3. Swap liquid makeup and concealer for stick foundation.

For decades, “going-out makeup” meant applying and blending layers of liquid makeup and concealer as if we were all pros. Well, we’re not. Stick foundation has taken the “less is more” strategy learned from tinted moisturizer and made achieving a polished makeup look a snap.

By using primer, your foundation has one less thing to worry about. For many women, stick formulas can double as foundation and concealer if the formula is matte enough to cover brown spots and discolorations but creamy enough to work in the eye area, too. Maybelline New York Lifter Stix Multi-Use Face Makeup Stick ($8, target.com); Dior Forever Skin Perfect 24H Multi-Use Foundation Stick ($57, nordstrom.com); and Bobbi Brown Waterproof Skin Foundation Stick ($57, bloomingdales.com) all achieve this and come in a wide range of shades.

Some sticks have a semimatte, velvety texture, like Fashion Fair SkinFlex Stick Foundation ($39, sephora.com) and Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick ($49, sephora.com), and provide fuller coverage (I’d use a separate moisturizing eye area concealer with these), but they’re still more natural-looking than full-coverage liquids.

Other sticks, such as Well People Supernatural Complexion Stick Foundation ($26, target.com) and Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Foundation Stick ($46, sephora.com), offer a sheer, radiant look and provide the skin with more polish than a tinted moisturizer. Apply all of these foundations directly from the stick to your face, then use your fingers; their warmth helps the color melt into your own skin tone. Those who prefer tools can use a brush or makeup sponge. Reapply where you need extra help on brown spots, broken capillaries or redness around the nose. Sticks are portable and mess-free, so slip them into your bag for touch-ups as needed.

(From left) Anastasia Beverly Hills Dual-Ended Fill & Define Powder Perfect Brow Pencil; Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Matte Eye Shadow; Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Long-Wearing Cream Eyeshadow; Tarte Fake Awake Waterproof Gel Eyeliner Highlight in Universal Nude.

AARP (Meiko Arquillos, Getty Images)

4. Power up your eyes in a newer way.

Smoky, contoured eyes and their multicolor palette shadows have been the go-to for years. While there’s nothing wrong with the look, many women say their eyelid space is now reduced due to hooded and deep-set eyes, and the texture is often creased. Use your smoky-eye skills, but simplify the process by tweaking your products and application techniques. Start by adding an eye primer, and swap powders and palettes for cream shadows and basic liners, and mascara for waterproof versions in black.

Here’s why: Creamy shadow clings to lids, whether they are dry, warm or watery, and it doesn’t flake or crease. All you really need is one neutral shade applied from just above the crease to the lash line. Choose between light and dark shadow, matte and shimmer. To freshen discolored lids and wake up tired or small eyes, opt for peachy, sandy, beige or nude shades. Enhance your eyes’ shape or update your smoky vibe by choosing medium-toned taupes, browns or gray/mauvey browns.

Matte shadows like Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Long-Wearing Cream Eyeshadow in Taupe, Sandstone or Chestnut ($25, sephora.com) and Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Matte Eye Shadow in 17 Caramel, 13 Au Natural and 18 Cobblestone ($33, nordstrom.com) will blank out redness and give lids a smoother, firmer look. Shimmers, like L’Oréal Paris Le Shadow Stick in Magnetic Bronze, Brown Abyss, Twinkly Rose and Brown Bliss ($14, cvs.com), revive radiance and restore sparkle. Skip reddish browns and metallics that exacerbate fatigue and crepey lids. 

Next, swap your usual eye pencil and mascara for waterproof formulas in black, like Too Faced Killer Liner 36 Hour Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Black ($26, kohls.com) and Revlon Colorstay Full Time Waterproof Mascara in Blackest Black ($13, cvs.com), to really power up your eyes. Double-line the upper lids at the lash roots and again under the roots, on the inside of the rim; for lower lids, use a lighter touch and the same pencil. For eyes that are red (due to allergies, cold or sensitivity) or puffy or that have significant under-eye discoloration, skip the black pencil on the lower lid. Instead, apply a nude eye pencil, such as Tarte Fake Awake Waterproof Gel Eyeliner Highlight in Universal Nude ($24, kohls.com), inside the waterline to brighten the eyes and counteract redness.

Last tip: Fill and extend brows that are skinny, skimpy, short or tadpole-shaped. Powder pencils, such as NYX Powder Louder Brow Pencil in Deep Brown, Blonde, Taupe and Soft Brown ($8, cvs.com) and Anastasia Beverly Hills Dual-Ended Fill & Define Powder Perfect Brow Pencil ($26, sephora.com), make revising and shaping brows faster and easier. You’ve got this!