40+? Here’s what this TikTok famous makeup artist wants you to know about skincare

Daily hydration, walking and laughter. Don’t get me wrong—I love my wine, but balance is key. 

Makeup can only look as good as the skin beneath it! The most important way to have gorgeous, long-lasting makeup is by being diligent about skincare and prep—that means hydrated and exfoliated skin. 

The 40s+ of today is not the same as our parents’ generation. We’re still very much in the beauty game, if not leading it with our purchase power. When I started getting more popular on social media, I was surprised that I was gifted very little makeup—but was bombarded with skincare, which I found to be a little ageist. I’m not complaining, though! Being in the industry for so many years, I’ve been so lucky to work with top brands, dermatologists and aestheticians who have taught me so much. 

I’ve worked hard over the past year to gain the trust of my followers, which means so much to me. They know I’m their age, so I’m not selling the fountain of youth—I’m just showing them how we can look and feel our best. They also know that when I’m talking about a specific product, it’s something I actually use. 

DO properly remove your makeup every single night. Do not use cleansing wipes. Use a cleansing balm that works with your skin type. 

DO exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. As we mature our skin doesn’t turn over as it used to, so we need to expedite the process to reveal newer and plumper skin. 

DO use a retinoid at night.  This helps to reduce texture-like pores and wrinkles. We get the most cellular recovery to our skin while we sleep, so my go-to every single night is the retinal.

DON’T fall asleep with your makeup on. I know we get tired and just want to fall into bed, but the excess sebum and pollution build up can increase your pore size. 

DON’T use harsh wipes to clean your skin.  I cannot stress this enough. It tugs at the skin and can affect elasticity—especially in the eye area. Also, they don’t effectively get everything off and can pull out your brow and lash hairs. No one wants that.  

DON’T jump on every skincare trend.  We saw so much of this in 2023. If you want to try something new, especially if it’s an active ingredient, you should always talk to your doctor or dermatologist first. 

Since entering perimenopause, I have to work a lot more on maintaining the radiance of my skin. I’ve added more retinoids and oils into my routine. I’ve become a major fan of facial oils. Thanks to this stuff, I have my healthy glow back. I recommend it to all my clients.

Absolutely—stress has negative effects on both the skin and body. I’ve seen this ranging from breakouts and dehydration to flareups in conditions like eczema and rosacea.  

Personally, I do my best to balance my life with work, family and laughter. My philosophy? At the end of the day, it’s makeup. We need to have fun with it!

A weakened skin barrier leads to thinner skin, which will show more texture and discoloration. A strong skin barrier will look more radiant and plump, and your makeup will go on much smoother and last longer.

If you’re not doing your best to have a strong skin barrier your makeup will look textural and blotchy. For the perfect makeup application, I believe that it’s 70% about the skincare and prep and 30% actual makeup and technique.  It’s that important.