Make-up and the older woman

When I launched Look Fabulous Forever several years ago, I met someone who worked as a consultant to large beauty brands. 

He stated very baldly, "I wish you luck but I don't think your business will be a success because older women don't buy make-up". 

Because I am quite an obstinate person, I just thought "I'll show you!" and I like to think that the phenomenal success we’ve had since October 2013 has proved me right, and him wrong (I am happy to say).

Recently I have been giving some thought to confidence with make-up and also attitudes to make-up among older women and what my advice would be, to those people who might like it.

So if you are slightly daunted by the idea of choosing and wearing make-up, I hope this will help you to take the plunge!

Plenty of women have approached me with questions over the years, and I would like to put all their fears to rest here:

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Women who have never worn make-up

It's a free country and deciding whether to wear make-up or not is a personal choice, but oh dear, I wish I could tell people how the smallest bit of make-up can make a huge difference, if a difference is what they want!

At a recent birthday party I attended, I couldn't help thinking how pale and washed out many of the other guests looked with their minimally made-up and/or bare faces. I wondered if they knew just how easy it can be to make a positive change!

To anyone who has never worn make-up and wants to know where to begin, my advice would be to do just four things: tame and shape your eyebrows with our Brow Shape, sweep some mascara on to your eyelashes, use blush on your cheeks to give a 'pop' of colour and add a lovely Lip Colour in a soft pink for a finishing touch. 

This will take about five minutes and will make you look 100% better! You don’t need to spend hours in front of a mirror; my point is that older faces tend to need make-up more than younger faces, but they don't need more make-up!

Some of the best emails I get are from customers who have only just started to wear make-up, thanks to watching our video tutorials. 

Women who are afraid that wearing make-up will make them 'mutton dressed as lamb'

We all know that horrible expression; it’s one the self-appointed 'style police' throw at anyone older who dares to step out of line by looking 'age-inappropriate'. 

Another term that drives me mad is 'less is more' when it comes to make-up, which is as meaningless as it sounds. The implication is that older women are only allowed a very light touch of make-up or they will look like hideous old hags. 

I am proud of the fact that almost without exception women who try our make-up comment on how light it feels on the skin and how fresh and pretty it makes their faces look. Celia in the photo at the top is an excellent example of this - her face with LFF face, eye and lip make-up looks softly enhanced - and not in any way over the top.

Women who haven't changed their make-up for years

Over time everything becomes dated - your hair, clothes and make-up. Being stuck in a time warp may feel safe, but making an honest appraisal of yourself in the mirror from time to time is the best way to stay up-to-date.

This is where I think our video tutorials come into their own! I don't see LFF make-up as 'fashion led'. We are unlikely to suggest neon green eye shadow just because that's the latest fad.

 However, we do work with make-up artists who are aware of what looks appropriate in 2016. 

So my advice to this group would be to use our videos to show you how to use modern techniques to achieve a beautiful natural look. Again, we know from your feedback just how much it helps you to watch a relevant make-up tutorial.

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Women who have all but given up because they keep wasting money on disappointing products

That was true of me three years ago and the very reason I started Look Fabulous Forever. 

There is no doubt that most make-up is formulated to work well on young, smooth, unlined, plump and perfect skin. Make-up has to work really hard to achieve a lovely effect on post-menopausal faces. 

When I came up with the range for LFF, every single product had to perform to exacting standards. Each one from the Face Prime to the Eye Shades to the Lip Colours had to compliment and enhance my ageing face without looking heavy, caked-on or inappropriate. 

I feel totally vindicated three years after launching Look Fabulous Forever. Our thousands of product reviews and testimonials show conclusively that our make-up is genuinely different from other brands in the way it compliments older faces. So my advice to this group would be to give LFF a try - you won't regret it!

The Look Fabulous Forever Customer

She may never have worn make-up, she may have become disillusioned with the make-up on offer in the shops or she may have wanted to update her look. Or she may just have been looking for inspiration. 

Whatever her route to our website, we know that the Look Fabulous Forever customer loves to look good but is not a slave to fashion - she just wants products which live up to the hype and promises made. 

She is open to trying new colours and new techniques as long as she is shown how and why this might work for her. Having spent some minutes every day applying her Look Fabulous Forever face, she is then free to get on with her life because she feels confident and good about herself, maybe for the first time in a while. 

Others may have noticed the change and she is delighted that they are complimenting her on how good she looks.

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