I woke up this morning thinking about relationships – the ebb and flow, but also, how much I appreciate the changes from dating in our 20s to the realities of dating in our 60s. As a dating coach, I am grateful we are in the 2020s vs. the 1990s. Our pool of men, thanks to the invention of Google, followed by dating sites, has embraced our age group and made healthy dating and relationships a reality.

We all have felt that lightning bolt – that fast attraction that we hope won’t burn out fast. Or perhaps it was a slow burn that finally erupted into a major relationship. So, while the majority of the time I focus on dating, today I’d like to talk about how to keep the flames lit. I think the tips I’m going to share could be useful in any type of relationship, including dating.

Realize That You Won’t Find Love When You’re Not Looking for It

This reminds me of my mom after my broken engagement in my 20s when she told me just to pray, and a good man would appear. Or she’d pray for me.

Wrong. Inertia gets you nowhere! From being in the dating business for over 25 years, the only time I know of when a single woman met someone while sitting at home was a client who had a kitchen fire… and yes, met the fireman.

We don’t live in Hallmark movies, and it takes effort and fortitude. You must put the effort in – whether you are 50 or 70.

Go Where People Do the Same Things That You Like

I had a client determined to meet/date/get married over a six-month period. She’d had a wonderful relationship for 37 years and had been widowed for five years. Trina (name is changed) decided golf was her best option.

Guess what? Not only did she dislike golf, she abhorred every sport. But she decided that was where the men were. Two months later, she called me seeking dating consulting help. After she told me about her miserable foray into golf (she could not stand the golf attire and the sport), she retired from golfing.

Trina is a multi-media artist, loves fashion, paints, sculpts and has absolutely no sports coordination. So, how did I help? Well, beside the obvious (writing her profile, getting her on the right dating site, etc. etc.), I found a meet-up group for artists. Yes, you read that right.

It was full of artists taking a 6-week class with a renowned Murano glass blower, and Trina finally was with “her people.” She was happy… and happy people find relationships! Now, I can’t say she’s married yet, but she is in a relationship with a violinist she met there.

Happy People Meet People… Easily

Amen to this. So true. It’s easy for me to help a 74-year-old sunny female to get 3 dates per week while another (beautiful) 45-year-old with a negative attitude would be wondering why she’s been dateless the past month.

Now, I’m not a psychologist – so if you have issues, got to the pros. If you’re fairly happy, come to me.

Caution with the “Opposites Attract” Concept

No doubt in some cases this is sound. It’s exciting to meet someone with new and different interests. But the core of a good strong relationship remains in three factors: communication, common values and chemistry. All three need to be present; otherwise this concept is a recipe for disaster.

Take Time to Be Alone

Do take time to be by yourself – it’s for your own good. Also, don’t ignore your family and friends. Yes, once in a relationship, your partner will have a place in your life, but you have your own identity and interests as well. This constantly reminds me of “that girl” we all knew in high school – after a two-year-boyfriend, the next week she has another. That’s insecurity, and it won’t work in a relationship!

If you are in a relationship, fantastic. If you are not and would like to be, I firmly believe we live in the best time with the most options to meet people outside of our normal social circle. Yes, it takes a bit of work, but so does everything worthwhile, yes?

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What dating beliefs have turned out to be true in your life? Have you been attracted to someone of an opposite personality? How did that relationship turn out? Do you think you’d like to share the same interests with your partner? Why or why not?

There are some really wonderful ways that we can mix makeup products together and multi-task with them which can not only save time and money – but which can also solve problems and create some beautiful new looks. And these techniques can work especially well for those of us over 50.

In today’s accompanying video I’ll create a different look on each side of my face by mixing and multi-tasking with a variety of primarily drugstore makeup products. And I’ll share some additional ideas for mixing and multi-tasking as I move through the application process.

Eyebrows

I often use a powder eyebrow product to fill in my brows, but you can multi-task by using a shade of powder eyeshadow that matches your brows. And if you have an eyeliner pencil or a powder bronzer that matches your brow color, you could certainly also use those products to fill in your eyebrows.

And for those of us who have grey and white sprinkled in our brows, finding an eyeshadow color in matching grey shades can often be the very best way to match our brow color since grey eyebrow pencils are hard to find, and they’re often too dark.

