{Beauty} The best eye makeup of your life

“If you’re over fifty and you’re not wearing eye makeup, you should be.”
–Beauty Expert Lois Joy Johnson, The FOF Beauty Bash

FOF makeup artist Sandy Linter has been helping models and celebs look gorgeous for three decades. In her book, The Makeup Wakeup–co-authored with beauty editor Lois Joy Johnson–she brilliantly demystifies her techniques. At this year’s FOF Beauty Bash, she took it one step further, and created the perfect eye-makeup look, live, on a real FOF woman.

Watch this video from the event and then tell us what you think.  Could you create this look at home?

The Best Eye Makeup Of Your Life from faboverfifty on Vimeo.

1.  Use a 10x magnifying mirror.

2.  Do your eye makeup first–before you do anything else, including your foundation.

3.  Use a primer or oil-free concealer on your lids–it will help you eye makeup stay in place.

4.  Hold your eyelid skin taught and apply black pencil along the upper lash line, in short strokes, from the outside in. Line the bottom lashline as well, and stop at the center of the lower lid, right below your pupil.

5.  Don’t line the inner corners of your eyes.

6.  After applying your pencil, apply liquid liner to your upper lid, right against the lash line.

7.  Define the crease by brushing black or charcoal shadow along your brow bone.

8.  Add concealer to the inner corners of your eyes.

9.  Curl your lashes and apply black mascara.

10.  Keep the lid light–using a color on your lid can actually detract from your eye color.

{Giveaway} $360 worth of anti-aging products

FOF beauty guru Marta Wohrle, of TruthInAging, is giving away her 3 fave products for FOFs. To enter, answer this question in the comments below: What brand of moisturizer do you use?

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

FOF Marta Wohrle, a former journalist and publishing exec, launched TruthInAging three years ago as a source for unbiased product reviews on the plethora of beauty products flooding the “anti-aging” market. “I realized that many indie beauty brands–that didn’t have big ad budgets–weren’t getting the media attention they deserved,” she explains.

“For years, we were told nothing works for anti-aging but sunscreen or thousand-dollar injections,” says Marta. “But, over the past few years, smaller companies have been producing products with new ingredients that are actually very effective.”

Since then, Marta has tested hundreds of independent beauty products, stocking her e-store with only the ones she deems effective after at least three weeks of testing. Here she shares her five faves (and gives away 3!):

Your Best Face Correct Eye Cream (Win!) – “I started using this about two years ago and haven’t stopped since,” says Marta. “It’s the product I always go back to. It’s pricey — $150– but it really does repair fine lines. I use it daily.”

Reluma Anti-Aging Serum (Win!) – “All the products in the Reluma line are very good, but if I had to choose one, it would be the anti-aging serum,” says Marta. “It’s very effective for wrinkles and smoothing out the skin. Everything in the line is based on cutting-edge stem-cell technology. This serum has human growth factors that help skin repair itself. I use it daily.”

La Vie Celeste Extra Rich Face Cream (Win!)– “La Vie Celeste is a natural skin care line with lots of organic ingredients,” says Marta. “Their extra rich cream is great for very dry skin and has a good anti-aging peptide called chronoline. My skin isn’t terribly dry so I use it 2-3 times a week, at night.

Nutra-Lift Simply Superb Shampoo with Goat Milk – “I’m still looking for the holy grail of hair product, but I like this goat milk shampoo,” says Marta. “It’s not expensive, has all natural ingredients and makes aging hair look more youthful if it’s losing the shine.”

Sirius Aurora LED Light Therapy System – “I’ve found this at-home light therapy system is really great for plumping up the skin and building collagen,” says Marta. “It has blue light for acne, green for age spots or hyper-pigmentation and red for wrinkles. It’s our bestseller, and it’s really effective.  But you have to be diligent and use it three times a week.”

Enter to win Marta’s 3 fave products for FOFs. 1 FOF will win. To enter, answer this question in the comments below: What brand of moisturizer do you use?

