The Beauty Rules I’ve Quietly Let Go of After 40

Somewhere along the way, I realized I was still following beauty rules that didn’t actually make sense for me anymore. Not because they were wrong, but because they were outdated for my skin, my lifestyle, and how I want to feel now.

One of the first things I let go of was the idea that more effort equals better results. I used to believe that a good makeup day meant a long routine, lots of steps, and making everything symmetrical. I randomly watched one of my first GRWM YouTube videos the other day and I couldn’t believe how many steps I had in my own makeup tutorial for my own face! Now I know that restraint can actually make makeup look its best. Skin looks better when it’s not overworked. Makeup looks more expensive when it’s not obvious. Letting go of the need to perfect everything has been one of the biggest upgrades I’ve made.

I’ve also stopped believing that coverage is the answer to everything. There was a time when full coverage felt like security, like if I covered enough, everything would look smoother, fresher, better. The reality is, heavy coverage often does the opposite. Now I focus on evenness, not masking. Letting skin show through isn’t about less effort, it’s about understanding how makeup actually behaves on real skin.