Delighted this week to be featured on the exceptional clean beauty retail website beautifulbecause.com.au (BB). Below is an excerpt from the story. You can view the full story clicking this link beautifulbecause.com.au.
PHOTOGRAPHY - John Rintoul; MODEL, Women's health specialist, clinical nutritionist, herbalist and birth doula - Anna-Maria Boelskov ; HAIR - Sue Carroll (using Rahua); NAILS - Charlotte Laight, MAKEUP - Amanda Ramsay.
Time is of the essence these days. We all seem to be rushing here, racing there, delivering kids everywhere and, quite frankly, 5 minutes in front of the mirror feels like a luxury. I get it. I’m a busy working mother with two busy little boys. I’m over 40. I love the skin I’m in, and yes, I still want to feel visible – I want to enter the world at large feeling great about myself. As a professional makeup artist with over 14 years experience, I’ve collected a bucket load of tips. Here are my top 6 for achieving youthful radiance and feeling fabulous into your forties and beyond.
I've included links direct to the Beautiful Because website. Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
LUMINOUS FOUNDATION
Here it is ladies, you may not want to hear this but in my experience, women over the age of 40 tend to look best wearing a luminous, dewy tint. Whether it’s a tinted moisturiser, BB cream, or full coverage foundation – whatever floats your boat – it will quickly even your skin tone. Before applying any foundation, prep skin with organic face oil. I’m obsessed with the Vanessa Megan Natures Elixir (NEO) Face Oil, it’s literally a multi-vitamin shot for the skin that instantly brings a healthy glow to your beautiful face.
ANTI AGEING PRO ARTIST TIP 1
Move away from mattifying foundations and embrace luminosity. Once we hit 30 our remarkable bodies stop producing collagen – that gorgeous deliciousness that helps to “plump” skin at a cellular level. Skin begins to lose radiance and fine lines appear. A foundation with a subtle dewy finish does wonders for perking up tired skin. Here are my picks:
Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation $71.50. CLICK HERE to BUY
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
INIKA Certified Organic BB Cream $59. CLICK HERE to BUY.
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream SPF30 $92. CLICK HERE to BUY.
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
I've dedicated a whole blog post to this incredible product. Click HERE to read more.
WRINKLES & CONCEALER AREN’T FRIENDS
Let’s get a something straight here. A cream concealer won’t hide your wrinkles; in fact it just makes them more pronounced. Avoid using cream concealers around the eye area (particularly where fine lines form). The most amazing product for plumping wrinkles around the eye area is the Vanessa Megan Advanced Organic Skincare Triple Action Eyelift Serum. Game changer. It works instantly and feeds your delicate skin. CLICK HERE to find out more.
ANTI AGEING PRO ARTIST TIP 2
To cover any blemishes or broken capillaries choose a peachy yellow based cream concealer and dab it sparingly over the spot. Blend gently. The yellow base will counteract any redness.
INIKA Certified Organic Concealer $39. CLICK HERE to BUY
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
FLUSHING BLUSH
A pop of colour on your cheeks will freshen your face, fast. If your skin is becoming a little more saggy, getting your blush in the right spot will instantly give skin a pick me-up for youthful radiance. And if you’re struggling with rosacea, or navigating your way through the Big M, just work with the redness. Don’t fight it!
ANTI AGEING PRO ARTIST TIP 3
The trick is… don’t smile! When you dab blush on the fleshy bits aka apples of your cheeks while smiling, guess what happens when you’re no longer smiling? The blush sits too low – and drags your face further south. So without smiling, press and blend a little cream blusher on the apples of your cheeks, and diffuse out higher towards your cheekbones.
Vapour Organic Beauty Mult Use Cream Blush $51.50. CLICK HERE to BUY.
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
I like cream blush as it blends beautifully to become a part of your skin. It’s quick and easy. No need for a brush, fingers are perfect.
OPEN UP YOUR EYES
Now is the time to enter the world of an eyelash curler. I know they look terrifying but they are the fastest way to really open up your eyes. Place the lash curler over the lashes and gently ‘pump’ the curler several times (don’t clamp hard and hold, as this will create a “kink” in the lash). It does take a little practice, be gentle and once you get the hang of it, let’s just say WOW. Load up your lashes with natural black mascara – slick on 2 – 3 coats concentrating on the outer corners.
Ere Perez Mascara & Eyelash Curler Set $39.95. CLICK HERE to BUY.
