How to Awaken Your Make-up Mojo in Midlife with Guest Justine Warwick

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Rediscovering our identity plays a huge part in our Midlife metamorphosis. And it's great that how we feel about how we look is at last getting the gravitas it warrants.

For me, and so many of the women I speak to and coach, reimagining our relationship with make-up plays a big part in starting to not just recognise but fall in love with that seeming stranger in the mirror. 

Not in a vain way, but in a way that empowers us.

Not for anyone else - but for us!

If this resonates, then this episode is just for you. Because I'm delighted to be joined by make-up artist and confidence coach Justine Warwick to celebrate International Women's Day with our episode for all of you feeling stuck in a Midlife make-up rut.

Justine and I reminisce about our first encounters with make-up and share insights of how our we feel about the changes our 40s and 50s have brought to the way we look. 

Tune in too for Justine revealing what your make-up bag says about you, and her expert tips and advice on how to reawaken your make-up mojo so that we fall in love with the skin we're in. 

Connect with Justine

www.justinewarwick.co.uk

www.instagram.com/justinewarwickmakeupartist

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinewarwickmakeupartist/

https://www.tiktok.com/@justine.warwick.mua

http://subscribepage.io/TuirNb

https://www.justinewarwick.co.uk/makeup-artist-blog

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome to Midlife Unlimited, the podcast for women who want more. I'm your host, Kate Porter, the Midlife Metamorphosis coach, and I know what it's like to feel stuck navigating the midlife maze. I've looked in the mirror and thought, who is that woman? So Midlife Unlimited is here to let you know you are not alone. You don't have to put on a brave face and put up with it. You don't have to play it safe. Midlife Unlimited is all about ripping off that mask and telling it like it really is. Nothing is off limits because together there's no limit to what we can achieve. So welcome to today's episode. Now, rediscovering our identity plays a huge part in our midlife metamorphosis. And it's great that how we feel about how we look is at last getting the gravitas it warrants. For me and so many of the women I speak to, reimagining our relationship with makeup plays a big part in starting to not just recognize but fall in love with that seeming stranger in the mirror. Not in a vain way, but in a way that empowers us. Not for anyone else, but for us. So if this resonates, then this episode is just for you. Because I'm calling in the expert. And I'm delighted to be joined by my guest today, Justine Warwick, makeup artist and confidence coach, to talk about how to awaken your makeup mojo in midlife. So welcome, Justine. It's fabulous to have you here.

SPEAKER_01 1:45

I'm so excited to be here. Thank you for inviting me, Kate.

SPEAKER_00 1:49

I'm quite excited that I got through that slight tongue twister of a title for our episode. But it is all about mojo, and we'll be talking a lot about that in a bit. But first, our episode, Drum Roll Please, coincides with International Women's Day, International Women's Week. And the theme this year is Give to Gain. And you're very much giving by joining me today because you're going to be sharing your insights, your expertise, and I love that because it's not frivolous makeup, is it?

SPEAKER_01 2:19

Absolutely not. I think it is key to how we can really give ourselves some self-care and not only feel better, look better, it's all of those things. And I think some people might think that it is frivolous or shallow, but I think you really have to truly understand it and embrace it to know the power that it has. And that could just be skincare, it doesn't have to be makeup, it's just taking those few moments to yourself and really enjoying the process of using all of your senses, your smell, your touch, um, you know, what you're seeing, what you're feeling, and just leaning into that and knowing that you're worth it.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

No, I love that. I absolutely love that because midlife, so many things are changing. But when it comes to makeup, if if you wear it, and I say it's it's not a vanity thing, that's not what we're talking about today, but you can feel you're stuck in a rut, you've been doing the same old, same old. So now it's a great time to shake things up a bit, isn't it? But also, you got as I say, you look in the mirror and you think, who is she really? But we can be wearing things, it's like with hair colour, it's like with clothing. We've always done it that way, or we've done it since we were teen, well, not necessarily to the 20s, 30s, and it's just not doing us any favours anymore, is it?

SPEAKER_01 3:42

100%. I mean, I see so many women in my one-to-one lessons and masterclasses that are all experiencing the same thing, so all of a sudden the person they're looking at in the mirror is not how they feel inside. The makeup that they've been wearing for the last 20 years is no longer working for them, and they really want to try new things, but they're overwhelmed by the choice out there. Um, and this coincides with a really difficult, what can be a really difficult period of our lives where we're approaching midlife, we start to lose confidence in everything, our face looks different, so our body, our body shape looks different, we feel different, and there's so much going on that we don't really know where to start. So we often end up doing nothing. But actually, I truly believe that makeup is one piece of the jigsaw puzzle that can really help us to embrace this period of our lives and move forward with confidence.

SPEAKER_00 4:40

Well, we actually had a I always have a little pre-chat listeners, as you know, and when we had our little pre-chat, we both had a kind of a real light bulb moment because we were joking about getting ready and enjoying when you're going out out, enjoying the fun of getting ready. Yeah, you said actually, you tend to spend more time with your makeup, with the create being creative, putting my teeth in and experimenting and getting things, but then and someone will say what you're wearing. You're like, Well, I don't actually know, but then I said, Well, it's like the old newsreader thing, isn't it? When you're in a when you're in a room at an event, people only really see you from the collarbone. Well, we did say boobs, I think, from the from the boob, from the boobs up. So your actual face and your expressions and all that is probably something that's far more memorable than actually what you're wearing, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 5:33

Yeah, yeah. And I think it's because I get so much pleasure just from creating and playing with makeup. It is it is a creative tool, you know. It's um it's similar to if you were going to do um oh colouring, like you know, I've got I love my colouring books, but you know, you can use your face, but to spend the time on it, so don't try something new when you're going out, and if you're like me, you've literally got like five minutes to spare. Oh, I'll try a new eyeliner look. Do it at a time when when you feel like just doing something different and spending a bit of time on yourself. Um, so yeah, makeup for me is always the most exciting part, and something else I really like to do is to be watching a video tutorial of um like another makeup artist, or maybe someone could watch one of mine.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

Um, we'll be giving you all links later on, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:26

But it feels like you're getting ready with a friend, and it really reminds me of being a teenager when you were excited to go out and you'd get together with the girls and you'd all be getting ready together. And that, in a way, was the most exciting part of the evening.

SPEAKER_00 6:38

Oh, I love that. If if you could see Justine's face, she's all sparkly. She's all now. Obviously, we you're going to be sharing your top tips later, and we'll share your links, but you've just pinpointed something that I want to take you back. I want to take you back to the early days of discovery makeup and discovering this tool, really, isn't it? I mean, I used to have a girl's world that I loved.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

I did too, but I had the brunette one. I wanted the one really because yeah, no, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 7:06

But she was lovely, but why did everyone want the blonde one? What? Yeah, I remember and I remember my parents apologizing because they couldn't get the blonde one.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

Can you imagine in those days where you didn't have internet as well, and you had to go to each store to see if you could pick up the blonde one, so to speak? Yeah, um, yeah, but um, yeah, so it all started for me. My mum is super glamorous, um, she's in her 80s, but she wears a full face of makeup and lashes every day still. So I grew up thinking that was the norm, that that is what women did. Like women didn't leave the house without their makeup on. Um, and I would get all of her old makeup when she'd finished with it and um could play around with it. Um, used to have a book that where you could just brought back such a strong memory for me.

SPEAKER_00 7:53

The smell of my mum's dressing table and the makeup drawer. And when she was going out, I used to sit on the bed um next to her, all her party outfit was laid out, and just yeah, watching her put on you know the foundation, and she had a proper dressing table with you know, oh, and a drawer. I mean, I've got a bag in the bathroom. Oh my goodness, I can just literally the smell of powders and stuff.

SPEAKER_01 8:22

100%, and I think that's so important. I think that everyone that's listening will have um experiences of makeup that will take them back. It could be their nan's lipstick, or it could be the first bit of makeup that they went out and bought, or even if they don't wear makeup, it may have been that their mum didn't wear makeup, so they didn't know what to do with it. Um, so they were very influenced by their friends, so things like that. But um, so I always loved it, and then when I became a teenager, I had very bad skin, I was really spotty. Um, and using makeup, I think I used my mum's makeup to begin with, which was pancake by Max Factory. I don't know if you remember, but it was quite heavy.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

No, like a stick, or yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

Um, so this one was like in a compact that you would still quite quite full, but um yeah, being able to apply that and to be able to make my skin look better was just magical to me. Like because at that age where you feel so self-conscious, which I almost feel like we go through as we go to midlife as well, like you go through that whole stage of stage of questioning everything, but we can come back to that.

SPEAKER_00 9:35

Yeah, so it is so true. It is like a kind of well, what's the phrase at the moment you keep hearing we're queen ages?

SPEAKER_01 9:42

Yes, and like second puberty and things like that. So it's all that yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:46

I've got a big spot on my chin at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

I know I still get get spots, and I thought I've got lines and spots, like I don't remember a time when I didn't have either, but that's fine. We work with it with what we've got.

SPEAKER_00 9:58

I think it's well, I just sit here and it's exactly where I'm stroking my chin as I listen to you. So I think I think I need to stop stroking my chin.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

Maybe, yeah, maybe that's that's a thing.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

Back to teenage years, and you mentioned a shop, and as soon as you mentioned that shop, I was like, Oh, share with the listeners, they're gonna be like, Oh my gosh, I remember that.

SPEAKER_01 10:21

So I grew up in Basildon in Essex, and we had um an indoor shopping centre, which was probably one of the first of its kind, certainly in the area, called Eastgate, and there was a Miss Selfridge there, and back in the day, Miss Selfridge, I was probably about 16 at the time, they had their own makeup and makeup counter in there. So I would go in there, and the girl behind the counter I got to know, and she would always ask to do my makeup, and so being able to go in there, um, I had one of my first adult passport photos taken once I'd had my makeup done and went in, which I've probably still got, and it was a very 80s look. Um, but that really takes me back the packaging, being able to afford to buy my own makeup, and if I see photos of that on the internet at all, it does take you right back thinking, I used to have that.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

I used to have the box of tissues with all the lipstick kisses on it. Yes, and the dressing gown. Yeah, it's like a robe, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 11:16

Yeah, fabulous. So that was really um when I first started enjoying it, and also because I had bad skin right through to my twenties as well. So being able to apply makeup so that I could um I felt like I could face the world confidently. I know not everyone feels like that, not everyone has to wear makeup, but for me that made such a difference. So from there, like my the love of makeup began, even though I didn't go into makeup as a career at the time. I don't know that it was such a big career as it is now. You didn't really hear too much about makeup artists back in the 80s. Um, so yeah, that's where it all began, and I still absolutely love it. And I think I'm almost like an addict, a makeup addict.

SPEAKER_00 12:03

Well, I love what you said just now because it is a very personal thing, isn't it? And you're not you're not here, you're here as my guest, because I love your ex enthusiasm. I love the fact we we both love red lipstick, but it's not for everyone. And you actually said that you know it's quite unusual perhaps for a midlife woman to say when they're having their makeup done, I'm gonna go for a bold lip. Because 100% I get gosh, you're brave, Kate. Wear it. Why was why is it brave wearing red lipstick? I wear it for me. I wear it because if I don't wear a bold lipstick, because I'm quite unless unless the unless I've been out in the sun and I've got a bit of a suntan with my SPF 50 or whatever on, I'm quite pale skinned. I've obviously now embracing the grey. My eyebrows aren't too bad. I actually don't pencil them in because so I've still got a bit of shape, and obviously I wear big glasses, but if I didn't have a bright lipstick, from the nose down, my face would just be nothing.

SPEAKER_01 13:07

It has no definition, yeah, literally. I need it. I understand that. Here I am, and I totally resonate with you. I've always got to wear a bold lip. Um, and I and that all started in Miss Selfridge as well, because the the girl behind the counter put me in a red lip. I bought it, I loved it, um, and I've worn red on and off ever since. But I often feel that if I hadn't have worn it from a young age, would I introduce it now?

SPEAKER_00 13:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:38

So I feel grateful for that experience that introduced me to red because it make when I wear it, it makes me feel so empowered, and it is um all the colour psychology as well of how red can be one of those colours. So if I want to feel strong and empowered, then I'll put a red lip on. And I don't feel like that every day, I don't need to feel like that every day, but um, I know that I can pull that out of the bag when when I need it, and also um, you may already know this, but they say that lipstick sales, even through times of depression and recession, um, lipstick sales never go down because it's something that people have always bought, even during the war, um, because it is an instant mood boost.

SPEAKER_00 14:25

I find that I literally I feel dressed the minute I could be wearing the scruffiest outfit, but literally it is like you you juz your hair up, you put your lipstick on, a bit of perfume, and you're like, right, I'm ready. And my watch. Although my watch is actually the battery's gone, but I'm still wearing it because I feel naked without it.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

It's really you're it's very iconic the look that you have. I expect that if you're not wearing a red lip, people will say, You feeling okay?

SPEAKER_00 14:52

Yeah, because if I go for like if I go for a paler one, I do, I look a bit ill. Have I created and because I've worn it, it's like leopard. I've worn it for so it's it's become a natural part of my brand because I've been wearing it since I was 19. It was like, but it's it's about doing what's right for you, isn't it? We're not we're not saying, listeners, you need to go out and you need to completely rethink your makeup, you need to start wearing a red lipstick, you need to start doing all the blushing and filling and spend hours doing all the I find that yeah, that's the word, the blushing and filling. I like that blushing and filling, but yeah, I think it's all about the base, that's another phrase that came to mind.

SPEAKER_01 15:35

Yeah, that actually is. That's one of my tips. Um, but going back to red, I think the thing is you shouldn't feel like you have to, but if you would like to try it and you are not confident enough, there are lots of different ways that you can try it just from having um a lip stain, or really you know, you can get a red that is really bold and matte and full on, but you can also get very sheer formulas that give you a little bit of an extra boost without feeling overpowering. So I encourage women if they want to try it to know that there are varying degrees of wearing red, um, and there is always a red to suit everyone. So, um, yeah, if that's what you want to do. But fashions change.

SPEAKER_00 16:18

So no, absolutely. No, you say it's like everyone thinking, oh, I want to wear a red jacket. It is all about the tone, isn't it? Bringing in all your skin tone, and we're we're we're going to delve into that, but I'd like to know more about your actual metamorphosis journey, then career-wise. How yeah how did you actually go from being well working mum and then suddenly makeup became a reality for you? I love it.

SPEAKER_01 16:47

So I left school at the age of 16 and went to work in the city, and I worked there up until I had my children, so it was a corporate career in sort of investments and then in um in IT and software. Um, didn't really blow my mind, if I'm honest, but you know, we get following the side post these things 100%. And then I gave up work to raise my family, which um was something that we chose to do, and I was very happy to do that. But as they got older, and I'm sure a lot of people resonate with this as well. I was very aware that I was saying to people, I did used to work in the city, I did used to, and it was almost like I was um sort of justifying that although I'm a stay-at-home mum now, I did used to have a brain, which you know it didn't feel right to me, but it felt like I needed to let people know that I was was more than just where I was at that time. But it also made me think, am I always going to be the sum of what I achieved career-wise before having children? Obviously, nothing is as important as having the children, but I wanted to think that there was more, like that I I was what I'd achieved up to the age of 30, was that it? So, um, as my children went to secondary school, I started noticing that they didn't need me in the same way, and a lot of it made me feel like what is the point of me now? Which actually sounds quite depressing, but I'm sure a lot of people will resonate with that. It is that springboard moment, it is um, because you're not needed in the same way. Um, and I think as we go through midlife as well, with hormonal changes and changes to how we look and feel, there is a lot of of that, like not really understanding who you are. So I was in a very lucky position that as I hadn't worked because I was looking after the family, that I could choose to do anything I wanted to do. Um, and I've always loved makeup, and actually, I went to Selfridge's, funnily enough, um, and sat at the Charlotte Tilbury counter. That was before it was as big as it is now with stores everywhere. Um, and I had my makeup done um on the counter. And as I sat there, I just had a light bulb moment thinking, oh my goodness, I would love to do this, I would love to make other women feel the way that I feel now, just because I love makeup anyway, being surrounded by all these beautiful products and different colours and just seeing yeah, what she could create. So after that, I sort of said to my husband, um, I want to train to be a makeup artist, and I think he probably thought, okay, but always very supportive. Um, so yeah, I went researched my training, and this was at the age of because I'm 54 now, so I was like 43 at this point, so I was very aware that I was going into it quite late, and all the insecurities around I'm gonna be the oldest person on the course, no one's gonna want to do my makeup when we have to make each other up. All now I think it's absolutely ridiculous because my age I think is one of the things that has made me as successful as I am for a number of reasons. But women of my age relate more to me than they would maybe someone that's 19 that's trying to tell them how to and you're in tune with how they're like we've been talking about you're in tune with how they're feeling about like that that blinking.

SPEAKER_00 20:11

Oh, it's just not working for me anymore. Whatever I'm doing to this space, I I we talked about yeah. I mean, my my favorite word is more, but you know, I must be able to do more with this. I want to make more of myself for me. Yes, not I'm not not in a showy off way, not in a I feel meh, but yeah, no, come on, yeah, let's zhuz me up.

SPEAKER_01 20:34

Yes, a hundred percent. So I went for the first day on my course, I came home and cried because I said to my husband, what have I done? I've made a massive mistake, this isn't what I thought it was gonna be. Yeah, and if they would have offered me some money back then, I would have taken it and never looked back. But um I and this is something that I always look back at. I did go back and I did complete the course, and I'm so proud that I did that because that has meant Did you ever were but yourself? Did you have a chat with your husband, or did you just literally sleep on it and think I felt like because it was such a lot of money, I felt like I had no choice, yeah. Um, and yeah, and I I I don't quite know how I did it, but I did it and yeah, and got to the end of it, nearly had a wobble at the end as well. Um, and then I did it, but I did come away. A lot of people might relate to this as well if they've trained in something, especially trained in something new. There's one thing in training in it, and it's another thing in putting that into practice and building a business from it. So I came away feeling very unprepared, but I just had a word with myself and sort of thought, right, if I do more training, I think that will help. And I did, and I went to some amazing training places after that with people that really, really cared about whether you were getting it right if you needed help, and after. That everything just started falling into place. So I've been a makeup artist now for 10 years. So it's like my tenth year now. Um you've made some amazing connections as well. Yeah, yeah. I I think that's is it Lisa Eldridge? Oh, yes. In the pop-up, tell us about that.

SPEAKER_00 22:21

That sounds amazing.

SPEAKER_01 22:22

For those of you that don't know, Lisa Eldridge is an amazing makeup artist. She's well respected within the industry. She's worked in film TV. She always does Kate Winslet's makeup. She's one of Jua Leepa's makeup artists. And she was opening a pop-up um store to showcase her new range of makeup. It was the first store that she'd had, she'd been online since then, and I was invited to join her team through another makeup artist that I'd met over lockdown on Zoom. And um, I got to go meet her in her studio, and that to me was you know, meeting my idol, that was amazing. Even if I'd have never worked on her pop-up, the fact that I met her was a real pinch me moment. But then I did go to work in her first two pop-ups in Covent Garden, and she's now got makeup in Selfridges, Liberty, um, and other stores um across the country. So um her products are absolutely beautiful, and so I definitely would recommend checking those out as well. So um that was amazing, and I won makeup artist of the year in 2023 at the Essex Wedding Awards. So again, that was something I push myself to do because another thing that has come with age, I believe, is just knowing that you're only gonna get one chance at these things. So to go for it, what have you got to lose? In a way that I may not have done when I was sort of 18-19.

SPEAKER_00 23:52

No, absolutely, no, I love that, I love that, and it is very much especially putting yourself out there, putting yourself forward for awards and everything. Oh, oh, I'm loving this conversation now. Obviously, I'm gonna be sharing your top tips in a minute, but before that, it's an area that I well, not an area, it's being overwhelmed and bamboozled when you're looking at social media and there's product here, product there, everyone's going, try this, try this. This is fabulous. How how do we find what's right? I mean, there's no there probably is no absolute golden rule, but before we go into your top tips or weave it into your top tips, if you like, because it can be you could probably spend a it's probably the same for young girls as well and boys. You can end up spending a blinking fortune on stuff that may actually do the same thing, and and you don't realize that you've got two things that do the same job, or you don't actually need to be buying this big name brand because everyone else is, but you think, oh, I should the shoulds creep in, don't they?

SPEAKER_01 24:58

Oh, if I want to look they do, and I think it's lack of time as well, you know. We don't have the time to look into it, so we want quick and easy solutions. Someone on tic tac tic tac that's a good name.

SPEAKER_00 25:12

I used to love tic-tac, I'm gonna start calling it that.

SPEAKER_01 25:17

Someone on TikTok has got something that's that's gonna make me look amazing, so I'm gonna buy that. And the number of times I've had women come to me for makeup lessons, and they are like, I've bought this from TikTok, or I've I've bought this from a makeup counter when I went there to have some makeup done, and I don't know what to do with it. Um, so little side note here, one of the um another reason that I wanted to become a makeup artist was I used to watch QVC with my mum. So if anyone hasn't heard of QVC, it's the shopping channel.

SPEAKER_02 25:49

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 25:50

And we we used to take the mic out of my mum because she loved it and she was watching it all the time. And then once I had my first son, who's 23, my only son actually, but 23, um I started watching it as well because it was the sort of thing that you could just addictive watching while feeding.

SPEAKER_00 26:07

I would love to talk about it it's always my favourite episode of The Apprentice when they have to do the live sales. It's such a talent. I mean, I could talk for England, but to talk when someone's in your ear and get the audience in buying from you, or if you can sell there, you can sell anywhere, which is probably why people end up buying stuff.

SPEAKER_01 26:27

You do, but the beautiful thing of it, oh my god, this is where I should work for them, is that you can try stuff for 30 days, and if you don't like it, you can send it back for a refund. And they have a lot of top brands that that you can buy, it's not rubbish like some of the shopping channels are, but best of all, they demonstrate how to use the products. So I used to watch these video presentations that they were doing, and they teach you how to apply things, and I'd watch it thinking, I want to be able to do that, I want to be able to put makeup on people like that, and that really inspired me, and that's another reason why I ended up going into makeup. So I would say that um being able to see something like that for someone to show you how it looks on different ages, different skin tones, but knowing that you can try it and send it back was brilliant for me. So I got to try lots of different things, yeah. So and I still recommend QVC to a lot of my my clients if there are certain products that they want to try, um, that um that they can buy it through there and and see how they go with it because you don't get that from a department store.

SPEAKER_00 27:30

No, I've not watched that for years. I'm gonna have to go and give that a little look.

SPEAKER_01 27:34

I know, but it's addictive.

SPEAKER_00 27:37

Sorry, not today. I'll I'm doing QVC today. Yeah, so that would be amazing. Let let's move then. It seems like the a logical step into your top tips. And one of the first things that I recall from our chat and when we first met, not our brainstorm, when we first met online networking, we were chatting, and you said you often have the conversation with clients, or even before they become clients, what your makeup bag says about you. And I was like, Oh my gosh. Talk about skeletons. There could be some skeletons lurking, couldn't there?

SPEAKER_01 28:19

I've seen everything, I've seen it from people that have no makeup to people that have come in with suitcases full of makeup. Um, and I had a client recently that had so many foundations, it was like looking in my own makeup collection because I am foundation is my thing that we I think we all have a thing. It could be lipstick, it could be mascara, mine's foundation. Um, but I also appreciate how personal it is because we have our own makeup bags every day, but when you know you're showing it to someone else, then you might think, oh it's like your underwear drawer, isn't it? It's like yeah, it really is. So I never underestimate how much it takes for someone to share their makeup with me in that way because they may have brushes that they've had forever that have never been cleaned. Um, but that is where we need to start. We need to go right back to the beginning, and I'm aware that I didn't really answer the question about you know, what do you do when you've got all these things and how to know what to buy, is to look at what you've got now, get it all out, have a declutter. So I've actually written a blog on my website which I can give you the link for, but it literally is getting out every single bit of makeup that you've got, putting it into groups of like lipsticks, foundation, whatever, anything that's broken, get rid of. Anything that is old, get rid of, anything you bought before lockdown, get rid of. Because let's face it, that's like six years old now. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:45

What about if you bought Miss Selfridge when you were 16?

SPEAKER_01 29:49

Yeah, although part of me does think with things like that, I wish I'd have kept it because going back to Lisa Eldridge, when she had her first pop-up store, she had a m a mini makeup museum, and there were so many beautiful products going like ranging back for like a hundred years, but she also had like some Miss Selfridge things, and that to me made me think, I wish I'd have kept that.

SPEAKER_00 30:10

But you if you have anything like that, you could actually make it into an artistic creation, yes, a little collage or something.

SPEAKER_01 30:18

Yeah, yeah, no, so I think I would have that sort of on the back burner because there are always things that might mean something to you. It might be um a lipstick that your mum gave to you, it might be something that you wore on your wedding day, but I wouldn't necessarily use it, but also keep it to one side so it doesn't detract from the things that you have every day. So once you've curated your selection, then think about the products that you wear every day and put those into a tray or something really easily accessible on your on your um your dressing table because a lot of the time people have big makeup drawers or bags and they've got everything in it, so they're constantly scrabbling. Reminds me of my son going through his Lego box, you know, like when he's growing up.

SPEAKER_00 31:03

But if you're in a hurry, yeah. I mean, I I'm quite quick. I've got my little quick like blove that here, da da da. But still, I thought myself going, where's the blinking mascara underneath all yeah? And it's not a massive makeup bag, it's like a zip-up thing. But every the you can guarantee the thing you want is right at the bottom, probably underneath the bottom.

SPEAKER_01 31:23

So I think that makes it I think it makes it easier to do that. So I'd always start off with a declutter and see um what things that you're missing. Um, if you know what is expected in a makeup, you know what if how can I phrase this? That's assuming that you know what a normal makeup routine will consist of. I think that's what I'm I'm trying to say. But also um, you don't have to have everything, you just have to have the things that will work for you, and sometimes that is trial and error. When women come to me in my one-to-one makeup lessons, we'll go through all of their makeup, we'll have a sort out, I'll use their makeup where possible, but sometimes it will be well, maybe this would work better for you, or maybe they they just want to have a complete change. So I will I have lots of makeup products in my kit and things that I have specifically for makeup lessons that I can show them that they can try and see if they like before they go out and buy it.

SPEAKER_00 32:25

Because I say we we mentioned just now, and sorry, no, I just I detracted you from from your answer. That's that's why I took you down the little rabbit hole because I love this, I love this. I know, but I'm always on a tangent. I'm learning for me, I'm learning for me because uh one of the things we we mentioned, we mentioned base in all about the base briefly earlier, and I know that's going to be one of your tips, but or perhaps moving into that. One thing I'm I don't know if confused is the right word. I use a foundation, but I'm I don't use all the different coloured ones and blend it, although I can think of that looks so much fun. I love the idea of that. It's like art a work of art, but these these primers and undercoats, and it's like painting. I mean, I know it's like painting, you're creating a canvas, or no, yeah, you're creating. Do we need to use all these different things? Do they each have a place depending whether you're going full makeup, whether you're just going a quick, I look fresh as a daisy today, I'm just going out.

SPEAKER_01 33:26

I would say, Kate, if you were sitting in my makeup chair, if you're happy with how your foundation looks, then you don't need a primer. But if you feel like it doesn't last as long as you'd like it to, you may want to put a primer on. It's a bit like when you paint your nails. You don't does anyone paint their nails anymore, or do they all get in gel nails?

SPEAKER_00 33:45

I'm actually halfway through. I did one hand, I did this hand this morning, and then this hand I'm gonna be doing when we finish.

SPEAKER_01 33:53

That's terrible. There you go. You see, I use the two. You don't have to use oh no, but that's that's because we've all time pour, aren't we? Yeah, so um, if you use a primer or a base coat on your nails, it will last longer, it probably will go on smoother, but you don't have to use it, so it all depends really. Um, if I use myself as an example, I tend to have a little bit of oily skin still, and I've got very visible pores through the centre of my face. So I would use a pore minimizing primer, smooth that over the area where I I get those problems, and then I can put the foundation over the top, and that will help it to last longer and reduce the appearance of pores. So it's a bit of a primer's a bit of a troubleshooter.

SPEAKER_00 34:37

It's like preparing, if you think about decorating, and I'm not saying I'm not talking about wearing a mask because your makeup looks beautifully fresh. It looks because that's the look I like. I like the bit of drama, I like dramatic eyes, I like dramatic lips. But when it comes to, I think particularly it's a midlife thing, I don't like to feel cakey, no, and also because I have got the old laughter lines, which is brilliant, I'm happy with them. I've got you know, foreheadlines. The last thing I want is to have to feel cakey, to have a belly laugh, and then realize that everything's gone into the crevices, and I just look like some kind of weird cake.

SPEAKER_01 35:16

So I think the key there is to not laugh basically or move your face. Okay, that's easy.

SPEAKER_00 35:22

Botox in there's gonna have my complete face Botox.

SPEAKER_01 35:25

But I think hilarious. Well, no, me with Botox because I'm talking.

SPEAKER_00 35:31

No, I'm so expressive, and that's why probably I've got half the lines I've got because I'm always laughing and going. Luckily, listeners can't see the faces I'm pulling.

SPEAKER_01 35:40

But I'm I think your face looks lovely. No, it looks lovely.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

Thank you. But yeah, cakey, you say that that's a sign.

SPEAKER_01 35:50

If you start to feel cakey, it's not yeah, I think it's about changing up the formulations that that we use, and I understand that people people often have in their head of how their skin was in their teens, and they stick with something similar. So I see a lot of older women that still like matte foundations. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but I definitely think that a little bit of a dewy glow doesn't have to be shiny. I think that's much more flattering than a very matte finish. I think yeah, and and sometimes I think that's not necessarily the most flattering, but it does depend on the formula, and I think this is where there are a lot of things out there that a lot of products out there that it can be overwhelming.

SPEAKER_00 36:37

Um but it's a dewy look, very fresh. Whereas I I haven't got me, I don't and I don't put it all over and that sounds ridiculous. I only really put it over like my my cheeks and my chin.

SPEAKER_01 36:49

Yeah, well, you need it, yeah. But uh yeah, but I think it's yeah, there's definitely a whole thing about foundation which I can cover on my top tips as well. But um I think sometimes yeah, we stick to what we know, but as our skin changes, we're not we may need something different. Um and I would say to go to a department, if you're gonna I would spend the money on foundation, um, because if the base looks good, everything looks good. And when I say foundation, I'm covering everything from tinted moisturiser that's super lightweight through to full coverage. So a lot of ladies that I deal with that are say in their 50s, for example, would want something lighter, enough coverage to even out the skin tone, but they don't want to feel cakey, they want it to look like their skin, and there's loads of formulas out there that that are amazing at achieving that.

SPEAKER_00 37:47

Right, we're gonna move then into your top tips because whether we're deciding to to start wearing makeup at this time in our lives because we're thinking a little bit of more coverage, whatever, whatever the reason, whether we're finding that Zoom meetings, we're the one that looks really tired and drawn, and although we don't want to wear it every day, because when you're on camera, a little bit of makeup can make a big difference, can't it? So yeah, I'm gonna do the da da da da da right in the number one.

SPEAKER_01 38:22

Okay, right. Well, I would start from the basics, I'd review your skincare before anything else, because the skin is where it all starts, and if you're not looking after your skin, um then nothing's gonna look as good on you, and a lot of the time, like skincare can be such a lovely thing to do, doesn't have to be complicated. I'm only talking about using a cleanser and a moisturizer, morning and evening, an SPF during the day, doesn't have to have like 52 steps in it, but if we can do that consistently twice a day, and also look at it more as I recommend to my clients maybe doing the makeup takeoff or that cleanse, the second cleanse in the day, um, as we go from daytime to evening. So it could be when you finish work, or it could be if you've got children that you're still putting to bed, it could be after that. So it it's a lovely five minutes that you take for you before you wind down for the evening, and it also means that your face is nice and fresh before you go to bed, and all you've got to do is clean your teeth because so many times people get to go into bed and they're like, Oh, I can't be bothered to take my makeup off. Oh, yeah, been there, do still still go there, but I think it's a really nice thing, and if you're I'm using some lovely products at the moment, and I'm really enjoying using them, and I think that makes me want to use them as well. Um, and it just feels really nice again, using all your senses as you're applying the products, but to review what you're using and don't still be using clearacyl because you had spotty skin when you were 15. You know, a lot of the time as women go through menopause, they might find their skin starts to be a little bit drier. So you probably want to start looking at more nourishing moisturisers, things with hyaluronic acid, things like that. So um, yeah, it can be quite simple, but I have obviously found made it sound like more complicated than it needs to be. I talk about it.

SPEAKER_00 40:18

No, I I love it because there are going to be buzzwords that you just use, but like the highlight, I can never pronounce it, acid and things like that. Yeah, people have gone, oh yes, is that for me? But but listening to you, they can now they've got like the tools to either get in touch with you, your details I'm gonna be giving in a minute, or to go, oh well, I'll go and have a little consult the goddess of Google and find out a bit more about that, and I'll go and find some tutorials and yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:40

And I I've got a blog as well on my website that is about um changing up your skincare and things like that, and it's just so important because everything that you put on it afterwards, foundations will sit nicer if the skin beneath is well looked after. So that's a key thing, and just as a little another little side note there, um, when I work with brides, um I go through their skincare as part of the the makeup uh trial, if you like, and give them some ideas of what they can use. And honestly, the difference between the trial and their wedding day, I've seen such a massive difference. And it's I'm not a skincare specialist, so I don't give them a long routine, but it just keeps them focused on what they need to do. Um, yeah, and their skin can look like different skin on the day.

SPEAKER_00 41:27

What what's next? What's the next step we could look at?

SPEAKER_01 41:30

So, my next step step is decluttering what you've already got, which we've covered for that, to see what you've actually got. So then I would focus on foundation. Like I said, spend the time on choosing the right foundation for you. So I would personally recommend going to a department store, um, talking to going to an a counter and talking to them about how you want your skin to look and feel. So for you, Kate, you might say, I want something that is not cakey, I prefer it to be a little bit more on the matte side, but I want something that's going to be age appropriate, um, and they should recommend to you what the best products would be and colour match you. Now I would always ask for a sample, and most of them will give you a sample. Um, but if they say they haven't got any pots to put the sample in or whatever, and you feel like you want to buy it, then I would say if I get home and I'm not happy with the colour, can I bring it back? Because I believe if they've colour matched you and it's incorrect, you should be able to take it back. And I know certainly at least at Eldridge, they were always very much um, you know, customer service, make sure the customer's happy with the product so they would have changed it. Um, because sometimes with the the um the the lights they have in store always like the fluorescent, yeah. No, yeah. So I would say to spend time searching for your foundation, don't add it to a job list when you're going into town and you've got 50 things to do, and foundation is one of them.

SPEAKER_00 43:00

Or you're in Sainsbury's and you think, Oh, I'll have a quick yes, or I'll grab one.

SPEAKER_01 43:05

Because once you get it right, you can repurchase and you can repurchase it online. Places like Charlotte Tilbury, they have online consultations that you can do, and if you order anything from Charlotte Tilbury online, you have a month to use the product and send it back if it's no good for you. So a lot of brands are having to work more like that, so they're a lot more accessible for people to purchase online. So foundation, I think, is just review the foundation that you're wearing. Is it still working for you? Do you need something different? Um, you may even need a bit of a foundation wardrobe, so something that will be good for you during the summer that's more lightweight or like a tinted moisturizer, and something that's a paler shade, maybe for for the winter, that maybe has got a bit more coverage to it, or if you're going out, that kind of thing. So um I want to go shopping now. I know, I know. It's I mean, that's the thing when people come to me. Can let them try lots of different foundations and talk through exactly what it is they're looking for because if you know how you want your skin to look, so me for example, I know that I like a bit of coverage with me. I don't want to be too matte, but I don't want to be too shiny, so and I want something that is gonna make my skin look healthy, then I can go into the store and talk to them about that and know what I want basically. So um, I hope that that is helpful to people. No, definitely. I'm happy to answer any questions if people aren't sure. Um always get made up in natural daylight where possible. Obviously, you can't do that at night time, but during the day, um facing a window with a a mirror. If you're a lot of the time we have dressing tables in the corner of a room, I know I have, but that's not necessarily the best light.

SPEAKER_00 44:52

So you stand in the bathroom and I've got the mirror that's on the side of the window frame.

SPEAKER_01 44:58

Yep, perfect. So that's really, really good. Sometimes, if you haven't got that, then you can buy a handheld mirror um or one with like a magnifier mirror on the back as well.

SPEAKER_00 45:08

Um I need I need that more often with my glasses. Take my glasses off, I can't see what I'm doing. Well, and also in the winter, it's dark anyway.

SPEAKER_01 45:16

Yeah, it is. So that is a really amazing thing to have, but I wouldn't necessarily get made up in front of a magnifying mirror the whole time, um, but just when you need it, because it is better to look at your face as a whole when you're doing your makeup. But I know that eyesight, some yeah, well, that is something that a lot of people struggle with. So the more you can do it while your eyesight is good, then you'll get muscle memory and you'll know what you're doing. I think that makes a difference. Be experimental with colours, so don't always think that black eyeliner is the only eyeliner that there is, because sometimes using a dark brown or a dark blue, dark green can be more flattering, softer, and sometimes liquid eyeliner doesn't work as well. That's one of the things that we can really notice that makes a difference. As if our eyelids start getting more crepey, a liquid eyeliner can almost it's like when you use an ink pen with blotting paper. Oh no, where it just sort of starts to bleed.

SPEAKER_00 46:14

No, I'm yeah, I'm I won't use the word guilty because I don't like that word, but no, I use it and I think, why have I done that? Why didn't I take that extra bit longer? And you do it for speed, don't you?

SPEAKER_01 46:23

Then you end up I'm looking at myself now thinking, I just look like someone's got a sharpie pen pen and just but sometimes you can build that, do a little powder eyeliner underneath with a little angled brush, so it provides a base almost like when we used to trace a shape, and then you'd go over it with your dark pen.

SPEAKER_00 46:42

I love using eyeshadow, but do you know what one of my pet hates is when you think, oh yeah, that's right, and then you look and you've got it all over your blinking cheek, and then you wipe it, and then you get this because I love all the charcoal smoky colours. Then you get this, you look like a vampire because you've got and you're like, I've got two minutes, and I need to be out of the door, and I've now got to take it all off because I've just wiped eyeshadow over myself.

SPEAKER_01 47:04

So if you're doing that and you're used to doing your eyes like that, do your eyes first, clean up, then do your base. Oh, what a good idea! No, that's I I always do that for my clients. I always do eyes first. It it takes a bit of getting used to.

SPEAKER_00 47:18

I just had a funny memory I'll share with you. Right. My son, my son did Duke of Edinburgh, and he got his goal, bless him. So we got invited up to the palace, and it was summer, it was a bit delayed because of COVID. And we were going, it was Prince Edward, um, glorious summer's day, and I was like, Oh, I'll put a bit of colour on. And I was oh, just a bit of bronzer, did it, then just check my hair from the side and realised with my grey that I then had orange from the blush. Oh, the taxi was coming. I did it, but that's yeah, ladies, always check from the side view. I didn't call to the palette.

SPEAKER_01 48:00

Oh, but maybe you could have started a new trend.

SPEAKER_00 48:02

Yeah, that thank goodness I noticed it. But yeah, these are these are things that when you've got grey hair, you do need to bear in mind.

SPEAKER_01 48:09

And I think with lighter hair as well, so it's almost like with your fine foundation, you don't take it right up to the hairline, you would leave it further down and then then just kind of um smoke it up to the hairline. I don't know why I'm demonstrating to you.

SPEAKER_00 48:25

No, well, I'm I'm honestly no one else can see. I almost went to Buck Palace with orange.

SPEAKER_01 48:34

Well, they would have remembered you potentially, but of course, the thing to remember is no one else notices as much as we do. No, no, that's a little mantra, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 48:45

Um yeah, we'll come on to your mantra in a bit.

SPEAKER_01 48:48

I think them they're my main tips, really, and to just spend time getting to understand how you look now in the mirror. Um, maybe implementing small changes. It doesn't have to be like a big, like, woohoo, look at me, it could be just one thing at a time. Um, a lot of women, sorry, I've just sort of another one, a lot of women find that their eye makeup or mascara smudges under their eyes. That's something that a lot of people notice as they get older. And using an eye primer um and also a tubing mascara, if you've heard of that, is something that can resist the oils from your eyes and stay in place.

SPEAKER_00 49:25

Because obviously, I I mentioned we were chatting before about eyelashes as well. Yeah, there's loads of products for aging eye. I remember okay, yeah. Age appropriate and not age appropriate. Look, when you're in your 50s and your eyelashes are not quite what they were, and I'm thinking about experimenting with fate eyelashes, but with glasses, these are all things we're gonna. I'm looking, thank goodness we're gonna go live as well, because I've got so many more things to ask you. But obviously, anyone that's been listening and thinks I need a bit of Justine in my life, all your contact details are in the show notes for our episode and on your guest profile. And I'm gonna be asking you to share your details as well in a minute. But before we do, you're not going to escape the three questions that I ask each of my fabulous female guests. So if you're ready, we're gonna start with I won't ask you to sing it. Well, you might want to.

SPEAKER_01 50:20

But this can be a tricky one. Um what is all really, really difficult? But sorry, yeah, ask me the question.

SPEAKER_00 50:27

No, I was gonna say midlife anthem. Well, no, a lot of people do.

SPEAKER_01 50:30

I found the the music one very easy. When I say one, there's two because I can't ever make my mind up. So the song that I absolutely love that makes me feel energized is by Pink, and it's called Never Gonna Not Dance Again. And the reason I love that is it's so upbeat. I always wanted to be a dancer when I grew up, so I feel like I have dancing in my bones, and when I hear that song, it it just empowers me, it makes me feel like because it's good, isn't it, to move to move the energy around if you need to change your state, and yeah, that for me is one that always you know, you feel it in your heart, don't you? It's like that little bit of an adrenaline kick. So, um, and my second one is a different tempo, but it's Desre, got got to be, gotta be, not got to be, gotta be. Um, about embracing all those different elements of who you are, and I love that when it's like you've got to be strong and you've got to be tough, but it's for women, we've got to be all of these things, and it's a lot, but but we can do it, and we're so powerful.

SPEAKER_00 51:43

And I love that because we're back, it's we're celebrating International Women's Day, and together isn't that a fabulous anthem for International Women's Day. Together we gotta be. I'm gonna start singing, I'm gonna start singing, we're gonna stop this, we're gonna stop this and go on to question two. So, yeah, your midlife mantra was that as straightforward to come up.

SPEAKER_01 52:06

I feel like there are just so many to choose from. I really struggled with this because I love a mantra, an affirmation, anything that makes me feel powerful, and it can change, can't it, depending on what you're going through. So I asked my daughter what she thought, because I, you know, talking about this when I was preparing for it, and she said, You've all, mum, you've always said to me everything happens for a reason. And so that was quite lovely because I thought, well, she's actually been listening to what I've been saying, and that is now part of who she is and part of what she thinks. But I know that is very much used. My husband said, Why do something now when you can leave it till the last minute?

SPEAKER_00 52:49

And you said thank you.

unknown 52:50

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 52:51

Words to that effect, yeah. Yeah, words to that effect. So um, I was like, but it is true. I don't know whether there's a little bit of ADHD in there where I need that dopamine to make me get things done. Um, these are like the most powerful. I've got a couple, like everything comes to you at the right time, and I truly believe that to just you know, if it's not happening now, there's a reason for that, and it will come when it's ready. I am always so grateful. I've got such a lot of gratitude, so a lot of my thoughts revolve around being grateful, like a grateful heart is a magnet for miracles. I always think that that's really lovely, and that's helped me get through some really difficult times, as does I can do hard things. That's something I've been telling myself a lot. Um, we had like quite a difficult period over Christmas, and I used that a lot, and that really helped me through. But the one that I'm going to stick with after like saying the rest is um now it's my time and I'm worthy. Yeah. Because I think that is everything that we've discussed as to why I came through, and and actually feeling like you're worthy of success because I want that for my children. Why do I not want that for myself? There's a plethora there to choose from.

SPEAKER_00 54:07

Oh, one of my favourite words ever, plethora. I love plethora. I love plethora. Right. Is plethora going to be the title of your autobiography?

SPEAKER_01 54:16

Not quite. This was super hard. Because I've never thought about it before. Not something you know, I've gone through so that's what I'm here for. Yeah, thank you. So my book title would be Forever Fabulous: How Makeup Changed My Life from a Passion to a Purpose. The reason I chose Forever Fabulous, this came to me this morning, was because I did run an online course for women aged 40 to 50 plus to take them through the overwhelming makeup journey and help them like come out of it with a new makeup routine. Um, and that was called Forever Fabulous. I thought that that would be a good title with the the subtitle because makeup finding makeup in this way in the second part of my life, maybe if that's the way to look at it, um has been amazing for me, and I'm super grateful and yeah, feel very lucky to do what I do.

SPEAKER_00 55:11

What a wonderful way to round off our conversation, especially with the word fabulous, because that is a word close to my heart. So, listeners, you I've been promising that Justine is going to share her contact details, and now is the time. So, obviously, your details are in the show notes, they are on the website. But how can listeners get in touch with you?

SPEAKER_01 55:32

So, you can give me a little follow on Instagram. I'm Justine Warwick, makeup artist. I post tutorials on there and all sorts of different contents, could be little tips and tricks. Um, I'm also going to ask Kate to pop a link into a five-minute makeup tutorial that I've got, which you can um you can just sign up for that, and that will come out to you. And that is really to show you how quick and easy it can be to um revive your makeup, you know, re-instigate your makeup mode mojo for midlife, as we said at the beginning. Um, I'm also I'm on LinkedIn and Facebook, um, my website, you can contact me. Um, but I'd love to hear from you if there's anything that resonated with you in this episode or anything that you need help with, then um I'll be happy to help.

SPEAKER_00 56:21

Oh, that's wonderful. And listeners, I'd love your feedback on today's episode. So it would be great if you could leave a review, or you can email me or text me via the link in the show notes. You can come and join the Midlife Unlimited podcast Facebook group. Again, the link in the show notes, where you'll find the website link to where you can join the wait list for more my award-winning all-in-one coaching programme that's coming this spring. So it's been wonderful chatting today, Justine. Thank you so much for joining me. Thank you for listening. I look forward to tuning in next week because don't forget Midlife Unlimited has a new episode every Thursday available wherever you lost. Listen even, lost your podcast. Listen to your podcast. So here's to being fabulous and flourishing together on International Women's Day and always, and to living midlife unlimited. Thanks ever so much. Bye. Thank you. Bye.