Anti-Aging Makeup Tips For Women In Their 30s.

My mornings start with a mug of coffee and the Bombay Times. Yes, I prefer to start my day reading up on Bollywood gossip. The actual world affairs can wait till I’m well and truly wide awake. On the 2nd of May, the day that I was flying to Thailand for my holiday, I read this post in the Bombay Times. I didn’t know whether to feel amused by it or annoyed, but I decided that I would write a post on this and so I quickly took a picture of that article:

The first thing that truly irritated me was the title, “At 30, don’t go naughty with makeup”. Why not? The article started off by saying “Thirties is the age where you cannot play around with bold makeup but also not do everything subtle.” Besides the fact that this sentence is grammatically wrong, I fail to understand why one can’t play with bold colours in their 30s. I’m 35 and I do like to use bold colours sometimes.

Now, I’m certainly not a professional makeup artist but I don’t agree with some of the things mentioned in this article and so, here are my tips on anti-aging makeup based on personal experience and on what I’ve seen in my friends, who are also in their 30s.

Choose Full Coverage Foundation

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua


While this Bombay Times article mentions that women in their 30s need to use full coverage foundation, I would recommend using a medium coverage foundation so that the skin still shows through a bit. This looks more natural. Also, there are several full coverage foundations that are really thick and heavy and give a mask-like matte look and might also settle into fine lines. Those are definitely to be avoided. That’s the reason why my MAC Studio Sculpt foundation is one that I barely use. Not only does the colour feel a bit dark, it is also quite thick and matte.
Personally, I prefer lightweight foundations. If you follow my blog, you would know that my favourite foundations are Lancome Teint Miracle and Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, both of which give a dewy “radiant” look (which makes a person look younger btw) and are really light in texture and can be layered without looking cakey.

Go Subtle

I think the author is a bit confused here because on one hand she says that “to look elegant keep your look subtle. To achieve that, keep your eye makeup heavy but toning down your lips”! Really??? Does heavy eye makeup give a subtle look? To me that sounded more like a smoky-eye, n@de lip look!

A subtle look, to me, is properly defined eyes (not heavy eye makeup), bronzer instead of blush and a soft lipstick. The kind of look that you’d probably wear to work.

Choose A Natural Shade Of Lipstick

Yes, a natural shade of lipstick is required for work or meetings etc. but it can sometimes make one look more mature rather than have an anti-aging effect. What really works are bright lipsticks and lipsticks that have some colour in them and that brighten up your face.

Bright, however, is not = bold/dark though and the latter can make the lips appear thinner and the face older. By bright, I mean something that’s midtone, neither too pale, nor too dark like the Maybelline Lip Polish Glam 9 that I wore in this post. Among other favourites are the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide lipstick in Watermelon, Bourjois Shine Edition no 20, L’Oreal Shine Caresse in Aphrodite Scarlett and quite a few more. All these lippies have one common factor, they all have a creamy, hydrating texture. Super matte lippies that dry out the lips make you look older. The only exception is the new Moist Mat from L’Oreal which is a creamy matte. Glosses too, can make one look younger since they make the lips appear plumper.

And as for bold shades like oranges and reds, why not??? In fact, I got the confidence to wear those shades only once I was nearing my thirties. So if you want to wear those colours, wear them with confidence.

Ultimately, I feel that if certain colours make you feel good and more confident about yourself, go ahead and wear them. If they make you feel conscious or if you feel that you don’t look good in those, avoid them. Simple 🙂

17 Replies to “Anti-Aging Makeup Tips For Women In Their 30s.”

  1. Aww….thanks a lot 🙂

  2. Nicely written… accept your points 🙂 and nobody will believe if you say your are 35 🙂

  3. You’re right. So what if we chose the wrong colours and make a mistake. Big deal. So glad you agree with me 🙂

  4. i totally agree with you, its like they subconsciously make us feel bad about certain styles and things. Nowhere you find them telling you go ahead and explore, wtf if you make a mistake!! Its not like you will be caught by style police…. lol 😀

  5. Simran@leavepillow says: Reply

    yeah really heading is irritating but tips are really nice..

  6. Thanks Naomi 🙂 . That article irritated me to be very honest, especially the title.

  7. I’m glad you liked the post 🙂

  8. Absolutely agree 🙂

  9. Well said. I didn’t have the confidence to carry off bold lipstick colours when I was in my teens and 20s. Ultimately, people should decide for themselves what they want to wear (whether it’s fashion trends or makeup) and what colours they can pull off at what age.

  10. Meghamadhulika says: Reply

    nice post Dollie agree with you, you figured it right that we just need to wear ‘confidence’ and leave the rest to personal choices.

  11. Cosmochics says: Reply

    I too started using bold makeup and love it! N irrespective of what my age is, i will keep doing that! I go subtle when i want and dont really think how old i am! This is a very conservative thinking that one cannot go with bold shades during teenage or in their 30’s & 40’s !!! If a person can do makeup well… the age factor should not be counted at all!

  12. Naomi Ganzu says: Reply

    I don’t know why the media has to sexualize everything related to females. Be it their body or products used by them 🙁

  13. Naomi Ganzu says: Reply

    Nice tips Dollie! I really like the fact that you analysed the article. 😉

  14. Pooja Mittal says: Reply

    I start my day with delhi times, hi-5 on that 🙂
    About the article, I think writer was really confused, in no way heavy eyes and nude lips is elegant and nude colors will look washed out
    Keep in touch
    http://www.beingbeautifulandpretty.com
    http://www.indianbeautydiary.com

  15. MyBeautyJunction says: Reply

    Piffle! Anyone can rock whatever they want as long as it suits them and whatever suits one person may or may not suit another irrespective of age. There are teenagers who cannot pull off bold makeup and older people who can. My Mum is in her early 50s and she only ever wears bright fuchsia lippies and full coverage foundation (Sephora or Lancome powder foundation) and rocks lilac, rose and neutral eyeshadows when she wants to. Why don’t they tell the Queen what makeup to wear? Her foundation is so pigmented, you can see it from outer space. Ditto her lipstick; only deep reds, fuchsias or berries, and HM is in her late 80s. The same is the case with Princess Anne who is in her 60s(?) I hate this sort of prescriptive “do-this, do-that” writing that a lot of publications think they are knowledgeable and authoritative enough to write.

  16. That’s true…while not everyone can carry very dark and very pale shades, most girls look lovely in bright lippies 🙂

  17. bhumika_t says: Reply

    I feel anyone can rock a bright lipstick and look stunning! That’s nothing to do with age..stupid article indeed..and agree with u on glosses too

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