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
ANTI AGEING PRO ARTIST TIP 4
It really is time to put the shimmery eye shadows away and move to matte/satin finish. I know, I found this very challenging too. But here’s why. Shimmery reflective particles sit in the crinkles and actually accentuate wrinkles.
Sweep a soft satin eye shadow all over your eyelid.
Lily Lolo Pressed Eyeshadow $17. CLICK HERE to BUY
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
If moving away from shimmer gives you heart palpitations… place a little champagne coloured shimmery shadow just on the inner corner of your eye. Boom. Cheating 8 hours of sleep with that one little trick!
Lily Lolo Pressed Eyeshadow $17. CLICK HERE to BUY
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
*BONUS TIP FOR AMPING IT UP!
If you’re eyes are small don’t line them all the way across, for wider eyed beauty. If you do like to line your upper eyelid, concentrate the liner in the outer corners of your eyes, and then create a very fine line from the middle of your eye, in towards your tear duct.
Use a mid-dark shadow, such as chocolate brown or plummy purple. Start next to the tear duct, blend the shadow softly along your lower lash line and extend ever so slightly beyond the upper lash line.
INIKA Certified Organic Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Duo $39. CLICK HERE to BUY
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
Using the soft line you’ve created under the lower lashes as your guide (don’t extend beyond this line), grab a soft kohl eyeliner (or the same dark eye shadow), push the colour into your upper lash bed, concentrate on the outer corner and work towards the middle of your eye. Blend the line outwards and soften any edges. Create a very fine line from the middle of your eye in towards your tear duct.
INIKA Organic Eyeliner $29. CLICK HERE to BUY.
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
If you’re eyes are small - and you want to create a "wider, bigger, beautiful eye" don’t line all the way across (focus on the outer 1/3 of your eye only).
BROW-TASTIC
Another joy of ageing is magically disappearing eyebrows. Define them, thank me later!
Lily Lolo Eyebrow Shaping Duo $14. CLICK HERE to BUY.
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
ANTI AGEING PRO ARTIST TIP 5
Softly define your brows using a brow powder that’s a little darker than your hair colour (blondes go a couple shades darker). Pencils are tricky in a hurry; we aren’t “drawing” eyebrows on. Just fill in the gaps. I find a powder and pomade combo more natural.
LUSCIOUS LIPS
Hydrate. Banish dry, sunken lips. Something as simple as a nourishing lip balm – like Vanessa Megan Lip Balm - will literally feed and plump your lips.
Create maximum impact in limited time with a bold red lip – you just instantly look more polished.
ANTI AGEING PRO ARTIST TIP 6
As we age, the outer corners of our mouth tend to droop and turn down. Colour on the inner corners of your mouth, visibly “drags” your lips further downwards. To combat this, stop your liner/lipstick before you reach those inner corners. It works wonders!
NUDUS Certified Organic Lipstick. $42. CLICK HERE to BUY
I've dedicated a whole blog post to this incredible product. Click HERE to read more.
Use the Code AMANDA10 and you'll get $10 off your first purchase.
For a quick, polished look that makes you feel amazing about yourself, go for a glowing foundation, pink cheeks, defined brows, lashings of mascara and a bold lip. Off you go. Move mountains. Have fun!
With love, Amanda xxx
LIKE TO LEARN MORE? MASTER YOUR MAKEUP IN JUST 5 MINUTES USING 100% NATURAL PRODUCTS
THE CLEAN BEAUTY LIVE MAKEUP LESSON - SATURDAY 24 MARCH
Earth and Skin Organic Beauty Spa, Mudgereeba, Gold Coast.
Click HERE to find out more.
JOIN THE SECRETS FROM A BEAUTY INSIDER TRIBE
For more Makeup Artist Insider Tips and Tricks for Women Over 40, join Secrets from a Beauty Insider for women over 40 at amandaramsay.com.au and follow me on Facebook @amandaramsaymakeup and Instagram @amandaramsaymakeup
AND If you would like to find out more about why going green - even with your daily beauty choices - can have a profound effect on your health, meet my lovely friend Anna-Maria Boelskov. Anna-Maria is a Clinical Nutritionist, Herbalist, Yoga instructor and Mother. She specialises in Women's health, post pregnancy health and children's health. Anna-Maria believes in using food as medicine and when things have gone awry Herbal medicine is her first choice to help restore balance in the body. Anna-Maria is a fountain of knowledge and common sense bottled in a digestible and 'real' way. Check out her blog at annamaria.com.au/blog/