Affordable Makeup for Women Over 40
Looking for the perfect makeup to enhance your natural beauty as you age, but worried about breaking the bank? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In this post, we’ll explore some of the best makeup options specifically designed for mature skin, all without the hefty price tag.
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Makeup Over 40
As women enter their 40s, their skin begins to change. Collagen production slows down, which can lead to wrinkles and loss of elasticity. And if you are like most women (myself included), your skin also tends to become drier.
This means the makeup that worked flawlessly in your 20s or 30s might not be the most flattering anymore. Makeup for mature skin should focus on enhancing your natural beauty rather than covering it up completely.
Makeup companies often create a narrative that achieving a flawless look requires an upgrade to their pricier lines as you age. They might showcase campaigns with older actresses using their luxury serums and foundations, subtly implying a connection between the product and a youthful appearance.
The truth is, many drugstore makeup brands now offer excellent formulas that address the specific needs of mature skin. Lightweight, buildable foundations can now be found at accessible price points.
While some high-end makeup does boast innovative textures or long-wearing properties, it’s important to remember that a great makeup routine can be found by focusing on finding products that flatter your skin, regardless of the price tag.
To help get you started on that journey we want to share some of our favorite makeup finds that are serving us well as we age.
Affordable Makeup For Your Skin Over 40
As we mature, our skin’s needs change. Gone are the days of needing heavy makeup to achieve an even complexion. Now, we want makeup that enhances our natural beauty and complements our unique skin.
Luckily, there are tons of amazing drugstore products that address these concerns without sacrificing quality. Let’s dive into some of the best affordable makeup options to keep your base glowing and flawless!
Favorite Affordable Primer
- E.L.F. Power Grip Primer– Kim and I both love this Primer! It really does grip your makeup so it stays for hours and hours. I personally have had way less creasing in my makeup even though I am using much more hydrating formulas. I like the regular formula, and Kim likes the one with added Niacinamide.
Favorite Natural Skin Coverage Over 40
- Loreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB cream – this tinted moisturizer is one of Katie’s favorites. This all in one skin BB cream hydrates, corrects, evens and perfects but in a very lightweight formula. She likes that it adjusts to your skin tone so even if she has a little tan it matches. She no longer uses foundation, and this is her go to when she needs to cover a blemish, or as her lightweight base when she goes out. It’s such a well rounded product.
- Wet N Wild Barefocus Niacinamide Skin Tint– This is my go-to everyday face coverage. My skin has gotten drier as I have aged. This keeps my makeup light, and moisturized so I don’t get flaky. For my everyday look, just this with a little concealer does the trick. Plus, with the addition of Niacinamide, I get that dewy look, but without any extra breakouts. And it’s Wet N Wild, so it is VERY affordable.
- Wet N Wild Photofocus Foundation (Dewy)– If I ever need a little more coverage, this is my foundation. It comes in a mate and dewy version, but the dewy version is perfect for dryer aging skin. It is another Wet N Wild product, so it’s crazy affordable.
Affordable Concealers for Over 40 Skin
- Catrice Under Eye Brightener– This eye brightener recommendation from Kim not only helps cover up dark circles, but it keeps the under eye looking hydrated and fresh without settling into fine lines. It does this with the help of hyaluronic acid and shea butter in its formula that keeps the skin nice and plump.
- Milani Conceal and Perfect– This is the concealer I turn to that not only covers up my dark circles, but that I can use anywhere on my face to cover an imperfection. I like to use a little concealer not only under my eyes, but on my chin, and on any redness around my nose. This lightweight formula performs like a dream, and lasts all day.
Affordable Powder For Over 40 Skin
Most experts agree that you should use more liquid and cream formulas and less powder makeup as we age. But every once in a while, you just need a little powder.
Whether you are setting, baking, or just getting rid of a little shine, this is my favorite powder to use on aging skin…and it is SO affordable!
Sheglam Insta-Ready is a two in one wonder product that is so affordable it boggles the mind. This product is both a pressed translucent powder and a loose powder in one.
And it really helps your makeup stay put!
I use it with my favorite BeautyBlender (that is both reusable and washable) to set my under eye makeup, to set my brows, and to get rid of any shine. This powder is so versatile, and it performs so well at such an affordable price! It is a holy grail product for me, for sure.
Affordable Makeup For Your Lips Over 40
Our lips can lose fullness and definition as we age. This can make our lips feel dry and less plump. Here are some favorite makeup products for our lips that still give us that youthful pout.
- Revlon Color stay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick– There are other long wear lipsticks that I like, this one is the easiest to wear for me. It feels less dry, and the color is less flat. It stays all day and has a little shimmer.
- Maybelline Super Stay Ink Crayon– As we age, our lips can lose definition, so I like to use this as a lip liner. It gives me the extra fullness and definition to make my lips look younger.
