What is the best makeup for women over 35?

The best makeup for women over 35 includes lightweight, radiant foundations, cream blushes, and hydrating concealers that enhance the skin’s natural glow without settling into fine lines.

Should women over 35 use powder or cream makeup?

Cream makeup is ideal for women over 35 because it blends seamlessly into the skin, creating a more youthful and hydrated appearance without emphasizing texture or fine lines.

How can I make my makeup look more radiant as I age?

To get a radiant look, prep your skin with hydrating products, use a light-reflecting foundation or skin tint, apply cream-based blush and highlighter, and finish with a dewy setting spray.

The Best Makeup for Women Over 35 Who Want a Natural, Radiant Glow | Makeup for Women Over 35

Shervonne Kitto
Jun 29
4 min read

Table of Contents:

Why Your Skin's Needs Change After 35
Step-by-Step: The Natural Glow Routine for Women 35+
My Final Glow-Up Tips
Real Talk
About the Author
Ready to Glow Up?

If your makeup routine hasn’t changed since your 20s, sis, it might be time for a glow-up (literally).

Once we hit our mid-30s and beyond, our skin starts craving a little more moisture, a little more finesse, and a lot more radiance. And let’s be real, most beauty content out there still caters to 20-somethings layering on matte full coverage and baking their undereyes like it’s 2016. That’s not us anymore.

If you're a beauty lover over 35 who wants to glow without looking cakey, settle in. I’m breaking down my go-to makeup approach and must-have products to help you look fresh, hydrated, and naturally radiant.

Why Your Skin's Needs Change After 35 | Makeup for Women Over 35

Your skin after 35 is experiencing some real shifts: collagen production slows down, fine lines show up uninvited, and hydration becomes the name of the game. The key? Makeup that enhances but does not hide your skin.

That means:

Lightweight, skin-like foundations
Creamy, blendable formulas
Radiance-boosting ingredients like hyaluronic acid, peptides, and light reflectors
Tools and techniques that lift and sculpt, not drag and flatten

Step-by-Step: The Natural Glow Routine for Women 35+

1. Hydrate First, Always | Makeup Prep for Women Over 35

Before you touch any makeup, prep your skin with a hydrating serum and moisturizer. I love pairing a hyaluronic acid serum with a vitamin C cream for added brightness.

Pro tip: Press (don’t rub) your moisturizer into the skin to help with absorption and reduce tugging.

Hydrating skincare products used to prep skin for makeup for women over 35.

2. Use a Radiant, Lightweight Foundation or Skin Tint | Best Foundation for Women Over 35

Ditch the heavy mattes. Opt for a skin tint or radiant foundation that offers light-to-medium coverage. Some of my favorites:

3. Conceal Strategically, Not Excessively | Concealer Tips for Women Over 35

Use a hydrating concealer in just the areas you need: inner corners of the eyes, around the nose, and maybe a dab on a blemish. Over-concealing = instant aging.

Try:

Concealer placement map for women over 35 showing natural highlight zones.

4. Creams Over Powders | Best Cream Makeup for Women Over 35

Cream blush, cream bronzer, cream highlighter. Period. Powders tend to settle into fine lines. Creams, on the other hand, melt into the skin and give a more natural glow.

Faves:

5. Lift with Lashes and Brows | Eye Makeup Tips for Women Over 35

Don’t sleep on the power of a lifted lash and softly defined brow. They open up the face and give structure without the need for heavy eyeshadow.

Go for:

A lengthening mascara (I love Tower 28 MakeWaves)
A tinted brow gel or fine-tip brow pencil

Eye area transformation with lash and brow grooming for women over 35.

6. Finish with a Glossy, Hydrating Lip | Lip Makeup for Women Over 35

Skip drying mattes. Choose a nourishing gloss or balm with a hint of color. Bonus if it has plumping or smoothing benefits.

Try:

My Final Glow-Up Tips

Apply everything with upward strokes to lift the face.
Use a damp beauty sponge, such as a beauty blender, to press products into the skin for a smooth, skin-like finish. Keep in mind that this will provide less coverage. For more coverage, use a dense brush.
Set with a dewy mist. But first, add powder to the under-eye area, as well as any other areas of your face that produce oil more quickly.
And most importantly: don’t forget SPF! A radiant base starts with protected skin.

Real Talk

I’ve done hundreds of faces in my 13+ years as a professional makeup artist, and I can tell you with confidence: women over 35 have some of the most stunning, expressive, and radiant faces out there. It’s just about using the right products and techniques to let your beauty shine through.

So here’s your permission slip to toss the outdated rules. No, you’re not "too old" for glow. In fact, you’re just getting started.

About the Author

Hi, I’m Shervonne Kitto- a professional makeup artist, beauty educator, and content creator behind Makeup by Sherviii. With over a decade in the beauty industry and features in outlets like Allure and Real Simple, I help women (especially over 30) unlock their confidence through radiant, natural glam. Whether I’m glamming brides in NJ & NYC or sharing glow-up tips online, I’m all about keeping it luxurious, relatable, and deeply personal.

Ready to glow up?

Follow me on Instagram @makeupbysherviii for more glow-up tips, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes beauty content made just for women like you!

And if you found this helpful, share it with a girlfriend who needs to hear it — we glow better together!

The Best Makeup for Women Over 35 Who Want a Natural, Radiant Glow | Makeup for Women Over 35

Why Your Skin's Needs Change After 35 | Makeup for Women Over 35