Scouring the aisles of Sephora for stick makeup — sounds like fun, right? Not!
It's time-consuming, and, as it turns out, frustrating.
I have already professed my love for stick makeup because it's so portable and easy to apply.
So I was on a hunt for a stick eyeshadow that I could just slick on.
Before I tell you of my fruitless journey (oops, just did), I just want to remind you of a few "rules", or, before anyone gets bent out of shape (boy, we really are baby boomers, aren't we!), shall we say guidelines for wearing makeup over 40.
Sparkle
- Wear very sparingly! Sparkle and glitter gets right into fine lines and wrinkles and lodges there, calling attention to them.
- Sparkly shadow on eyelids can make them look crinkly even if they aren't very!
- On cheeks: it can lodge in large pores, or go on unevenly, especially if you haven't exfoliated lately, and make skin look like sandpaper, yuk.
Where you can wear sparkle: Eyeliner! it's fun and dressy to add a little line of glittery liner just at the eyelash line. And it can make the whites of you eyes pop and no one quite knows why. I have a Too Faced glittery black liquid eyeliner and a Smashbox Metallic Bronze pencil that are terrific.
- And sometimes in the inner corner, or in the center of the eyelid (such as Hard Candy Eye Def in disco) to brighten eyes — but just a little.
Back to my quest: I was lead to Stila, and Sephora's own line, and Urban Decay, even Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks. But all of them had sparkle. Or sheen. I loved the idea of Charlotte Ronson's Starry Eyes Liquid Eyeshadow, but again, too much glitter.
Sheen: Also wear sparingly becuse it can make you look robotic, whhc just looks odd on a midlifer.
But I ended up taking home an Urban Decay's24/7 Shadow stick in Morphine, a bright lavender. It does have sheen but it was in the color family I was looking for. And yes, I'll have to use it sparingly. I keep harping on CoverGirl CG eyeslick in purple and I will continue to do so until they bring it back!
In the meantime, I tested everything — as you can see by my hand — and decided I'm going to have to start my own makeup line for midlifers. There's already great foundations so I don't have to deal with that, but the rest of it, yes!
I told the girl at Sephora and she said she'd come work for me, which was nice. So... adding it to the goal list.
More on Eye Makeup Over 40:
- The Perfect Make Up: Why I Love Stick Makeup
- Makeup Tips: No-Melt Makeup
- Eye Makeup Over 40
- Who's Behind the Beauty Counter?