- Covergirl Outlast All Day Topcoat– Because long wear lipsticks can be drying, I always wear this on top of them. It makes my lips look youthful and plump, but without breaking down the lipstick underneath like a regular lip gloss can.
- NYX Professional Fat Oil Lip Drip– If I am having a more casual day when I don’t want to wear a full face of makeup, but I do want a little color or moisture, this is my go to. I love the applicator and it gives you a little color, and shimmer, but it also stays well for a gloss.
- Burts Bees Tinted Lip Balm– This affordable favorite comes from Kim. These lip balms are made with more natural ingredients, but still give you buildable color that lasts. They wear and are applied like a Chapstick so they are great to have in your purse for touch ups.
Affordable Makeup That Adds Color When You’re Over 40
Looking washed out can be aging so we add a little bit of youthful color to our faces with eye shadows, blush, and contour. These are some of my favorite makeup items that can give you that youthful color and glow, but at an amazing price.
- Colourpop Eyeshadow Palates– These palates come in themes and are really pigmented for the price. And unlike a lot of more inexpensive eye shadows, these have actual staying power. This is especially true over the top of the E.L.F. primers. Besides being able to find some of them on Amazon, you can find them online, and now you can even find them at your local Target.
- Covergirl Eye Enhancers Eyeshadow– This is an affordable favorite from Katie. This single shadow in the color champagne is the perfect highlighting eyeshadow. You can use it under the brow bone, for blending your eyeshadow, or for highlighting your inner corner. It’s a classic!
- E.L.F. Camo Liquid Blush– As we age, putting heavy powders on our skin can make our makeup seem chalky, heavy, or cakey. To avoid this, I use liquid or cream blushes and contours instead of powders. This E.L.F. blush is SO pigmented, yet it still blends like a dream. And because it is so pigmented, it takes very little, One super affordable tube lasts forever, making it an even better deal!
- NYX Professional Makeup Wonder Stick– This affordable contour stick is made even more affordable because it is double sided. So not only is it a contour stick, but a highlighter as well. They go on creamy, and blend so well, helping you snatch and highlight, and look well put together.
- Keshima Brush– I love this brush for blending. The flat top style works well for blending my blush and contour bringing my cheeks up and giving me a lifted look. And the quality you get for the price is not just good, but excellent.
Affordable Makeup for Your Lashes and Brows Over 40
As I aged, my lashes really started to suffer. And my brows were already a disaster after the over-plucking we all did in the 90’s.
But I have found products that make my brows look full and youthful. And mascaras that make my lashes look longer and lifted so my eyes look brighter and more youthful.
Mascaras
- Kill Lash Mascara by Clio– This Kill Lash waterproof mascara has the tiniest brush that can really grab each lash no matter how short. My mom loves this mascara on all her lashes (because they are shorter). I love this on my bottom lashes. But if you are a short lash queen, this maybe exactly what you are looking for, and it comes in both volume curling and lengthening formulas.
- Heroine Make Mascaras– The Heroine Make Mascaras are my go-to mascara from Amazon if I need all day hold. This stuff does not come off. In fact they also make my favorite mascara remover that I would recommend if you are going to use this mascara.
- Loreal Panorama Mascara– This mascara is my current favorite that you can find at the drug store. It is a slick waterproof formula that really pulls up each lash giving you a dark, full, panoramic look…like doll lashes. Part of the Voluminous line who’s claim to fame is giving you both length and volume in one product.
- Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof Mascara– This super affordable mascara can be found right in your drug store, but it performs better than a lot of more expensive mascaras. This favorite comes from Katie. She loves it because it is long wearing while still giving volume and lift.
- Maybelline The Falsie LashLift Mascara– This favorite comes from Kim. This is also one you can find in most drug stores that is so affordable. It is especially inexpensive when you hear what it can do! This mascara is supposed to be volumizing, lengthening, lifting, and curling all in one formula. And since it is Kim’s favorite, I am thinking it is doing a good job keeping up with those claims.
Brows
- Maybelline Expert Eyes Pencil– This pencil has been around for years, and for good reason! This makes my brows look nice and full without them being stiff or fake. I use the color Blonde and it is perfect at blending with my natural brows so you don’t know where my real brows end, or the pencil begins.
- E.L.F. Wow Brow– This brown gel is fiber infused to not only give you a bolder color, but the look of a much fuller, more youthful looking brow. This affordable product is one of Kim’s personal favorites.
There is Good, Affordable Makeup For Women Over 40
I hope this post makes you realize that fabulous makeup doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. With a little experimentation and these budget-friendly finds, you can enhance your natural beauty and celebrate your confidence at any age.
Remember, true beauty radiates from within, and these products are simply there to accentuate your unique glow. Now get out there and shine!
Have you changed your makeup routine as you have aged? What product that we love would you like to try? Let us know in the comments, we love to hear from you!