Eyeshadow

Instead of using regular powder or stick eyeshadow, I’ll use colors from my Elf Cream Contour Palette on one of my eyes. I’ll use the lightest color on my eyelids and apply it with my fingers. I’ll use the lightest brown cream contour shade in my eyelid crease. And because I want to be more precise with my application, I’ll apply it with a brush.

I could also multi-task by using a powder bronzer in the crease or even a medium toned concealer or foundation color. And since I like the look of a shimmer or metallic lighter color in the middle of my eyelid to brighten that area, I’ll use a cheek highlighter rather than an eyeshadow as my eyelid highlight. I’ll apply the Colourpop Super Shock Cheek color in “Flexitarian” to the middle of my eyelids.

On my other eye I’ll use the lightest concealer shade from my Makeup Forever HD Skin All in One Face palette all over my eyelid. Then I’ll combine the two blush shades for my crease color and use the highlight shade in the center of my eyelid.

Usually, I apply eyeshadow as my eyeliner using an angled brush because it applies so much more easily than an eyeliner pencil. So I’ll use this technique on one eye and use the darkest shade from my Wet and Wild “Nude Awakening” eyeshadow palette.

On the other eye, I’ll use the darkest foundation shade from the Makeup Forever Face Palette as my eyeliner. On the bottom outer third of my eye I’ll apply slightly lighter eyeliner shades from each of these palettes.

Face Products

To give my skin a little more radiance, I’ll apply a liquid highlighter as face primer on each side of my face. On one side, I’m going to use the clean beauty brand InnBeauty Project’s Face Glaze Skin Barrier Veil. And on the other side I’ll use Elf’s Halo Glow Liquid Filter which is a dupe for the far more expensive Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter product.

If we want a lighter coverage on our face than regular foundation provides, we can always mix a tiny bit of concealer or foundation with our moisturizer to create our own tinted moisturizer.

And if we’re using a matte foundation but want a little more glow, we can apply a highlighter underneath our foundation as I’ve done today, or we can add a bit of liquid highlighter to our foundation. Another option is to mix a matte and a dewy foundation together to create a lovely satin look.

Since I’ve applied a highlighter as my face primer, I’m going to use Wet and Wild’s Matte Foundation on one side, and on the other side I’ll mix a very tiny amount of Elf’s Halo Glow Liquid Filter in with the Wet and Wild Matte Foundation. Hopefully, this won’t create a look on that side of my face which is too glowy.

Be sure to check out Elise’s YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 50+. Don’t forget to subscribe!

Solving a Problem with Multi-Tasking

We can also multi-task with a makeup product to solve a challenge. Maybe some of you – like me – have a lot of redness on your nose. Often, foundation just doesn’t cover it well enough. So after applying foundation, I’ll often take my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion and apply that product to my nose.

Since eye primer is designed to absorb oil on the eyelids so our eyeshadow doesn’t crease or smudge, it helps keep my nose from getting shiny and it also helps reduce redness.

Creating Beautiful Blush Options

We can always mix a little moisturizer with our lipstick color and use that as our blush which I really love doing because it creates a beautiful, harmonious look. I’ll do this on one side of my face by mixing one of my favorite lipstick colors – Milani’s “Violet Volt” – on the back of my hand with some moisturizer to create a beautiful blush color.

If you have a blush color you’re not particularly fond of, you can always mix it with another color to create a look you like better. So I’m going to take an Em Cosmetics blush color called “Baby” – which isn’t a favorite – and mix it in with a liquid blush from Rare Beauty called “Happy.” By mixing these two colors together, I’ll get a color I like much better.

On the other side of my face I’ll mix together two drugstore products. One is Flower Beauty’s Gel Blush Bomb in the shade “Cheeky” and the other is Elf’s Putty Blush in the shade “Bora, Bora.” I love the color that this blush combo creates.

And if you want to create a blush that has a lovely soft glow, you can always mix in a liquid or cream highlighter with a matte blush to create that type of look.

Speaking of highlighter, it’s always possible to use a shimmer or metallic eyeshadow as a cheek highlighter. To show you how this looks, I’ll take a brush and dip it into the shade “Moremi” from the “Warrior Palette” from Juvia’s Place and use this as my cheek highlighter. Using a brush will give a softer glow than using our fingers to apply it.

