The 10 Most Common Makeup Mistakes in Women Over 50

Are you using your makeup correctly? Find out what are the most common makeup mistakes women over 50 make and how you can avoid them.
The 10 Most Common Makeup Mistakes in Women Over 50

Last update: 11 April, 2023

If you’re a woman of 50 or older, you need to be aware of the most common makeup mistakes made at this age. While we all have the freedom to beautify ourselves as we see fit, when we reach this age, there are certain aspects that we must consider for our well-being, appearance, and health.

The skin of the face is very delicate and, as the years go by, tends to have specific requirements that should not be ignored. This is especially because we still have many more years ahead of us to look beautiful. So, read on to learn more!

The most common makeup mistakes in women over 50

According to scientific articles, the skin begins a transformation from the age of 25-30, which can be identified as the change towards skin aging. From then on, the skin’s protective function weakens progressively, losing moisture and elasticity.

This is why it’s necessary to be very careful with the makeup we use. Different external factors could accelerate skin aging.

Having clarified this, let’s tell you what are the most common mistakes that women over 50 make when applying makeup. They are considered mistakes because they affect the skin or because they don’tallow a proper finish.

1. Not using sunscreen

According to research, sun exposure accelerates skin aging, causing wrinkles and even increasing the risk of skin cancer. Therefore, sunscreen should always be part of your makeup routine at any age.

Sunscreen is usually applied before moisturizer, which is also vitally important. These types of products protect your skin and always keep it beautiful, so don’t leave them out of your routine.

Uno de los errores de maquillaje que cometen las mujeres mayores de 50 años es no usar bloqueador solar.
One of the makeup mistakes women over 50 make is not using sunscreen.

We think you may also enjoy reading this article: Nude Makeup: How to Apply It Without Failing in the Attempt

2. Choose an inappropriate foundation

Considering that the facial skin of women over 50 is a bit drier, you need to choose a foundation that is more oily and rich in collagen. It will moisturize enough to leave your face luminous.

If you’ve had your foundation set for a long time and are not willing to change it, then don’t make the mistake of continuing to use it without applying a couple of drops of natural oils. Don’t forget to apply a little to the dark circles under the eyes; the foundation complements the result that a good use of concealer will give you.

3. Dont abuse concealer

The function of concealer is to improve the appearance of dark circles, but it’s necessary to support this product. The first thing you have to do is to moisturize the dark circles very well; you can do it at night with a mask or a special gel for this area.

If you don’t, you are making a serious mistake.

Now, the use of the oily base will help moisturize the area during the day, preventing the concealer from clumping in the furrow of the expression lines, generating an effect contrary to what is expected. Another mistake in the same sense has to do with waiting for the concealer to work its magic.

At 50 there are wrinkles that are obvious and trying to cover them up only makes them more pronounced. Stay away from high-coverage concealers, since they tend to over-mark expression lines.

4. Not sealing your concealer

The final touch to concealer is to seal it. This can be done with a little powder, which you should apply with a brush for more uniformity. You can do this by dabbing it on a little.

You could also use a little eye shadow primer, which will smooth out the area so that no lines are visible. In addition, the pencil you apply afterward will adhere better.

5. Overdoing it with the use of dark shades

The skin of the eyes is darker by nature, which is accentuated over the years. So, it’s a big mistake to overdo it with the use of dark eye shadows.

Depending on your skin tone and your own preferences, the most appropriate shades when you are 50 years old or older are grayish, nudes, pinks, and beiges. Also, depending on the shape of your eyelids, regular shadows can clump in the creases, which doesn’t look good at all.

To avoid this, opt for lighter cream shadows or pencil finishes.

6. Thinning your eyebrows

It’s normal to lose hair over the years. The eyebrows are no exception. Although this is normal, we can use makeup to keep the eyebrows thick but natural.

So, what you should do to avoid looking bad is to apply a pencil or eyebrow shadow that has a lighter shade than yours, so they do not look so hard. Ideally, when you line your eyebrows, if necessary, you should do it with a fiber gel.

Opt for thickness, but make sure your eyebrows still always look natural. Always look for colors that match your skin and hair tone.

7. Make sure to use your eyeliner incorrectly

Cuando se es mayor, uno de los errores de maquillaje que se deben evitar es ponerse delineador en los párpados de abajo.
When you’re older, one of the makeup mistakes you should avoid is putting eyeliner on your lower eyelids.

Eyeliner is one of the makeup products you can’t miss at any age. However, one of the most common makeup mistakes made at 50 or older is to keep using it in its harder version.

Considering that the skin of the eyelids also changes, you can’t keep applying it with the same technique. What you have to do is to lift your chin, look down and make a thin line. This technique stretches the eyelids and makes them easier to work with.

Now, don’t keep applying eyeliner on your bottom lids. When you do this, you make your eyes smaller and your look will look more tired.

8. Stick to liquid blush

Liquid blush is one of the best inventions. After all, it can be used on the cheeks and also on the eyes, cheekbones, and lips.

It’s best to opt for one that is creamy. It is necessary to moisturize the skin well before for a better finish. Another advantage is that it lasts long; something that isn’t usually achieved with powder or traditional blush.

If you don’t like to use blush, you should know that this is a big mistake. This is a basic product that enhances the overall makeup finish, so you shouldn’t do without it. Also, keep in mind that this single product can get you out of trouble in a fix!

9. Avoid applying very dark lipstick

As with the eyes, this is one of the most common makeup mistakes. Applying dark lipstick hardens the features of the face and makes you look older than you are.

Avoid wine and brown tones, especially when you want to apply dark shadows.

Although the ideal is always to opt for lighter tones, there are times when you should balance the tones. Always opt for natural and luminous makeup.

We think you may be interested in reading this, too: Makeup for Men: Steps and Tips to Enhance Natural Attractiveness

10. Going to sleep with makeup on

The last of the makeup mistakes that we’ll talk about and that older women often make is falling asleep with makeup on. This should never be done, no matter what your age.

During the night, the skin is dedicated to regenerating cells, a process that will be interrupted if it’s loaded with products. Ideally, use makeup remover wipes as needed and remove makeup and excess sweat that accumulates during the day to let it breathe better.

Makeup mistakes reduce the health of your skin

Avoiding these ten mistakes will prolong the vitality of your complexion. You will be able to enjoy healthy skin that will be able to cope with daily stresses for much longer. So, are you going to apply these tips?


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.



This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.