
Curl your lashes and use a mascara that doesn't clump. Line close to the upper lash line in a soft brown or black, and smudge it slightly for a softer finish. For eyeshadow, start at the outer corner and blend inwards, getting lighter as you go. Don't forget your brows: softly filled brows frame the face and lift the eyes.
Duo Eye & Brow Pencil
Best for: defining eyes and brows with one pencil.
Rich brown on one end and deep black on the other, so you can choose a soft or bolder look. The long-wearing formula is gentle on the skin, suitable for contact lens wearers and washes off easily.
- Brown and black in one
- Use on eyes and brows
What Customers Say
"This is one of my favourite products. It is so silky and gives a wonderful base for foundation and other products. Sometimes I just use it on its own."
Kim H., verified customer
"Really like this product. The pearlised finish adds a soft sheen that lifts the complexion nicely. Will definitely buy again."
Kylee T., verified customer
"Not heavy or oily and easy to apply with fingertips or a damp sponge."
Sue G., verified customer
For more ideas, read our makeup tips for mature skin and our guide to the best natural coverage foundation for mature skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makeup makes you look younger in your 50s?
A glowing primer, a light foundation, warm bronzer, blush placed higher on the cheekbones and softly defined eyes and brows.
Should I stop using powder after 50?
Not necessarily, but use it sparingly. Heavy powder can settle into fine lines, so lightly set only where you need it, such as the T-zone.
Is liquid or powder foundation better for mature skin?
Lightweight liquid foundations usually look more natural on mature skin because they move with your skin and keep a healthy glow.
Can I still wear black eyeliner?
Yes. Keep it close to the lash line and smudge it slightly for a softer look, or try brown for a gentler definition.
Can I buy Thin Lizzy makeup in stores?
Yes. Thin Lizzy is available at Priceline, TerryWhite Chemmart and Wizard Pharmacy stores across Australia. The range can vary by store, so the easiest way to get the full range, bundles and online deals is to shop online. See our FAQ page for stockist details.
Looking for a deal? Many of our best sellers are available in bundle offers from time to time. See our current Bundle Offers →
Final Thoughts
You don't need a whole new makeup bag in your 50s, just a few smart tweaks. Prep well, keep your base light, add warmth and lift, and enjoy your makeup.
