JoAnn Fowler, SAPPHO Founder & Emmy-nominated Makeup Artist
IF WE ARE FORTUNATE, WE GROW OLD, BUT THAT IS NOT TO SAY THERE ARE NOT CHALLENGES ON THE WAY.
Skin reacts to the elements, to nutrition, to genetics and to how we care for it and so although genetics is a tough one to negotiate, the rest we have some degree of control over.
Our skin changes with age. It becomes thinner, loses fat, and no longer looks as plump and smooth as it once did. Veins and bones can be seen more easily, wrinkles appear and deepen, and gravity prevails.
For me, the difference of how I feel looking out into the world and who I see in the mirror can sometimes be startling! I forget my age and that is a good thing but also, I know that to go out into the world as a professional I need some tricks to somehow bridge that gap between how I feel inside and my outside appearance.
I have never been one to feel as though I have to wear makeup, even now, I am a ‘less is more’ person I realize. However, as I get older, starting with a makeup primer for dry skin is essential even after using my day moisturizer, helping to extend the wear of the best clean foundation for mature skin available – my Essential Foundation. Using a buildable base with moisturizing ingredients such as shea butter, aloe vera juice and jojoba oil to hold in that moisture, can make a world of difference.
I use our Buffer Brush to apply my foundation, and without looking "made up," with my age spots covered and my skin tone more even, I feel like I look like me again and I appreciate that my skin is looking like MY best skin and not greasy or mask like.
SAPPHO’s green foundation formulation is perfect for aging skin, chock-full of phytonutrients and ingredients that are designed to help with redness, the appearance of large pores and also the appearance of fine wrinkles. Our lightly textured but incredibly pigmented concealer can make those skin irregularities vanish with just a touch of product.
I use the SAPPHO Cream Concealer under my eyes to camouflage dark circles and to cover age spots, first with a concealer brush then tapping gently with my ring finger. I typically need to apply very little concealer, however, as I find the Essential Foundation does most of the work.
What has become an absolute must, even if I don’t wear foundation, are eyebrows! As we age, our hair can get lighter and sparser; using our Brow Pomade and Mascara give form to the eyes and a finished look to the makeup. If you have very sparse hair you can use an eyeliner brush to simulate little hairs, or an angle brush is great to define nice sharp lines for an overall clean makeup look. Using a little left-over mascara on your brush, on medium to dark brows, is a trick my friend and celebrity makeup artist Norma Patton-Lowin does – it’s fantastic for adding extra texture to brows. (She showed us how in our virtual masterclass, watch it here!)
I also apply our vegan skin illuminator in shade Light to highlight the top of my cheeks for a natural glow, and Hazey is my favourite lip gloss tone. I can often be found putting it on my cheeks too, for a little extra glow and colour!
Now when I apply make-up, I feel like I am pampering myself a little, and I also know that I am helping to protect myself from the elements.
I am one to embrace my age, but when I have spent a little time to care for my skin and to do those brows, I always feel a little better.
