In 2025 we are solidly in the era of YouTube makeup tutorials and TikTok trends which are, while helpful for learning the art of applying a good cat eye, typically tailored for folks in their teens and twenties. As we age, fine lines, wrinkles, and shifting skin textures can throw a wrench into what was once a perfect makeup routine. How do I best cover teen acne scares? How can I avoid accentuating the little lines that have begun to appear around my eyes? Craving some real guidance from an expert, today we are partnering with Bree Masco from Bladed Beauty to showcase three easy looks that are adaptable, stackable, and accessible for any experience level.
Before beginning makeup application, Masco encourages everyone to start with a clean, moisturized base. This will help your makeup last and keep it from flaking throughout the day. Next, apply your light- or medium-coverage foundation of choice, focusing on the areas of the skin you are most concerned about and blending out from there. For light foundation, Masco recommends MAC Face and Body Foundation or e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid filter, and for medium L’Oreal Infallible, Makeup by Mario Foundation, or Lancome Tent Idol Ultra Wear.
Look 1: To tackle blemishes, grab a brush and your favorite concealer (Masco recommends e.l.f. Hydrating Camo Concealer or Tower 28 Concealer) and, using a dabbing motion, apply directly to your blemishes. Let this sit for a couple of moments so the concealer can dry down and then blend the edges with your finger or brush. Throughout this process be sure to avoid putting makeup on your fine lines and wrinkles; this will only emphasize them more. You do not need to cover your whole face, just work for color neutralization. If you have a bit of a shine or oiliness, you can pat a translucent powder on problem areas (i.e., the center of the forehead, chin, sides of nose, under eyes) and top it all off with a clear brow gel. This brings us to our first completed look, simple yet perfect for a day at the park with your kids or running some errands.
Look 2: Now let’s step it up a bit by adding some more color. After you’ve completed the steps above it’s time to add a nice blush; Masco recommends a cream blush, as it looks more natural. She suggests Rare Beauty, Patrick Ta (which includes both cream and powder), or e.l.f. Cream Blush. Apply along your cheekbones, blend well, and top it off with a powder blush for a longer-lasting finish. You can also run the blush shade along the crease of your eye for a little extra color. Heading towards the lips, you should line them with a shade slightly darker than your natural lip color (Masco recommends Colourpop Lippy Pencil or MAC Cosmetics Lip Pencil). Apply your lipstick of choice or pat the same blush on the center of your lips and top with a lipgloss for extra shine. Look two leaves you refreshed and ready for the workday.
Final Look: Using the beautiful base already applied, we can head into our final look. Grab a thin or small angled brush and apply a cream liner (Masco recommends Maybelline’s Eye Studio Lasting Gel or their Tattoo Smoky Gel Liner) along the outer half of your upper lash line. Use the same brush or your finger to lightly smudge it out so you don’t have to focus on making a perfect line. If you want to make sure it lasts all night, you can top it off with a matching eyeshadow directly on the liner.
Looking at your lower lash line, apply a midtone brown shadow focusing on the outer half of your eye. When choosing a color look for something a few shades darker than your skin tone; bronzer can even be a great option. Apply mascara to your top lashes, and if you want your eyes to pop even more you can also add it to the bottom lashes. Finally, to finish off the look, you can apply a brow pencil or shadow (Masco recommends any Benefit Cosmetics product, Makeup Forever Aqua Resist Brow Definer, and NYX Micro Brow Pencil) to fill in sparse areas and create a more defined brow.
While we by no means think makeup should be a required step in everyone’s daily journey, it can often be a practice that cultivates confidence and motivation for the day ahead. Through these three buildable looks, Masco has given us the tools to enhance our natural features without needing to learn a difficult new technique or sacrifice a significant amount of time. If you are interested in learning more about applying makeup for your specific age or skin type, Masco offers makeup lessons along with a selection of other esthetic services through her business, Bladed Beauty (bladedbeautyrocny.com).
Photographer: Autumn Lynn
Makeup: Bree Masco
Models: Shay Jumper, Caitlin Kenyon
This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of (585).
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