Renowned makeup artist Val Garland, known for her work with celebrities, shares her expert tips and product recommendations for achieving a radiant and youthful look as you age. From skincare layering to application techniques, discover her secrets for embracing beauty at any age.

Expert Advice for Mature Skin

Val Garland, a 67-year-old make-up artist celebrated for her work with icons like Helen Mirren, Lady Gaga, and Kate Moss, shares her expert advice for mature skin. Garland emphasizes the importance of skincare layering, starting with a plumping base like Weleda Skin Food, allowing ample time for absorption before applying makeup.

Foundation and Concealer Choices

She advocates for concealers with fluid textures that move with the skin, avoiding cakey finishes, and suggests options from Suqqu and By Terry. Foundation choices should lean towards lighter coverage 'tints' with skincare benefits, focusing on blurring rather than complete camouflage, with recommendations including The Ordinary and Mac Studio Radiance.

Application Techniques for a Flawless Finish

Garland stresses the significance of application techniques, particularly with foundation and eyeliner. She recommends using a quality brush, like those from Hourglass or Kiko, to avoid product settling into wrinkles. For eyeliner, she advises prepping the lids with powder to combat greasiness and opting for waterproof pencils or softening the edges of liquid liners.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

She cautions against pulling the eyes during application, as this distorts the final look.

Lashes, Brows, and Lips

Regarding lashes, Garland suggests avoiding overly dramatic styles and instead focusing on defining the lash line with mascara applied at the roots. Brow shaping is also key, with a recommendation to angle brow tails at 30 degrees rather than 45 for a more flattering appearance, utilizing powder palettes and pens to create fullness.

Finally, Garland highlights the importance of lip preparation and texture. She suggests using a primer to prevent feathering and favoring satin finishes over matte for mature skin. A surprising tip involves using a brow pencil to subtly boost lip shape. She also advocates for using moisturizer instead of traditional highlighter to avoid sparkle settling into lines.

Embracing Natural Beauty

Throughout her advice, Garland champions a 'real' approach, often appearing bare-faced on Instagram and sharing transformative tips accessible to everyone, reinforcing her belief in refusing to be invisible and embracing age with confidence. Her approach is about enhancing natural beauty and working with mature skin, not against it.