(See all our past winners. See official rules. One winner is chosen at random from all those commenters who answer the question. Contest closes August 4, 2011.)

{Giveaway} $250+ worth of Lancome products and the Makeup Wakeup beauty guide

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.

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.)

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{Beauty} Ask the Inventor: Amos Lavian, CEO and Founder, Dermelect Cosmetics

We sent Dermelect’s Makeover Ridge Filler to our FOF Beauty Testers wondering if yet another nail treatment could actually stand out from the pack. Turns out, the testers were all impressed by how much it strengthened their nails.

We called Amos Lavian, founder of Dermelect Cosmeceuticals, to find out more about Dermelect and why this formula nailed it.

There are about a million nail-strengthening products out there. Why the Makeover Ridge Filler?
Amos: No one has ever addressed discolored, rigid, hard-to-grow nails as an aging issue. We are the first to do that.

How are nails an aging issue?
As we age, the protein levels in our nails go down, weakening them. The object is to reinfuse the nails with protein–in this case, pure protein.

How?
We sourced and imported an ingredient called Prosina, out of New Zealand. It’s a protein peptide derived from sheep’s wool.

How did you come up with using a peptide from sheep’s wool?
Four years ago, I read in a New Zealand medical journal about a biotech company that was extracting protein from sheep’s wool and using it to create skin adhesives and bone grafts for burn victims. I contacted the company and asked if this same protein could be used to repair broken or weak nails. They determined the amino acid content in nails is comparable to that in bone, so it should definitely prove effective.

How has the reaction been from your customers?
Tremendous. Women have been very, very positive. We had one customer whose nails were weak from chemotherapy and she told us it had strengthened her nails back to recovery. That was fantastic.

There are so many beauty lines out there–especially aimed at FOF women. Why should someone try Dermelect?
Our products aren’t created from one perspective–they’re created with a whole Board of Advisors: The head of plastic surgery at St. Luke’s Roosevelt, dermatologists, estheticians, a bridal specialist (who knows more about stressed skin?), a top nail and hand model from New York City, and an allergist. We know we’re addressing every aspect of what a woman needs and wants. Also, the treatments are forumalted to be universal and multifunctional.

What are your top three most popular products?
Number one product is Smooth Upper Lip & Perioral Anti-Aging Treatment, which addresses vertical lip lines and shadowy discoloration.
Number two is the Confidence Injection Crease Concentrate, which firms up the neck and the jawline.
Number three is our Nail Recovery System.

There’s such a range in beauty product cost–from $5 drugstore to creams to $300 department store moisturizers. What is your price based on?
My price points are $16 to $79 per item. It’s a bit pricier than the drugstore brands, but you’re getting a quality product and you’re not paying for hype. We launched in 2006, when the trend was toward fancier packaging and higher prices. It escalated into $100 for one ounce of cream. That made expectations too high. People thought that if they paid enough they’d see faster results. But you just can’t reverse twenty years of sun damage in thirty days–I don’t care how much a cream costs. You have to be patient and use the product consistently. With my product, use it a couple of times a day and you’ll be amazed with the results.

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{Giveaway} Paula Dorf Eye and Face Primer

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

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.)

{Makeovers} A hilarious duo gets a serious beauty do-over from Soft Surroundings

FOFs Janet Prensky and Anne-Marie Aigner have been best friends since Anne-Marie was Janet’s voice teacher at Emerson College. Over the years they’ve shared a radio talk show in Boston and a flourishing marketing agency, Aigner/Prensky Group.

In 2009 they launched “The Boomer Broads,” a hilarious web-based talk show “for and about grown-up women!”

To help them get camera-ready, FOF teamed up with Soft Surroundings and gave the sassy, brassy, hilarious duo… a serious beauty do-over.

