Women Over 60: Makeup Techniques That Actually Work with Kerry-Lou Henson

It’s time for Post #3 in our new Self-Care Series, and trust me, you’ll want to take notes for this one! I’m thrilled to be chatting with the wonderful Kerry-Lou Henson, NYC Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist. While we featured her on Ageless Style back in 2021, today the focus is 100% on mature skin makeup. The best part? Kerry-Lou is over 60 herself, so she gets it! She’s sharing her incredible tips and tricks to help us look and feel our absolute best as we age. Get ready for an honest and helpful conversation: “Women Over 60: Makeup Techniques That Actually Work” with Kerry-Lou Henson.

Women Over 60: Makeup Techniques That Actually Work with Kerry-Lou Henson

You were born and raised in London, England, but now call the NYC area home. How did growing up in England inspire your career choices, and do you miss anything about living there?

I was born and raised in London, England before moving to New York in 1979. In London I was a model, but I was unable to continue modeling in NYC because I wasn’t tall enough at 5’6”. I have always loved makeup, and hairstyling – it was such fun to go to a photo studio with nothing on my skin except moisturizer and have a makeup and hair team go to work and transform me into a different glamorous woman each time!

I still miss England of course. I have two wonderful sisters in the UK, but I get to visit them about twice a year.

Tell us a bit about how you became a makeup artist.

I learned so much from having some of the best makeup artists in London at the time, work on MY face; so, makeup artistry was the direction I took – and I never looked back!

What do you love most about being a makeup artist?

The moment when a client looks at the monitor to see their new images!

Most of the time they are absolutely thrilled, and it’s great to make someone feel good about themselves and to help boost their confidence! My favorite look to give someone is them on their best day – so, makeup isn’t the first thing you notice, but they just look vibrant and well.

Women Over 60: Makeup Techniques That Actually Work with Kerry-Lou Henson-Lips

Let’s talk about lip liner: how do you feel about it? Are you a yes or a no for liner and if you are a “yes”, tell us some of your favorite brands / shades. 

When it comes to lip liner, I think if you choose the right shade and formula, it’s a blessing for mature lips. For a natural look, I like to choose a color that’s a little muted, (a pinky-taupe for instance). Always start with a sharp pencil – I like a pencil that I can sharpen, although some of the automatic waterproof pencils are wonderful too. I take mine just a fraction over the edge of the natural lip line, then I fill in my lips but it’s still on the perimeter mostly. You can blend it a little using your finger, or a lip brush for more precision. Then fill in using the same color lipstick – it’s OK to go a little lighter or brighter, but not so the liner stands out too much – we’re not going for that 80’s look!

Here are a few more lip liner tips:

• If you choose a traditional lip pencil (one you sharpen), after applying, press a little translucent powder over the liner.
• When it’s time to sharpen your traditional pencil, place it in the freezer for ten minutes first – this will prevent it from crumbling and breaking in your sharpener and making a mess!
• When buying a long wearing lip liner, make sure they have lids that stay on tight – if the lids come off, or are loose, the formula will dry out very quickly.

We are all too familiar with our lip color creeping into the fine lines around our lips. Do you have any tried-and-true tricks so this doesn’t happen?

If you don’t want to highlight your lips, but you want to avoid looking washed out, use a natural color, but one that has a little pink or earthy undertone to it.

Here are some of my faves:

• Kevyn Aucoin’s Unforgettable Lip Definer in “Minimal” it’s the perfect soft pinky/taupe.
• MAC Lip Liner Pencil in “Whirl” You’ll find this in most makeup artists’ kits! It’s a muted mid-tone neutral that offers definition but without drawing too much attention.
• For the budget conscious try e.l.f. ‘s Cream Glide Lip Liner in “Pinky Swear” or “Mauve Aside” (a deeper warm rose mauve) – at only $3 dollars you can’t go wrong!

