Low Maintenance Beauty Tips for Women Aged 40+

Low Maintenance Beauty Tips for Women Aged 40+

The great thing about ageing is that now I need glasses I can’t see what I look like in the mirror when I’m not wearing them.

So I was recently thrilled to discover that blackheads that have graced my nose since I was a teen had suddenly disappeared. But then they reappeared when I accidentally left my glasses on to go to the bathroom and glanced at myself in the mirror with 20/20 vision. Funny that.

I have little knowledge about beauty or interest in it apart from wishing I was beautiful. I should have taken makeup lessons as some of my friends did when I was in high school but I did not.

So lately some of my dearest friends have told me on separate occasions to pluck my eyebrows or put some lipstick on and I appreciated their honesty. I’m lazy and I need a kick up the beauty bum.

My daily morning beauty routine goes like this:

1. Cleanse face.
2. Add moisturizer with a high sun protection factor.

That’s it!

When I do the killer steps some of the younger ladies have a full face of make up. The session starts at 6am and we’re all in serious need of a shower afterwards so I don’t get it. Although I guess the attractions of our hunky body building personal trainer Joel might have something to do with it.

Still, no matter how lazy I am or how hopeless at applying makeup like most of us I do want to look as good as possible in the shortest possible time. If you’re a low maintenance woman aged 40+ here are some beauty tips for you:

1. Pull out the stops only when you have to

My friends at the Noosa Boardroom say I can use their facilities anytime for free but I don’t because that would mean I have to put on clean clothes and make up every day.

When meeting people my morning beauty is slightly more involved.  If I go to a business meeting I wear make up which includes BB cream (a tinted moisturizer), lip liner and lip gloss.

I always curl my eyelashes which is a quick way to make your eyes look prettier. If you’re looking for beauty tips eyelash curlers are it. I carry them with me at all times.

For parties and conferences I will also add bluster and mascara. But mostly I venture out in all my unmade up glory because really, who cares?

2. Deal harshly with unwanted facial hair

Still I understand the allure of beauty. I make the effort to look as good as I can at events because I know how important first impressions are.

Like most of us I enjoy being surround by attractive people, not gnarly old witches with hairs growing out of moles on their chin and werewolf eyebrows – which is pretty much how I’d look if I didn’t pluck the hairs out of the moles on my chin. Notice the use of plural there.

My chin has other problems too. As well as the hairy moles it’s also developing a fine blond fuzz. My 79 year old mother recently confessed she has electrolysis on her chin and I guess that sometime in the future I’ll need to as well but I’m not ready to go there yet.

A kind neighbor (and qualified beauty therapist and hairdresser) has recently started cutting my hair, trimming my fringe and waxing my eyebrows. Last month was the first time I’d ever had my eyebrows waxed and before that I only rarely tweezed them, mostly because I might bump into one of my style blogging heroines at a blogging conference.

3. Focus on what’s most important to you

Despite Nicki of Styling You‘s assurances that she dresses daggy at home it’s hard to imagine her eyebrows ever meeting in the middle. She’s more well groomed than I’ll ever be which is something for me to aim for.

I pull out a few other stops for conferences too. I sometimes get my nails done with Shellac, a special kind of long-lasting nail varnish. I love that; it’s my biggest treat ever.

In fact my idea of having made it is to get my nails done weekly. But I bet I wouldn’t do it even if I had more money than sense because manicures take so bloody long.

I’m fascinated with beautiful hands and nails. I love them. Pretty hands are the holy grail of beauty for me and something I can only aspire to but the Shellac mani before conferences gives me confidence, happiness and a pop of color.

I do not dye my hair which makes me a minority compared to other Aussie women my age.

But I do maintain my own bikini line because even I can see that having fluff poking out of your swimwear is not a good look.

And I keep my toe nails painted at all times because otherwise they are yellowed and goblinish. I do not want to scare small children.

I shave my legs and armpits once a week or as needed for special occasions. That’s not as bad as it sounds because I had laser hair removal on my legs many years ago and, although I didn’t have the full six sessions needed for total hair removal, my leg hair is sparse and barely noticeable.

Trips to the spa are few and far between so enjoyed all the more when they do occur.

4. Don’t fight gravity – you’ll lose

I do attempt to maintain my body though, regularly working out to keep my bum, legs and arms toned and wobble free. It doesn’t work though; no matter how early I rise, how heavy the weights I lift or how many times I climb those killer steps my body still sags, wobbles and wrinkles.

I’m not overweight but I can see the flesh starting to fall away from my bones, the pull of gravity winning the battle. A fight I foolishly engage in because none of us will ever beat gravity as we age.

Vanity starts in youth and the messages from the media that our youthful looks must be preserved get embedded then too. Even as a poverty stricken student I would save and save for the most expensive anti wrinkle creams by Lancôme. And that was before I even had any wrinkles.

5. Forget expensive beauty products – save money for travel, adventure and life-enhancing experiences

Nowadays I use skincare products by brands like Olay, L’Oréal, Garnier or Neutrogena. Lotions and  potions you can buy in the supermarket.

