6 Top Makeup Mistakes Made by Women Over 50, IT Cosmetics Founder Jamie Kern Lima Explains

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Jamie Kern Lima, the founder of IT Cosmetics, started her home business in 2008 with an anti-aging eye concealer and grew it into a company that she sold to L'Oréal several years ago for 1.2 billion dollars.

She stayed on with the company for three years as the first woman to hold the CEO title of a brand in the company’s 107-year history before deciding to pursue a new path as a best-selling author, mentor and global speaker.

“I love trying all the new products that they launch, and I’m so proud of everything with IT Cosmetics that we built in terms of the impact we have had on the beauty industry,” Lima, 46, tells Parade. “But I also realized that I’m supposed to use everything that I’ve gone through to be of service to other people who are going through rejection and other things.”

A couple of the major ways Lima is currently servicing others include releasing her new book, Worthy: How to Believe You Are Enough and Transform Your Life, and gearing up for The Jamie Kerm Lima Show, her new podcast, which will include insights and revelations from guests including Oprah Winfrey, Robin Roberts, and This Is Us star Chrissy Metz. In addition to this star power, Lima promises that every episode will leave viewers with tactical tools they can apply to their lives right now on the journey of living their best lives and becoming the person they were born to be.

And another way Lima wants to encourage followers to live their best lives? Avoiding these six common makeup mistakes made by women over 50 (and keeping in mind some other tips instead!).

Related: 6 Genius Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt, According to 'Worthy' Author Jamie Kern Lima

6 Common Makeup Mistakes Made by Women Over 50, According to Jamie Kern Lima

1. Using Too Much Makeup

"There are so many trends right now on TikTok and social media about baking in products and layering them and doing all of these other things," Lima tells Parade. "The biggest mistake is using too much, and thinking that you need too much."

Related: ‘I Tried a Custom-Blended Self-Tanner That Promises a Celebrity-Level Glow

2. Overlooking the Basics of Sleep, Rest and Joy

"When you have joy in your soul, when you see the beauty in other people, you feel that inner and outer glow that can be seen a million miles away," Lima explains about living positively.

She also recommends prioritizing rest, but sometimes, it's just not possible to get as much rest as one needs to look naturally well-rested, so Lima shares a tip.

"To create the look of eight hours of sleep, use white eyeliner!" she recommends. "A light touch of white eyeliner inside the lower inner rim of your eyes gives the look of brighter, refreshed wide-awake eyes in an instant!"

Get the Look: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil, $25 at Sephora

Related: 4 Important Steps to Break Out of a Pessimistic Mindset, According to a Psychiatrist

3. Forgetting Your Brows—Even Though They Create and Highlight the Beauty of Your Face

"Another big mistake is that if you’re going to do [just] one thing, I think it should be your eyebrows," Lima says. "A lot of people think it needs to be something else, but every person’s face is so uniquely beautiful and our eyebrows are the one thing that frames the beauty and the symmetry of our face. Symmetry equates to beauty in the human eye."

"A lot of women do not want to spend more than two minutes getting ready, and that is me almost every day," Lima continues. "I think if you’re going to do one thing, brows is a thing that most people skip, but it’s a really important thing because it frames all of your features. So, that’s my one big makeup tip."

But for some women, the idea of "doing their brows" is intimidating and they have no idea where to begin. 

"Choose a brow shade that's a notch lighter than your hair color," Lima advises. "I would say to opt for fine-tip brow pencils for that perfectly natural definition."

Next, keep in mind to spoolie first, and fill second. 

"Brush brows upwards, then use light feathery strokes to fill sparse areas," Lima recommends, reiterating, "If you only have two minutes and have to choose one thing to do, choose brows!"

Get the Look: IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Brow Pencil, $26 at Sephora

Get the Look: Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Pencil, $26 at Sephora

Related: I'm an Esthetician, and This Is the #1 Skincare Product I Recommend for Women Over 50

4. Failing to Remember to Moisturize Often

"As we mature, our skin thirsts for hydration," Lima explains. "Invest in a rich, nourishing moisturizer tailored to your skin type. Massage your moisturizer into your skin every morning and night using upward strokes for optimal absorption. Consider it your twice-daily spa moment!"

She also recommends looking for a couple of specific ingredients in your go-to moisturizer.

"Hyaluronic acid and ceramides are your BFFs!" Lima tells Parade. "They plump and protect, while avoiding fragrance and alcohol, which can irritate skin."

Related: The 9 Best Foundations and Moisturizers for Mature Skin, According to Celebrity Makeup Artists

5. Using Heavier Eyeshadow and/or Not Blending Eyeshadow

"A neutral eyeshadow palette that has matte or soft shimmer tones is best—avoid heavy glitter that can detract," Lima recommends for women over 50.

And that's not her only tip when it comes to eyeshadow.

"Apply a light shade all over your lid, then use a slightly darker shade in your crease for depth and definition, which we often lose as we age," Lima says. "Remember, blending is key to avoiding harsh lines which can make us look older."

She also recommends looking for eyeshadows with mineral pigments that are gentle on sensitive skin.

Get the Look: Tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Eyeshadow Palette, $47 at Sephora

Related: I Used Model Molly Sims' Skincare Line for Two Months and My Skin Has Never Looked Better

6. Thinking of Makeup as a Cover-up vs. an Accessory to Your Beauty

"Celebrate your unique features and use these tips to enhance your natural glow," Lima shares. "You're agelessly beautiful; just as you are!"

By looking at makeup as a way to amplify your features instead of viewing it as a way to cover "flaws," you'll not only look at the cosmetics you use differently—you'll hopefully feel more confident in your own skin each and every day.

That's the goal Lima has not only for women over 50 when it comes to beauty, but for all women to feel confident in who they are and to embrace that message—inside and out.

“My hope and prayer [is] that Worthy becomes almost like a resource, like a toolkit, for people every time they are tempted to have those thoughts of ‘I am not enough' or any of the other lies that we tell ourselves," Lima shares about the purpose of her recent book.

One thing's for sure: You are enough, and you are beautiful.

Next, 10 Simple Tips To Have Your Biggest Glow-Up in 2024, According to Life Coaches