Celeb makeup artist and Lancome spokeswoman, FOF Sandy Linter, is giving away her 4 fave products for FOFs and her new beauty guide, Makeup Wakeup: Revitalizing Your Look at Any Age. To enter, answer this question in the comments below: If you had plastic surgery, would you tell people or keep it a secret?

[Plus! Sandy Linter bares all about her plastic surgery. Read the entire interview here]

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

What you win: Lancôme Absolue Bx lotion, Lancôme Progres eye cream, Lancôme Definicils Waterproof mascara, Lancôme Bi-Facil eye makeup remover

What is your own beauty routine?
I use Lancôme’s Galatee Conforte cleansing milk and their skin tonic called Tonique Douceuer. Then, at night, I use a cream called Platineum Night. I use either a liquid moisturizer from Lancôme, or, if my skin is super dry, I’ll use something called Precious Cells. I just started using Genifique serum on top of the cream because I’m going on a book tour and I’ll need something that’s good for airplane travel. They also have a cream called Progres that is really enriching and does the trick under my eyes.

You like to layer a lot of different products?
Not really. I don’t like thick layering of treatment creams underneath foundation. I hate that look of too much moisturizer — your face looks greasy and when you put your foundation on, you have streaks and caking. I like it all to look nice and smooth. I want my moisturizer and foundation to mix well together.

What foundation do you like?
Lancôme just came out with a foundation called Teint Miracle which is excellent. Every now and then I still use a foundation by Armani. Both formulations are liquid. I’m better off in a liquid than a cream. I’ve found darker toned skin looks better in cream foundation, and lighter toned skin looks better in liquid.

You’ve made up thousands of women over fifty. What is a common beauty blunder you see in this demographic?
A lot of women are still wearing ‘oil free’ moisturizer because it’s what they used when they were young and breaking out. That’s not for you anymore once you hit this age group. You’re not going to get a pimple.

How’s a 20-year-old sales woman behind the department store cosmetics counter going to help me, an FOF?
Many of them have the product lines memorized. They have charts that explain which products are for which age group and which type of skin. It’s all done by science. It’s not about the personality or age of the girl behind the counter.

Do you have a few tips for enhancing your eyes without surgery?
Do your eye makeup first before any face makeup. It prevents double duty cleanup later when your eye shadow flakes fall onto the under-eye and cheek area. Also, use primer to prevent your eye makeup from feathering and creasing.

Help! I have hormonal acne. What do I do to conceal it?
Misting an airbrush foundation can make spots, zits and excess redness virtually disappear.

I’m interested in getting a facelift. Anything I should be particularly wary about?
‘Lunchtime facelifts’ claiming no pain, no scars, no downtime are BS.
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Like Sandy’s tips? For more, read Makeup Wakeup: Revitalizing Your Look at Any Age.

Enter to win Sandy’s 4 fave products for FOFs plus her new beauty guide, Makeup Wakeup: Revitalizing Your Look at Any Age. 1 FOF will win. To enter, answer this question in the comments below: If you had plastic surgery, would you tell people or keep it a secret?

(See all our past winners. See official rules. One winner is chosen at random from all those commenters who answer the question. Contest closes June 16, 2011.)

FOF makeup maven, Paula Dorf, is giving away 10 sets of her eye and face primer. To enter, read her “7 FOF Beauty Sins,” then answer this question in the comments below: Which of these “sins” do you commit most often?

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

[Read the entire interview with Paula here]

Sin #1: We don’t use primer.
Be a saint: Primer neutralizes oil, dryness and redness. It helps foundation go on better and stay in place. To use primer, let it absorb into the skin and dry before applying foundation. Try: Paula’s “Perfect Primer,” for oily or dry skin.

Sin #2: We don’t fill in our eyebrows.
Be a saint: As you get older, your brows get thinner and more sparse. Don’t fear filling them in–just do it correctly. Use a brow stencil that matches the shape of your brow and fill in with powder in your natural brow color. Try: Paula’s Brow Stencil Kit and 2+1 For Brows powder and wax

Sin #3: We’re over 50, but we wear our blush like 20-somethings.
Be a saint: Blush on the apples of your cheek looks great when you’re younger. But after 50, it can make you look sunken-in if not applied properly. Smile and place a cream blush on your cheek, then sweep it back to the hairline.  Follow with cheek color powder for added staying power. Use a professional cheek brush for the most natural looking results. Try: Paula’s Cheek Brush

Sin #4: Lip liner overload!
Be a saint: Put lipstick on first, then a little liner afterwards. This way you’re not going over your lips, you’re staying inside. Finish with a little bit of gloss.

Sin #5: We’re afraid of colored lipstick.
Reverse your sin: Any woman can wear colors on her lips. Don’t be afraid! Lips and eyes are very connected. When you put more color on your lips, your eyes will pop more.

Sin #6: We use too much eyeliner.
Reverse your sin: When eyeliner is too heavy, it closes the eyes. So as we get older, we need to apply a thinner line.

Sin #7: We use our cleanser as makeup remover
Reverse your sin: Your cleanser shouldn’t be doing double-duty as makeup remover. When you use cleanser, you tend to rub. A makeup remover takes it off gently–that’s especially important around the eyes. Try: Sweep Away Makeup Remover
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Enter to win a set of Paula Dorf’s eye and face primer. 10 FOFs will win. Read her 7 FOF beauty sins then comment below and tell her: Which one do you commit most often?

(See all our past winners. See official rules. Ten winners are chosen at random from all those commenters who answer the question. Contest closes May 5, 2011.)

FOF Jill Kirsh, “Hollywood’s guru of hue,” is giving away her foolproof custom color system, worth over $240. It includes her ultimate makeup kit, a patented swatch book to take with you when you shop and an on-the-go mini compact. To enter, visit Jill’s page at Soft Surroundings to determine which of Jill’s color collections is right for you. Then tell us in the comments below!

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

You may love the color baby blue, but does baby blue love you?

“Before Jill Kirsh came to the FOF offices to explain her color system, avocado was the last color I would have ever worn,” says FOF Founder, Geri Brin. “After she left, I literally ran to H&M to buy an avocado shirt.”

Jill’s system is based on a simple concept: your most flattering shades are dictated by your hair. “It’s not your skin color,” says Jill. “Your hair is what frames your face.”

She breaks us into four hair color categories: deep brunettes, warm blondes, ash blondes/greys, golden browns/redheads. Each category corresponds to a palette of 30 colors you can wear, either alone or in combination, and to a complete set of makeup.

For example, Geri’s hair color type–golden brown/redhead–looks best in these these colors:

Of course, “there’s no law that says, you can’t wear other colors,” says Jill, but she promises that these colors look best.

Since her color consultation with Jill, Geri takes her treasured swatch book everywhere. “She even takes it to Starbucks,” says her sister, Shelley.

Enter to win Jill’s complete color system by visiting her page on Soft Surroundings to determine which of the four hair color categories fits you best. Then tell us which one you are in the comments below!

(See all our past winners, here.)

(See official rules, here.)

Contest closes February 10, 2011

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

[Read more about Jill, here]

FOF Marian McEvoy has taken it back to the basics after fifty. She finds that less is more when it comes to cosmetics.

For FOF Susan Grant, mid-life has brought along new beauty challenges and to combat them she’s cranked up her cosmetic use.

Marian and Susan have entirely different beauty routines, yet they’ve both found what works for them after years of experimenting. Take a look at how their cosmetic collections have evolved over time. Then, comment below and tell us, do you wear more or less makeup than you did when you were young?

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