Although I was ecstatic to be gifted some Natura and Benessere organic beauty products during my recently trip to Italy I’m not prepared to spend the extra money it costs to use them all the time. Although I did splurge on SKII cream and miracle when I went to Japan a few years ago because I’m still a sucker for good advertising, which is why I avoid the type of women’s magazines that are full of it.

I haven’t bought any perfume for a while. The bottle my mother gave me when she visited two years ago isn’t quite finished yet and the less I use it the more I appreciate it when I do.

It’s okay because I’d prefer to save the money to climb Mount Kilimanjaro or go trekking in Nepal. I bet the ever-lasting beauty of the Himalayas and the tough lifestyle of the sherpas will take my mind off wrinkles for a while. 

So that is me; low maintenance, unpolished and barely adorned.

Have I given up? Maybe but it might be a more conscious decision to avoid getting sucked in by social expectations and sucked into the beauty hype and the marketing around it.

I resent the fact that you have to get your eyebrows plucked in order to be socially acceptable. I sometimes fantasize about becoming a Buddhist nun and living in a society where people still love me even though I have bushy eyebrows, hairy toes and a fuzzy chin. Maybe even with the hairy moles, although that might be a stretch too far for anyone.

But I’m not quite ready to withdraw from modern society yet so until then I’ll carry on doing what it takes to be meet the social expectations of Australia where I live.

I’ll stick with the low maintenance beauty track though because the older you get the better you understand how to make a little grooming and maintenance go a long way.

And the less time, money and energy you invest in your looks the more you have for travel, experiences and creating memories will last longer than beauty ever can.

What are your low maintenance beauty tips?

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11 Comments

  1. Cate May 13, 2014 at 6:31 am - Reply

    Hi Annabel,
    I love your honest description of your ‘low maintenance’ regime. I, too, go with the wash and moisuriser approach. Once in a while, I might get the urge to wear make-up, but I am always disappointed. It doesn’t make enough of a difference + I always end up with red, itchy eyes and a brand new collection of little pimples (which is embarrassing when you are my age) – and that is using hypoallergenic products. Not worth it. Anyway, true beauty is within. It is the person you are and how you relate to others. Which I reckon you do pretty well.
    Cate :-)

    • Annabel Candy May 13, 2014 at 10:23 am - Reply

      Hi Cate,

      Aw, thank you! That’s such a beautiful comment.

  2. Johanna May 14, 2014 at 6:18 am - Reply

    Ahh, you always look naturally lovely Annabel! I must confess to having a similar low budget, fast as possible beauty regime, although I’m always eager to spend more time doing more and trying out more (but then I end up thinking I should be doing something else instead – like climbing a mountain!) Right now I’m on a cycle/boat trip in Croatia andd the tiny cabin means the most cramped and minimalist beauty regime. So I’m so glad that I’m not used to being surrounded by thousands of pots, potions and beauty gadgets – or my hubby would be banned from the top bunk!

    • Annabel Candy May 16, 2014 at 11:26 am - Reply

      Hi Jo,

      Aw thank you – natural is definitely something I can achieve :)

      Being low maintenance is essential for travel – sounds like you’ve got it down pat!

  3. Carolyn May 16, 2014 at 5:49 pm - Reply

    One of the benefits I enjoy of blogging, Annabel, is working from home make-up free and in my favourite comfy (read: daggy) clothes, so I think we’d get along just fine! When I have to leave the house, I mostly just slap on a bit of foundation, some mascara and lippy.

    Wearing minimal make-up definitely makes it easier when travelling, too, so that’s got to be a big plus.

    • Annabel Candy May 16, 2014 at 5:57 pm - Reply

      Hi Carolyn,

      Maybe we chose our career to fit around our low maintenance beauty habits :) Yours sounds good to me and I totally agree about the travel thing too.

  4. Sam Leader May 19, 2014 at 1:32 pm - Reply

    I am so with you on the low maintenance thing! However I recently enjoyed a microdermabrasion treatment which zapped all those blackheads and left my skin wonderfully smooth. I am so not a beauty treatment girl, which makes microdermabrasion ideal because it compensates for the fact I’m too lazy to deal with my blocked pores and/or exfoliate!

    • Annabel Candy May 19, 2014 at 1:44 pm - Reply

      Hi Sam,

      Oh I’ve been wondering what that’s like and love the tip – sounds like a great way to reduce cleansing to once a year!

  5. Barbara May 20, 2014 at 1:30 am - Reply

    Annabel, you make me laugh! You are so naturally beautiful, you don’t need all that much for maintenance. However, let me warn you, it gets worse.

    I used to teach girls how to apply make-up when I owned a modeling agency, back in the day. I also worked for Lancome, once. I was always able to put make-up on in under 10 minutes. Those days are LONG gone!

    Yes, the facial hair is a pain the ass, but it’s so unfair that you lose hair where you want it. I’ve essentially lost my eyebrows. No joke. It now takes me 10 minutes to put my brows on! SUCKS! Plus the mustache and chin hair.

    So my advice to you is…buckle up, because it’s a bumpy ride!
    xob

  6. Fran March 15, 2015 at 10:21 am - Reply

    Love revisiting post from your tweets. Hairs. Yuck. A battle. No more needs to be said.

  7. Ayu August 29, 2017 at 5:03 am - Reply

    Thank you for sharing this fantastic website! :)

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