Welcome back to The Powder Room, where we come together as a community to answer your questions and share advice on all things femininity, style, and personal expression! Exploring makeup is a wonderful, creative outlet at any age, but navigating cosmetics alongside a decades-old facial hair signature — while keeping things private and easy to clean up — comes with a unique set of questions. Today, we are helping out a reader who is eager to step back into the world of makeup on his own terms, without sacrificing his comfort, his familiar look, or his peace of mind when the family comes to visit.
I'm into my 70s and have had a moustache since the age of 21. I have tried some eye work and lipstick in the past and would like to get back and further into makeup...but it just won't look right with the facial hair. I'm wondering which do I want more. I'm not going to try to present publically and I don't desire prolonged wear. I am also concerned about sufficient removal as my grandchildren can come "pop-in" and I'd hate to be caught having to explain why granddaddy is wearing makeup. How far should I go into just trying to see how I can transform my looks?
Jules
Hello mature lady!
I must firstly congratulate you on embracing this side of you in your later years. this side of us never does go away
I find, and supression just leads to damage down the line.
I personally would say that facial hair adds a lot to your look. You see a lot of queens with beards, moustaches, unibrows, its part of your personality, and self expression. If you are attached, and if you have sported one for over 5 decades, sounds like you are, I wouldn't worry about it needing to come off. At the same time, hair grows back, i often sport some facial hair inbetween Jules time, you can shave it once and see how that feels?
In terms of makeup lipstick is quick and easy to remove, and makes a statement. Foundation makes a big difference, but takes a bit longer to remove. If you have good skin as well, it might not be needed if you are not planning on going outside. Eyeshadow is also quick to apply/ remove, and goes a long way. Especially if you have experimented in the past! You could get into contouring/ bronzer, but takes more time. In terms of removal, I normally use wipes, but cleansers work well, and quickly too!
Hope this helps, and you continue to enjoy life, and those grandkids of yours! ❤️.X
Kristina
I would tell you to remove the moustache .. you can make an excuse like hey i need a change also im sure the stasche was white.. so you can say it was making you look older... OK so, now that the mustache is gone you can enjoy any makeup look you want to do .. go for glam go for girl next door looks ..see whats better.. removal is easy with baby oil on a soft paper towel or cloth.. it totally removes any stubborn marks of makeup... then simply wash the baby oil with soap and water... That's my secret.. Enjoy your new looks..
Eden (certified fitter with The Breast Form Store)
The best advice I can give is for someone who is wanting to begin or return to wearing makeup is this: start small! You don't have to have an entire makeup ritual or go for a complete transformation to start experimenting with makeup. In fact, focusing on the smallest things is the best way to learn and feel more comfortable.
Everyone loves feeling and seeing an instant transformation for that fast pay-off, so starting with lips is a great way to begin to experiment and feel like you're wearing makeup. Rather than going for a bold red lipstick that says "here I am," start experimenting with lip products that aren't as intense of a transformation: nude and soft berry colors for your lipsticks, lip glosses (and plumping lip glosses) are great for adding a shine without a huge color shift, or just a lip balm is a great way to feel more beautiful without being overwhelming.
Next, try mascara. People assigned male at birth tend to have larger eyes and already long eye lashes, which is to your benefit, but a good mascara can make your eyes feel more feminine and open without being a huge transformation. (Those dramatically long eyelashes you often see are usually from lash extensions or false eyelashes, which is going to be a little over the top if you're just beginning.) If you're nervous about the feeling or the look, clear mascara is a great place to start. You can get used to the sensation of having something on your lashes without immediately making a dramatic change to your appearance.
Another part of makeup transformation that I always feel is important but often overlooked when creating a more feminine look is your eyebrows. Trimming back stray hairs and shaping them is no different than keeping your mustache looking sharp, but if you tidy up your eyebrows with the intention that it's feminine, it can be a lot more affirming and it can make you feel extra gorgeous. And a little brow shaping or a brow pencil can make a surprisingly big difference without being an obvious change. The best part is if you accidentally leave a little behind, it's unlikely anyone is going to notice!
When you're wanting to progress a little further, start experimenting with eye shadow. I'd recommend going with neutral colors, like soft browns and golds. These are easy to work with and simply enhance your natural features rather than making you feel like you're wearing a lot of makeup.
For now, I'd skip some of the more intensive makeup techniques like eyeliner, blush, highlighter, contouring, and heavy foundation. They're fun to experiment with eventually, but there's no reason to overwhelm yourself when you're just learning what you like.
And given your concern about an unexpected grandchild popping in, keep a good makeup remover nearby! Most everyday makeup can be removed fairly quickly, so you don't necessarily have to commit to a long makeup routine every time you want to experiment.
Most importantly, give yourself permission to play and enjoy the experience. Try one thing at a time, take some pictures, see what you like, and then decide how far you want to take it. You may discover that a little makeup is all you want, or you may find that you love the artistic expression of makeup! There's no right answer. Makeup is a skill set you can learn and master, or it it can be something you enjoy as a smaller part of your self-expression. Whatever feels right for you is ultimately the right answer!
Deciding how far to take your transformation comes down to what makes you feel happiest when you look in the mirror. You don't have to choose between honoring the face you've known for decades and playing with the glam look you've been curious to try — you get to write the rules as you go.
Keep those quick makeup removers close by so you can experiment freely without stressing about surprise visits from the grandkids, and give yourself permission to just have fun with it!
Want to share your own journey or get tips on making your routine work for you? Send your questions to The Powder Room and let’s keep the conversation going!
