Sometimes the makeup trend wheel moves so fast it doesn't seem to be moving at all. And if Einstein's theory is right, that there is no time, this both makes sense and renders it useless anyway.
As almost any stylist will tell you, from Clinton Kelly of What Not To Wear to authors Sandy Linter and Lois Joy Johnson of The Makeup Wakeup, the reason to be "trendy" is to show that you're awake and alive and paying attention.
No need to go overboard with trends, especially at midlife. It just looks you're trying too hard, trying to be younger, or trying to be something you're not, and calls attention to whatever you're trying to mask.
But I have to admit, the new trend report in the NYTimes outlining makeup trends for 2012 last week made me laugh.
The new look for the new year is effortless, minimalist, just-out-of-bed-with-your-lover…"
Yeah, right. Which lover would that be again? Anyway, the article says that stiff coiffures, overdone eyes, defined lips, matte skin, and otherwise perfect makeup are out.
Someone better send Callista Gingrich the "stiff coiffure" memo asap. (A friend of mine begged, 'PLEASE find out what kind of hairspray she uses!)
Personally, I'm glad to see the demise of the "smoky eye" – why you'd want to look like a doubled version of Petey in the Little Rascals has always mystified me. It's hard to achieve, it smears, it seeps into fine lines and just makes you look tired, not glamorous.
Other benchmarks of the 2012 makeup trends:
Tousled hair, smudged eyeliner, dewy lips and luminous skin are in. ….[in short] The hottest beauty trend of 2012 is imperfection."
Yawn, yawn, yawn. Luminous skin has been in for ages. Just look at all the red carpet denizens, often so luminous they practically look like robots. And smudged eyeliner gets us right back to the smoky eye.
Tousled hair? Hello! There's been a product called Bed Head for years. And frankly, in this age of high unemployment, coming in looking like you just rolled out of bed won't do wonders for your résumé, I'm guessing.
Imperfection? I don't know. There's a difference between "imperfection" and laziness.
I miss coiffed hair. I went to a lot of benefits and formal functions last fall, where the women were dressed up in these gorgeous gowns paired with limp, lank hair hanging there. It looked silly. And weird.
I'm not saying hair should look beauty-parlor-in-the-50s-perfect, or so done you look like a plastic Ken-doll head. But a good cut that falls well and flatters your face will stand you in good stead for almost anything. Besides, at midlife, if you come in with messy hair, you can look a little demented. Not the impression you want to create, anywhere.
Perfect makeup? Same thing. Definitely not Tammy Faye Baker or heroine chic. Just a light foundation or tinted primer. Creamy blush for little luminosity, maybe even a little highlighter, but not so much you look made of metal.
Dewy lips is good – a little color, not cakey, but not so glossy they look like vinyl.
Midlife women need definition around the eye – mascara or eyeliner, sometimes both. I have a friend who never leaves he house without eyeliner, but she doesn't like the hassle of mascara. It works for her. Mascara works for me, sometimes I'll add a thin line of eyeliner.
Your "new" face for 2012: Fresh, hydrated. Accentuating your eyes so whites look bright and not tired (Visine helps here too). Keep the mouth moist so lips don't peel or crack; a little color will make teeth look whiter. And blush to brighten your complexion and enliven your look.
Some makeup tips and types to help you achieve this look:
Pro-Age Makeup in 3 Simple Steps
Drugstore Beauty: 5 Fast Hair, Makeup & Style Fixes
Practical Beauty: 6 Drugstore Discoveries