Yesterday we learned about Sonia Kashuk and how she got her start in the beauty business and some of her beauty must-haves.  Today, Sonia shares with Fab Over Forty some of her Do’s and Don’ts about beauty for women over 40.  I think you’ll like some of her beauty tips and learn something new – I know I did!

Do’s:

• Moisturizing is a must because it readies the skin for foundation and color products that bring tone back to the skin.
• After moisturizing, always begin with a primer to retexturize and prep the skin for makeup application.
• A good foundation will ensure the skin looks its best (the most important anti-aging product, it can remove 10 years!); look for formulas that leave you with a radiant, dewy finish. I am a believer that if your skin looks beautiful, you are already halfway there, so I think foundation is most important in your makeup routine.
• Make sure foundation is really blended into the skin so you don’t see it and always test color on your face; if you can’t see it when blended, that is when you know you have the right shade.
• Bronzer makes you look alive, it gives the skin great tone and glow. Then add in blush for brightness and color to energize the face.
• Go for color!  Color has become rather seasonless. Before you would stay away from corals or bright colors in the winter, but those rules don’t really exist anymore.
• My mantra is to always use a specific brush for the size area you are working on. So for instance, if you want to eliminate shine on the bridge of your nose with a translucent powder, using your regular large powder brush will get product over a larger area than desired. Try using a small powder brush, such as my Small Multipurpose Powder Brush to target that space.

Don’t’s:

• Stay away from foundation shades that are too light.
• The worst thing you can do in a makeup application is to leave harsh lines on the face – you never want to see where color starts or ends, so remember to blend your makeup well.
• Don’t use a blush to create contour
• Never use liquid liner at the lower lash line, as it is a too severe. Instead, go in with a soft, smudged powder liner to give a shadowy effect rather than a solid line.
• “Spider Lashes” may have been all the rage on the runways, but in real life this clumpy style is never pretty. Avoid arachnid eyes by running a metal-toothed lash comb through eyelashes after your mascara application to separate lashes for a lengthened, polished look.
• Don’t over shimmer, too much sparkle with look artificial and childish. However, shimmer in moderation can be beautiful and surprisingly flattering.
• Overly defining a strong mouth is always a don’t.  When using lip liner to prep for red lipstick, keep the edges as soft as possible by using your finger to smudge out the outline of your lip, blurring any harsh, unnatural lines.