If you have lines around the mouth, but you DO want to wear red lip liner, make sure it’s a stay-on formula, such as L.A. Girl Ultimate Intense Stay Auto Lipliner, in “Relentless Red” or “Unlimited Wine.” Blend it with a lip brush for a softer look. For one of my favorite “date night” looks, I love to pair Clinique’s Quickliner For Lips in  “Intense Jam”  with Illia’s Color Block Lipstick in “Knockout” It’s such a vivacious and fun look!

Women Over 60: Makeup Techniques That Actually Work with Kerry-Lou Henson-eyes

What are some of your favorite techniques for applying makeup to hooded eyes?

Some of the most popular videos for mature women right now are for downplaying hooded eyes. First, let me say that hooded eyes aren’t the WORST thing that can happen to you as some people will tell you on social media! I recently heard a YouTube makeup artist say that hooded eyes were the worst thing that can happen to an older woman! I can think of a lot worse; they should know that if hooded eyes are all you have to worry about – you’re lucky! Many people have naturally hooded eyes, super-models, celebrities, even cute pets and – people just like you and me. I had slightly hooded eyes when I was young, and as you get older, they do tend to droop more, and they can make you look tired, so I get it. But I also feel that hooded eyes can give a “kind” look to a person, so let’s try not to be a part of the mass hysteria that hooded eyes are this horrible thing.

If you DO want to down-play them, and make your eyes wider and more awake, here are some ways of giving a more lifted look, which you can easily do for your everyday routine.

• Use a slightly deeper shade than your skin tone above your lash line, blending out to where your eye contour is, (or where you would like it to be!) This color can be a taupe shade, (or a plum, or a soft mossy green, for those more adventurous) but make sure it’s matte – this works better than anything shimmery for recessing this often-puffy area.
• Deeper colors recede.
• Use a lighter shade on the brow bone (brow bone highlighter) – here you can use something with a bit more of a sheen but keep it right under the eyebrow (light colors will bring an area forward, so don’t go into the desired contour area with the highlighter).
• I recommend buying a palette of matte shadows to play around with – Morphe has curated a great selection of neutral shades in their palettes. My favorites are – Matte Essentials and Truth or Bare.
• Don’t even try to do winged-out liquid eyeliner if your eyelid isn’t even visible! It’s a losing battle and usually ends up being a smudgy mess!
• Instead use a black, black/brown, plum, or charcoal eyeliner, and apply it between gappy lashes and above lash line, using tiny dots and dashes, (but it must be TOUCHING lashes – no floating liner please!) Smudge with your clean finger, small brush, or maybe your liner comes with a “smudger” on the end.

Tightlining is very popular now, which is a technique where the line is applied on the water-line – the area between your eyeball and your lashes. This is a great look for some, but it can get into your eyes causing irritation. While it can give a sexy and intense look, it can also make the eyes look smaller.

Here’s a link to my video on tips for hooded eyes: https://youtu.be/BEY8gEaYnd8.

Women Over 60: Makeup Techniques That Actually Work with Kerry-Lou Henson-eyebrows

When it comes to eyebrows, we all know they often thin with age, lose color, etc. What’s your strategy for camouflaging thinning brows? What products work best? Do you have any eyebrow growth serums to recommend?

Eyebrows can help give eyes a more “lifted” look. I like to sweep eyebrows upward and outward and keep them in place with eyebrow gel.

Here’s what you do:

• Fill in your brows using a fine pencil to make strokes that look like hairs – or you can use a powder eyeshadow in a taupe, grey or brown color. 
•  Using an old clean mascara brush, (or you can buy a pack of disposable but reusable, mascara wands) brush some brush gel through your brows.
• Using a small spatula, press them against your skin for 10 seconds – this will help keep them in place.
•  Don’t forget to baby your brows at night – I like to apply a little castor oil on mine!

