Love Your Smile: 7 Best Lipstick, Lip Gloss, and Lip Liner Tips for Women 40+
A confident, vibrant smile can light up any room. Yet for women in their 40s and beyond, lips often face challenges like dryness, fine lines, and color choices that no longer flatter as they once did. The good news?
With a few targeted techniques and quality products, you can refresh your look and maintain a healthy, beautiful pout. Below are seven essential tips to help you smooth, define, and enhance your lips at any age.
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1. Start With Gentle Exfoliation
One of the biggest hurdles for mature lips is dryness. Flakiness can cause lipstick and gloss to settle unevenly or accentuate fine lines. A simple way to address this is gentle exfoliation.
- How to Exfoliate: Use a dedicated lip scrub or a soft toothbrush to buff away dead skin cells once or twice a week.
- Why It Works: Removing that top layer of dryness reveals a smoother surface, helping lip products apply more evenly.
Pro Tip: After exfoliating, pat your lips dry and apply a lip balm (even a dab of your favorite facial moisturizer can help in a pinch) to lock in softness.
2. Choose Flattering Shades Like These for Midlife Lips
As skin and lip tones evolve with age, certain colors that looked great in your 20s or 30s might now highlight areas you’d prefer to soften. Opt for shades that complement rather than overwhelm.
- Rosy Neutrals and Mauves: These enhance your natural lip color without emphasizing fine lines.
- Pinky-Browns and Soft Berries: Provide a warm depth and can be worn for both casual and dressy occasions.
- Semi-Sheer Formulas: If you love a bolder color, go for a sheer or semi-sheer finish to prevent a harsh or drying look.
When exploring the Mary Kay® Lipstick collection, look for moisturizing formulas that deliver vibrant color while nourishing your lips. According to Mary Kay,
“Rich color that nourishes the lips can enhance your smile at any age.” 11
3. You Aren’t Too Old for Lip Gloss – in fact…
Lip gloss is not just for a youthful sheen; it can also create the illusion of fuller lips—especially helpful if your lips have become thinner over the years.
- Subtle Shimmer or Soft Shine: Light-reflecting particles add dimension, making lips appear plumper.
- Application Strategy: If feathering (bleeding into fine lines) is a concern, dab gloss only at the center of your lips and blend outward gently.
For a range of shades that deliver both shine and a comfortable feel, check out Mary Kay® Lip Gloss. These glosses “deliver shine and softness,” a bonus for those dealing with dryness.
4. Master the Art of Lip Liner
A well-chosen lip liner can help shape and define your lips, prevent product from migrating, and even extend the wear of your lipstick.
- Pick the Right Color: Choose a hue that closely matches either your lipstick or your natural lip tone.
- Technique: Gently outline just along (or slightly above) your natural lip line to enhance fullness. Blend any harsh edges for a seamless look.
Longevity Tip: Fill in your entire lip area with liner before applying lipstick. This creates a base that helps color stay put longer. As Mary Kay states,
“Our liners are crafted to glide on smoothly and help define your smile.”
5. Hydration Goes Beyond Balm
While lip balms are a staple, remember that overall hydration plays a key role in the health and appearance of your lips.
- Daily Water Intake: Dehydration can worsen dryness and make fine lines more noticeable.
- Healthy Diet: Nutrient-rich foods—like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—support collagen production, benefiting both skin and lips.
Lifestyle Note: Avoid licking your lips when they feel dry; saliva actually strips away moisture, making dryness worse.
6. Layer for a Polished Finish
Finding that sweet spot between a vivid pout and a comfortable wear often comes down to layering.
- Prep: After exfoliation, apply a thin layer of conditioning product (or even your facial moisturizer) to keep lips supple.
- Line: Trace and fill with your chosen lip liner, focusing on shaping the corners and cupid’s bow.
- Lipstick: Apply a hydrating lipstick in your desired shade. Blot gently with a tissue to set.
- Gloss (Optional): Dab a hint of lip gloss at the center of your lips for extra dimension.
This sequence ensures a smooth, locked-in color that won’t fade or feather too quickly.
7. Refresh and Protect
Touch-ups are a normal part of any makeup routine, but midlife lips can require a little extra care as the day goes on.
- Reapply as Needed: Bring your liner and lipstick along for easy refreshes, especially after meals.
- Use SPF: The delicate skin on your lips is susceptible to sun damage. If you’ll be outdoors, consider a lip product with sunscreen or add a protective layer over your lipstick.
Extra Care: If you notice persistent dryness or flakiness, it might be worth scheduling a visit with a dermatologist. Sometimes hormonal changes or medication side effects can affect lip health.
Conclusion: Embrace the Confidence That Comes With Age
Lips in your 40s and beyond may have different needs, but with the right strategy, you can celebrate a look that’s both modern and timeless.
By gently exfoliating, choosing flattering colors, mastering lip liner, and understanding how to layer your products, you’ll keep your smile looking fresh and vibrant.
Ready to explore lipsticks, glosses, and liners tailored to your midlife needs? Visit the Mary Kay website to find a curated selection designed to nourish and beautify.
Because at any age, a confident smile is your greatest accessory.
Mary Kay® Skin Analyzer App
Want a deeper insight into your skin? Your Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant has an app for that!
Here is a great digital way to help you analyze your skin and select the best products for your specific needs!
This handy app acts like a digital skin care assistant and scans the skin to provide personalized Mary Kay® skin care recommendations.
Key Features:
- Uses facial skin recommendation technology to evaluate your skin and provide personalized Mary Kay product recommendations.
- Evaluates these skin characteristics:
Skin Type
Skin Texture
Wrinkles
Skin Tone
Undereye Appearance - Text or email the results to your Independent Beauty Consultant to create your customized skin care routine
How It Works:
Think of it like a virtual appointment.
1. You’ll tap the I’m a Customer button
2. Scan your face
3. Tap “Share Results” and email or text their results to me.
4. You can then set an appointment with me to discuss the results, and as your skin care expert, I’ll guide you through the Mary Kay® product recommendations.
Download the App
The Mary Kay® Skin Analyzer App is available to download for FREE for Apple® and Android tablets and smartphones in the following app stores:
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I’m a Mary Kay Advanced Product Consultant
With the distinct title of Advanced Product Consultant, this means that I earned Mary Kay’s Advanced Product Consultant designation by completing the educational programs offered by Mary Kay – specifically, the Color Confident, Skin Care Confident and Clinical Solutions programs. This designation shows my customers that I am serious about skin care, color cosmetics, and helping you look and feel your most beautiful.
This icon signifies that the Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant has advanced knowledge of skin care, color, and Clinical Solutions™ products.
Mary Kay Mirror Me™ App
Mary Kay Mirror Me™ is the new virtual makeover app that uses augmented reality to try color products on the face in real time, allowing the user to move naturally and view makeup in a lifelike setting.
Easily create makeup looks you love with the Mary Kay Mirror Me™ App, our real-time makeover app.
Use our twist on augmented reality to find your most fabulous face from the comfort of your couch or on the go by swiping through countless color combinations on your face, eyes and lips.
The Mary Kay Mirror Me™ App uses your phone’s camera or an uploaded photo to apply makeup trends and color products the same way they look in real life.
Key Features:
- Use the front-facing camera to follow your movement and the rear-facing camera on friends to accurately place makeup on eyes, lips and face.
- Instantly try on hundreds of Mary Kay® products, shades and specially curated makeup artist looks.
- Try on makeup looks before meeting with your Independent Beauty Consultant.
- Share looks that you design or full looks created by Global Beauty Ambassador Luis Casco with friends across social media platforms and email or save the looks to your device for inspiration.
- Shop as you play by adding the products you love to your bag straight from the app.
Beautiful, Confident You VIP Facebook Group
If you aren’t currently working with a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant, I invite you to join me in my VIP Facebook Group – Beautiful, Confident YOU!
Need a reason to join us in the VIP Facebook group? How about several!
- get mid-life anti-aging skin care tips
- find new mid-life makeup looks
- be the first to see new products
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I created this group for inspiring, empowering, and educating women like YOU to feel beautiful and confident using a skin care and cosmetic routine that fits your lifestyle and budget!
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