Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of lipstick for mature skin?
Although moisturizing lip products like balms, oils, and masks condition your lips deeply, it’s understandable if you don’t want to sacrifice your favorite red lips in the name of hydration. Thankfully, you can achieve your desired color and still reap the benefits of lip-loving, texture-blurring ingredients, thanks to the abundance of hydrating and conditioning oils. In case you don’t know, moisturizing is very important in reducing the appearance of volume loss and fine lines, two main things that often appear in the mouth as we age. “As we age, our ability to retain water in the skin decreases, so the skin dries out,” Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, previously told . Seduction. “Dry skin can appear dull and make fine lines more visible.”
Makeup chemist Ginger King says taking this extra step to find a moisturizing lipstick is important. “For mature women, the choice of lipstick is complicated because they tend to have thin and dry lips.” A safer bet, says King, is to “choose a more muted tone.” If not, a tinted lip balm may suit you better than a fully pigmented lipstick.
What ingredients should I look for in a lipstick for mature skin?
In case it’s not obvious, hyaluronic acid is an ingredient that benefits everyone, but especially older women. According to New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Doris Day, MD, this hydrating humectant “holds water and makes the skin firmer and firmer.” Los Angeles-based makeup artist Elaina Badro adds that hyaluronic acid’s plumping properties help “fill in the cracks on the surface of the lips,” giving your lips a fuller look.
Some heavy hitters are emollients like shea butter and cocoa butter, which soften dry cracks and blur the appearance of fine lines. These ingredients are responsible for giving lipstick formulas that easy-to-glide feel. As for what to avoid? Erin B. Guth, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles, generally recommends avoiding matte lipsticks, as they tend to have dry edges that can accentuate fine lines.
How should I apply lipstick on mature skin?
Aside from looking for more nourishing ingredients for your mature lips, your application method plays an important role in your finished look. To enhance the look of your lips, start with a clear lip balm to prime and prep the area. “Primers are a great way to ensure products stay in place and can prevent flaking, which can draw attention to fine lines,” says Guth.
After the lip primer, she recommends using a lip pencil one to two shades darker than your natural lip color to plump up and give the illusion of bigger lips. Fill in your lips with the lipstick of your choice, apply a little shade between the lips to highlight, et voilà! Lips that look fuller instantly.
Meet the experts
- Elaina Badro, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles
- Robin Black, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles
- Doris Day, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in New York City
- Kat Dorn, makeup artist for LRN Beauty based in New York City
- Erin B. Guth, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles
- King of Ginger, cosmetic chemist
- Renée Loiz, makeup artist and founder of Color May Vary based in Los Angeles
- Chloe Majdipour, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles
- Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any cosmetics, we ask several questions: What ingredients are in them? Does the brand offer a wide range of colors that include consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for students with sensitive skin or contact lens wearers? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or is it unnecessarily wasteful?
To review the best lip balms for mature skin, we enlisted the help of many editors, writers, contributors, makeup artists, and makeup chemists to review the products. This ensures that our test base includes different skin tones, genders, demographics, and skin conditions. We considered each product’s performance in four main categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, efficacy, and hydration. To find out more about what’s involved in our reporting, see our full review process and how to page.
Our staff and inspectors
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You may be looking for a face cream to combat persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday skincare routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launch to hit the hair market. Whatever your wants or needs and concerns, Seduction you want to make sure you like whatever we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse group of writers and editors—in addition to the extensive list of external reviewers and industry experts we call on regularly—is critical to achieving that goal.
After all, we can indeed Are we saying that a skin care product is “best” for people over 50 when the only testers we asked for were people under 30? Can we honestly consider a premium diffuser worth your hard-earned money if it’s never been tested on curls? We pride ourselves on the fact that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair colors, genders, and backgrounds, which means we are able to thoroughly evaluate any beauty product that enters the beauty closet.
We can talk about lip products all day. In fact, let’s show you our favorite formulas:
Now, watch K-pop stars Stray Kids spill the secrets after drinking the truth serum:
