Cher’s got it spot on, according to fellow 70-something make-up artist and brand founder Trish McEvoy, who has previously made up the faces of Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker. For McEvoy, there is no reason to scale back on wearing make-up as you get older.
“Many people say ‘less is more’ but I don’t believe that,” she explains to me over Zoom. At 74, McEvoy looks like she could be in her 50s. “Everyone ages differently, I know women in their 40s who look like they’re in their late 20s and also midlife women who look older. It’s more about when you look in the mirror asking yourself how you feel.”
Of course, there are days when you might want to simply look well-rested without too much make-up, or a more defined look at other times. Diana Ross is a great example at 80 of how to embrace this versatility; she opted for peachy make-up and defined eyes at a concert in Michigan earlier this month while other septuagenarians like Anna Wintour, Helen Mirren and the Queen always look radiant without being overdone.