Lips

I’m going to apply a stick lipstick as my lip liner rather than my regular lip liner. I’ll use Doll 10’s Lip Lock Color Serum in the color “Spell on You.” Then to get the lipstick color I want, I’ll mix together two colors: Doll 10’s lipstick in the shade “Doll’s Only” and Ilia’s lipstick in the shade “Ultra Violet.”

To create the final lip look I want, I need to add some glow. But instead of using a regular lip gloss to create the glow, I’ll dab a very small amount of a liquid highlighter onto my lips: L’Oreal’s Lumi Glotion.

More Good Options

And if you want a really quick and easy makeup routine, you can always use a face palette to multi-task with products. For instance, the “Transition Palette” from Dominique Cosmetics is specifically designed to be used for almost an entire eye and face look.

All of the shades can be used for eyeshadow, but there are also shades that work for our eyebrows and as eyeliner, contour, blush and highlight. For a complete makeup look, all you’d need to add would be foundation, mascara and lipstick.

And the all cream face palette from Makeup Forever which I used earlier for eyeliner has everything you need to create an entire look except mascara.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you multi-task with your makeup products? If so, what do you like to do? Do you often mix together makeup products? What are some of the favorite combinations you’ve created?

Caroline Stanbury’s Pink Satin Dress on Her Instastories

Real Housewives of Dubai 2023 Instagram Fashion

It’s been somewhat of a slowwww few days for fashion on the ‘gram. But then Caroline Stanbury decided to pick up the pace by sharing her in this cute pink satin dress. This is a perfect dress for spring/summer because it can be dressed up or dressed down. And for that very reason you should get one for yourself and fast before it’s gone!

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here to Shop Her L’Agence Dress

Click Here for Additional Stock

Click Here for More Stock

Photo + Info: @carolinestanbury

Originally posted at: Caroline Stanbury’s Pink Satin Dress

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

Self-tanning is a tricky beast, and we’re totally down to experiment when it comes to bronzing our body. But when it comes to our money-makers, we’re not messing around. We want the best self-tanner for our faces without a trial-and-error process.

Even if you’re a self-tanner pro, getting a natural glow on your face can get a little iffy. If you have dry skin, a face self-tanner can stick to parched patches in the most unfortunate way. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, some self-tanners might clog pores and cause breakouts. And if you have sensitive skin, the chemicals and fragrances in some self-tanners might cause an inflamed flare-up. And that’s not even mentioning the hazards of ending up with an orange or streaky face!

That’s why we humbly suggest considering investing in a self-tanner solely for your face. After all, you’re keeping out of the sun and slathering on that SPF 30 every day (right?) no matter the season. From mix-in drops to refreshing mists and traditional lotions, here are the best options for face self-tanners that’ll give you a safe, sun-kissed glow year-round.

Drunk Elephant.

Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops

Drunk Elephant’s Sunshine Drops work for all types of skin. It is a serum that immediately replenishes the delicate balance that supports a healthy barrier function of the skin. The sunshine bronzy color it delivers is without damage.

Sephora

St. Tropez Tan Tonic Glow Drops

These tanning drops are full of 100 percent natural tanning actives and skincare ingredients, such as niacinamide, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. An anti-aging serum and face tanner in one? Yes please.

Amazon

L’Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Self Tanning Facial Drops

For those looking for more affordable facial tanning drops, this Amazon favorite from L’Oreal is a trusty option. The brand’s first fragrance-free self-tanning product, it can be mixed into serums and creams for easy, streak-free application.

Courtesy of Bondi.

Bondi Sands Pure Self Tanning Drops

If there’s anything skincare or beauty-related we’re searching for, CVS is our go-to. So, it’s no surprise that the drugstore has one of the best face tanning drops around: the brand-new Bondi Sands Pure Self Tanning Drops. They’re so easy to use—all you have to do is add a few drops to your favorite moisturizer and apply it to your face and neck per usual (bonus: you can use these on your body too!). Plus, the buildable drops create an incredibly even and natural-looking tan. There’s no caking or creasing involved. In addition to tanning your skin, these drops have nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid that will coat your skin with hydration to boost its glow even more.

