As I've matured, I've made some changes in my cosmetics, and how I use them. The greatest changes I made, were in the choices of color-shades, in everything. I went to softer, more subtle shades, ones that complimented my natural coloring.

I stopped using face powder in my thirties. I noticed it was giving me a look that seemed to age my appearance. By that time every cosmetic company had come out with foundations that made powdering unnecessary. I found that applying my foundatin, then merely making use of a tissue to blot all over, set the look just right. I've found that powder, even the ones touted as very fine, 'nearly invisible', 'moisture rich', will settle in any little fine line on the face. Many mature women, who think they have oily skin, and need powder, find, that if they change their moisturizer, find one that is absorbed better, into the complexion, as opposed to just sitting on the surface of the skin, they no longer need to powder-down.

I like the creme eye shadows, applied at the minimum, then gently blotted. I'll still use some powder ones, because I like the colors, but I mix a teeny amount of my moisturizer with the powdered shadow, then apply. Dry powder eye shadows, dry powder anything, just makes a mature woman's complexion look flat, and dull-dry. I make use of a coverstick, again, mixed with just a touch of my moisturizer, and apply it only to the very front of the under-eye area, where I tend to have dark circles. I've found that my foundation used alone, at the far corners of my eyes, is enough.

I like the rich, creme, moisture lipsticks. Nothing flat, dry-looking, and matte. Oh, my godness! I recall trying one of the 'all-day-stay' lipsticks, and what it did to my lips was like sucking every drop of moisture from them! Same with the 'all-day-stay' foundations! Can you imagine, starting to use these in your twenties, and what the effect will be, in your fifties, as to your complexion!

I became fed-up with trying to find a blusher color that worked for me. They were either too dark, or too pale, and the color shade choices left a lot to be desired. I discovered that the color shade of lipstick I used, was perfect as a blush color. I purchase two at a time, one for lips, one for blush. I also use a touch at the eye area, since the colors are ones that are natural, as to my own coloring. I don't use any vivid, or contrasting color shades, at all.

I use a powder-pencil eyeliner, and soften the line. I use a touch of mascara, and switched gears, years ago, going from a black, to a black/brown color shade, for both eyeliner and mascara. It gives me a softer look. I stopped wearing mascara on the bottom lashes, too 'doll-eyed' a look.

My brows I have always kept more natural, as to their look. Plucking or waxing the brows to a hard, thin line can give a mature woman an aged, dated look. My eldest daughter, age 35, has stopped doing her brows in this manner. It has been her look since her twenties, and she's finding that now the practice is actually making her look older, hardening her appearance.

Someone mentioned the Vital Radiance line of cosmetics, by REVLON? I liked many of their products too, especially liked the color shade choices. Imagine my surprise, when I discovered the line was discontinued, at the end of 2006! Financial woes are besetting REVLON. Oh, you will still be able to find the poducts, probably for awhile, but, what a shame! I especially liked their website, featuring REAL women age 50 and over, wearing the products, as models. Unfortunately, REVLON has really made none of the miracle, anti-aging claims, as to the majority of their products, like so many of their competitors, for instance, L'Oreal. Possibly, a major mistake, for REVLON? Is that what an aging woman wants, being sold on a 'miracle in a bottle'?

Muddying the Fountain of Youth