Farukh Shakeel, Soft Surroundings makeup artist extraordinaire, came armed with her bag of foolproof flaw-fixers from Sue Devitt. “Sue Devitt products are particularly fantastic for FOFs,” says Farukh. “They provide great hydration and contain nylon 12, an ingredient that bends and moves with the skin so the product won’t settle in lines and creases.”


Flaw: Wrinkles and deep lines from spending summers on Cape Cod.
Fixer:
Microquatic Anti-Aging Primer (1) fills in pores and wrinkles so the makeup doesn’t set into fine lines,” says Farukh. “Primer is the most important product for FOFs.”

Flaw: Redness around the cheeks and nose.

Fixer:
“Ruddiness can become more pronounced after fifty,” ” says Farukh. 70% Triple Seaweed Gel Foundation in ‘Tanami’ (2) covers the redness in Janet’s nose and cheeks, but it’s very light–70% water–so it won’t look heavy.”

Flaw
: Pale, “unfinished” lips.
Fixer:
“Balanced Sheer Lipstick in ‘Villefranche’ (3) is a beautiful, pinky-nude that’s not at all overpowering,” says Farukh. “It gives a slight bit of color, so her lips don’t overwhelm.”

Flaw: Sparse eyelashes.
Fixer:
Lash Intensifier Treatment and Lengthening Mascara (4) makes Janet look awake and alive. It brings so much definition to her eyes. And if she uses the conditioning treatment every night, she should see significantly longer lashes in a few weeks.”

*All products listed are from the Sue Devitt Cosmetics line available online at Soft Surroundings or Soft Surroundings retail stores. Call 1-800-240-7076 for more information about products not available online.

Flaw: Dark under-eye circles
Fixer:
Bermuda Triangle Undereye Corrector (1) works universally on all skin tones,” says Farukh. “The peach undertones camouflage the blue-green of dark circles. It has orchid extract which helps hydrate the under-eye area and fight free radicals. It starts off very creamy and works down to a powdery finish.”

Flaw: Too much mascara and overly lined eyes.

Fixer:
“Anne-Marie shouldn’t use mascara on the bottom lash because that creates a younger, doe-eyed look,” says Farukh. “When all the mascara is on the top lashes, the eyes appear lifted. The Eye Intensifier Pencil in ‘Ava’ (2) goes on creamy so it doesn’t create a hard line around the eye, and the deep purple shade brings out the green specks in Anne-Marie’s eyes.”

Flaw: Uneven lip color

Fixer:
Ann-Marie’s lip line looks heavy, and too dark for the inside of her lip. “Long-Lasting Lip Liner Pencil in ‘Safi’ is creamy, not hard, when applied, so it won’t create a hard line and it won’t feather and bleed. Use it to fill in the lip–not just to line.” says Farukh. “Balanced Sheer Lipstick in ‘Hollywood’ (3) is a dusty-rose, perfect to match the pencil and finish the look.”

Flaw: A dull winter complexion

Fixer:
“Triple Touch Light Reflecting Bronzer in ‘Beausoleil’ (4) has graduated color, from light to dark, to prevent a flat, streaky tone. Just brush it lightly over your t-zone–where the sun hits–to liven dull winter skin.”

**All products listed are from the Sue Devitt Cosmetics line available online at Soft Surroundings or Soft Surroundings retail stores. Call 1-800-240-7076 for more information about products not available online.

You can watch the Boomer Broads makeover, with all their commentary, here.

“She did a great job,” says Janet. “I like it, and I didn’t think I would. Now I’m going to have to go home and keep playing the video back so that I can replicate it.”

“This is the first time anyone has done my makeup. Isn’t it every woman’s dream?” says Anne-Marie. “Farukh from Soft Surroundings is a miracle worker. Now, she’s going to have to come home with us.”

“Hot dates tonight ladies?” We asked the pair. “Umm…Is American Idol on?” jokes Anne-Marie.

Images by Katherine McPherson for FabOverFifty.com

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{Giveaway} Win a custom color beauty system from Jill Kirsh “guru of hue”

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]