Makeup Isn’t Hitting the Same? Here’s Why It Changes After 40

There’s that moment in your 40s when your usual makeup routine randomly stops giving what it used to. The foundation that always looked smooth now sits differently, your concealer doesn’t blend the same way, and powders that used to blur everything now look heavier than you remember. It’s not that your makeup stopped working…it’s just that your skin has changed, and your routine needs to change with it.

Most of this comes down to texture, hydration levels, and the natural loss of collagen. Your skin basically behaves differently now. The makeup that used to melt in easily will probably now sit on top giving a more obvious, cakey look. And what used to give a glow will probably now highlight dryness. The goal isn’t to use more makeup…it’s to understand how to work with the skin you have today, not the skin you had in your 20s.

Here’s what actually changes, and what makes the biggest difference when you adjust for it….