Photo above and on the front, iStock.
By Valerie Monroe
If you’re interested in feeling happier about your appearance—especially as you age—you might like reading what she has to say about it. For more of her philosophical and practical advice, subscribe for free to How Not to F*ck Up Your Face at valeriemonroe.substack.com.
Can’t get enough Valerie Monroe? There’s more at https://valeriemonroe.substack.com.
“GRAMMIE! SEE? I put two bags under your eyes!” said M at the playground recently.
I detected a glint of mischief in her look. She pointed to a drawing in the dirt, executed with great care and a crooked stick. I was happy that the most defining feature (if you could say there was one) in M’s dirt portrait was not eye bags, but rather a huge smile encompassing the lower half of my face. In the continuing competition for attention between my undereye bags and my smile, there’s a clear winner. I am grateful.
Speaking of eyes and smiles, a reader recently asked how to upgrade her look with a bit of eye makeup and how to find a flattering lip color.
Q: This has been bugging me for a while. I rarely wear makeup anymore—but every once in a while I want to level up my look a bit. I do a little eyeliner crayon on the top lid and mascara and lipstick. Inevitably, when I catch my face in the mirror a few hours later, the lipstick is gone (of course), but so is the eyeliner, and the mascara is smeared under my eyes!
What gives? I heard waterproof mascara is evil, so any tips on how not to get raccoon eyes?
Another thing: How do I figure out what shade of lipstick is flattering to my still lovely but definitely older face? I am very fair and my hair is light/blondish with some shots of pink every now and then.
A: Dear Reader, you get extra points for referring to yourself as “lovely,” though I would’ve given you more points if you hadn’t used the word “still.” But then you recouped a plethora of points for the pink hair. You’re on a streak!
As for your suggestion that waterproof mascara is evil, I assume you’re thinking of the news that it contains potential carcinogens, so I’m glad you’ve eschewed it.
For answers to your questions, I went to the best resource: HNTFUYF Resident Makeup Artist Barbara Stone, who had, as usual, terrific advice. Optimistic (again, as usual), she starts with, “There are a couple of easy fixes for your eyes!
“First, find a waterproof pencil. I’m a fan of Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil, but recently tried the Sephora Waterproof 12HR Retractable Eyeliner Pencil and discovered I like that one, too.”
About that disappearing eyeliner and errant mascara? “Here’s the deal: If you use a fairly rich moisturizer, some of the oils are likely to encourage smudging. So you want to apply an eyeshadow base to your lid before the liner and mascara, because it will help control that oil.” Barb loves Nars Pro-Prime™ Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, because it’s colorless and won’t add texture to your lids. If you want one that also brightens, she recommends Laura Mercier Eye Basics Primer in Flax.
Another option for keeping your liner in place is to apply a bit of powder to your lid and then over the eyeliner pencil with a small powder puff (Hourglass Veil™ Translucent Setting Powder is great for this). She also recommends tracing that powder along your lower lashline (not the whole undereye area) to absorb excess moisturizer and prevent smudging.
Next, Barb said a fine option instead of waterproof mascara is “tubing” mascara. It’s considered water-resistant, because water won’t remove it unless it’s gently rubbed off. These formulas coat lashes with a “tube” of color on each lash; they stay put and don’t flake or smear, said Barb. Allure, whose recommendations I find trustworthy, suggests one of these. On the other hand, Barb recently tried L’Oréal Paris Panorama Washable Mascara, which isn’t a tubing mascara but behaves like one, and noted it comes off easily in the shower or when you wash your face.
One last mascara tip from Barb: When a mascara is close to pitching time, it’s more likely to flake. Some products last three months, some six, but flaking means it’s time for a refresh.
Barb is momentarily less optimistic about the elusive “One Perfect Lipstick,” which she says can take some time to find.
What you want is a shade brighter than your lips. You can try an iteration of the old Scarlett O’Hara trick of pinching your cheeks—but instead, pinch your lower lip to see what your natural brighter color might be and aim for that.
There’s a fairly recent trend of trying to match your lipstick to your nipple color, which introduces a perspective I’d rather not bring to the makeup counter. Product-loving Barb suggests a jumping-off shade anyone might like: “Anastasia Matte & Satin Lipstick in Hush Pink (love this formula!). It’s sheer and perky but not loud, and not too blue or coral. You can soften it with gloss or deepen it by applying a lip pencil all over the lips first.” A couple of her favorite lip pencils are the Edward Bess Natural Defining Lip Liner and the Bobbi Brown Lip Pencil in Ballet Pink, which she said are flattering to many different lip shades.
When I do wear lipstick (almost never), it’s some kind of gloss. And I’ve found I can wear a shade or two I might not have considered if it seems too deep or bright by first applying a clear, waxy lip balm (this is my current favorite) and then dotting the color over my lips and blotting. It leaves a pretty stain, as if you’ve been nibbling berries out of a pail (like the dainty fawn you are). I recently tried this with Jones Road’s The Lip Tint in Pink Rose to pleasing effect.