TAN-LUXE.

Tan-Luxe The Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops

Already have a favorite moisturizer, serum or face oil? Don’t ditch it; instead, add a few drops, and it’ll transform into a self-tan sans streaks and smells. So easy! Not to mention, Kelly Ripa is a fan.

Isle of Paradise.

Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Drops

These vegan-friendly and cruelty-free drops are available in three color-correcting options which should be mixed with moisturizer to achieve a natural, streak-free glow.

St. Moriz.

St. Moriz Radiant Glow Self-Tanning Face Mist

Packed with calming aloe vera and vitamin E, this mist is a must-do before bed. The scentless spray imparts a gorgeous color with no telltale lines (even on your neck!) and doesn’t stain your pillowcase. Bonus: you can still apply your regular skincare routine (just do this step after cleanser and toner, and before serum/moisturizer).

St. Tropez.

St. Tropez Bronzing Water Face Mist

This brand is in the upper echelon of tanning products and the face mist is a must-try. Simply use alone or as a setting spray over makeup and watch your complexion get gradually glowy-er.

Beauty by Earth.

Beauty by Earth Face Self Tanner

This vegan tanning lotion is a bestseller on Amazon, thanks to its ability to tan the face without leaving behind orange streaks and a no-fuss, easy-to-read ingredients list.

Dr. Dennis Gross.

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pads

Exfoliation and bronzing in one? We’ll take two boxes, please! This multitasker contains alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids for sloughing away dead skin cells, as well as encapsulated DHA for time-released color and soy protein to give it a more natural hue.

COOLA.

Coola Sunless Tan Anti-Aging Face Serum

If you have particularly uneven and/or dry skin or are looking for something that’ll help tighten up your skin, look no further than this product. COOLA’s sunless tan serum is also an anti-aging serum, thanks to its antioxidant-rich blend of argan oil, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and plant stem cell cultures.

Jergens.

Jergens Natural Glow Face Daily Moisturizer

If you’re looking to switch to a daily moisturizer for your face that will give you a nice glow for the summer, look no further. Use this every day to hydrate your skin while adding a natural tint of color. It even has SPF 20 to help protect your face from the sun.

Clarins.

Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster

Clarins is kind of the old-school standard when it comes to self-tanning, and their Radiance-Plus is pretty awesome. Just add a couple drops to your daily moisturizer to add a subtle warmth to your complexion.

JAMES READ.

James Read Gradual Tan Sleep Mask Tan Face

Build your tan while you sleep. Your face will look lightly bronzed in just six to eight hours of beauty rest. The colorless formula is full of hydrating ingredients like aloe vera, hyaluronic acid and algae extract, so you’ll wake up with moisturized and tanner skin.

Tan Towel.

Tan Towel Face Tan Towelette

If you’re not into the mess and fuss of tanning lotions, you’ll love the ease of these tanning towels. They’re also perfect for traveling. You can use one quick-drying towel a few times a week for a gradual tan or use several in quick succession for a deeper, faster tan. Not only do these towels deliver a natural tan, but they also hydrate and exfoliate the skin for a truly healthy glow.

Sol De Janeiro.

Sol de Janeiro Glowmotions Glow Body Oil

This body and face glow oil will give you a shimmery glow with its buildable formula. Made with coconut oil, açaí oil and cupuaçu butter, the oil locks into your skin easily—without getting on your clothes.

Madison LeCroy’s Pink Bow Embellished Dress on Instagram

Southern Charm 2023 Instagram Fashion

Madison LeCroy looks absolutely adorable in her pink bow embellished dress. I’m very into this whole diamond/bow trend that’s going on recently. I feel like it scratches a girly inner child itch for me. Like if I were in the 13 Going On 30 movie this would be my vibe. But no matter what age you’re turning, if you’re itching for a new fun look this one is sure to have you thirty flirty and thriving.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here to Shop Her Self Portrait Dress

Click Here to Shop Additional Stock

Click Here to Shop Her Self Portrait Jacket

Click Here to Shop Additional Stock

Click Here for More Stock

Photo + Info: @madison.lecroy 

Originally posted at: Madsion LeCroy’s Pink Bow Embellished Dress