Here’s some great options for brow pencils:

• Morphe – Micro Brow Dual-Ended Pencil and Spoolie
• Anastasia of Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
• Benefit Cosmetics Precisely My Brow Pencil

Women Over 60: Makeup Techniques That Actually Work with Kerry-Lou Henson-foundation

When it comes to makeup, is it less-is-more on aging skin?

I often get asked, what do I think of the “less is more” philosophy for aging skin. Let’s talk about foundation (or concealer) first. Foundation has changed a lot since I first started using it about 50 plus years ago! Colors and textures are so much better now, also coverage can be achieved using much less foundation. Foundation formulas used to be too pink, or orange, and the texture – ugh! Usually thick and chalky! Whenever I was hired for a photo shoot, my clients were always surprised at how natural and flawless their skin would look when I made them “camera ready.” Even these days, many makeup artists apply foundation way too heavy for my taste.

For coverage and evening out skin tone, do you prefer foundation or something lighter like a tinted sunscreen? What looks best on aging skin?

Here’s the trick that I’ve been doing for years:

I take some regular foundation and mix it with a simple moisturizer – then apply with a soft, flat brush, or a dampened sponge. For areas that need more coverage, I use a thicker formula only on the particular spot where it was needed (spot concealing). That way, you wouldn’t end up with a mask of makeup! Now of course there are so many options for lighter formulas – BB creams, CC creams, tinted moisturizer, and barely-there foundations; so, it’s no longer necessary for me to mix my own!

Some of my favorites are:

• L’Oreal Super-Blendable Foundation (light to medium coverage)
• Radiant Serum Foundation – Broad Spectrum SPF 50 – (light coverage)
• Kevyn Aucoin The Etherealist – (medium coverage)
• Trinny London BFF De-Stress Tinted Serum

For areas that need a little more coverage:

I like to have the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick on hand – it offers an opaquer coverage and goes on smoothly.

Personally, I enjoy a natural looking face. As a makeup artist, I call my signature look “natural glamour” and it’s a great look for most photoshoots, as well as real life. It’s a look that doesn’t leave people distracted by the makeup itself. Have you ever been chatting with someone and you’re looking at their eyebrows, or their bold lip liner, and suddenly you’re not even listening to what they’re saying? That’s usually because the makeup is unbalanced, and not harmonious. That being said, I do not like to mess with someone’s personal style. Some women wear their makeup in a way that’s technically wrong – for instance pet peeves of mine are “spider lashes”, obvious lip liner, or unnatural bronzer – but if that makes a person feel confident and happy, and that’s her style – who am I to correct her? 

But of course, if they were to ask my opinion…

Top ten favorite makeup products that you can’t go without:

Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics Eye Shadow Palette

e.l.f. Brow Lift Duo – Extreme-hold brow gel and applicator kit

Milani Conceal and Perfect Longwear Concealer

Smashbox Legendary Prime and Plush Lipstick in Level Up (Nude Pink)

Kevin Aucoin Lip Pencil in Minimalist

e.l.f. Halo Glow Beauty Wand Contour

Beauty Pie Wrap Star Tubing Mascara

Trinny London BFF Destress Tinted Serum

Trinny London Lip2Cheek “Phoebe”

BK Angie Hot & Flashy Concealer Blush

Shop Kerry-Lou’s Faves:

Thank you so much, Kerry-Lou, for sharing your generous spirit and your game-changing tips on embracing our beauty at every age! I hope you all feel as inspired as I do to try out these techniques that truly enhance mature skin. Remember, makeup should be fun, and it should always make you feel like your most confident self! Now, go experiment, feel fabulous, and be sure to drop a comment below and let me know which tip you’re trying first. And don’t forget to catch the next installment of the Self-Care Series right here! I have a feeling this one is bound to be a favorite! Maybe we could twist Kerry-Lou’s arm and have her back to share her gray hair tips!

Be sure and follow Kerry-Lou on Instagram here, and on YouTube here, or her website here.