The best beauty hacks for women over 40

Most beauty hacks are universal, like using baby powder instead of dry shampoo in a pinch or (safely) heating your eyelash curler for mega-volume. But there are some elements of beauty that become more apparent as we get older, and therefore require entirely new hacks of their own. Ah, what blessings.

The good news? Age is just as number. The even more good news? We’ve got some hacks that will temporarily send these beauty bugbears packing.

These are the best beauty hacks for women over 40.

#1 Mind the facial hair

Isn’t it a cruel joke that the moment you need glasses extra hairs (that you can’t see) begin popping up on your chin and upper lip? Well, rather than flying blind with a pair of tweezers, there are facial hair removal options that will take care of an entire area in one foul swoop. Not to mention, painlessly so – hurrah! Just pop a reminder in your calendar once a month and you and your moustache will never be caught off guard again.

bh loves: Nair Sensitive Hair Removal Cream Face and Body, Schick Hydro Silk® Perfect Finish™, Andrea Gentle Hair Remover for the Face  and Finishing Touch Flawless®.

#2 Mask spider veins

Whether you’ve got red ones, purple ones or blue ones, spider veins sure make the stretch marks you worried about at age 15 seem insignificant. Thankfully they should cause no harm or discomfort, but only professional treatments like laser can actually rid you of them. However, if it’s a special occasion and you’d rather them look less spidery, a layer of budge-proof body makeup provides the perfect camouflage. For even, smooth coverage, we recommend applying with a kabuki brush or mitt.

bh loves: Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs Makeup, Elle Effect The Tint ($44.95, elleeffect.com) and La Mav® Vegan Kabuki Brush

#3 Fake fuller hair

Hair thinning can be caused by a number of things (and actually, it can affect all ages), though female pattern hair loss does often coincide with menopause. If you’re experiencing hair loss, there are some hair treatments that can restore hair density and stimulate better growth over time. But if it’s instant fullness you’re after, hair fibres provide a temporary albeit terrific solution, filling in the hairline and any gaps to conceal sparse areas.

bh loves: Viviscal Gorgeous Growth Densifying Elixir, Women’s REGAINE® Foam and Toppik Hairbuilding Fibres

#4 Disguise greys

Whether it’s been a while between appointments or you haven’t got round to using that box dye yet, there are plenty of ways to disguise greys in seconds. Admittedly, these techniques are easier to pull of for dark hair colours, but they’re also the ones to suffer from contrast the most! If you’re dealing with a hefty amount of regrowth, reach for a coloured dry shampoo and lightly spray before brushing through. Only have a few rogue strands to hide? Sweep over them with your tinted brow gel or (colour pending) your mascara.

bh loves: Batiste Dry Shampoo – Hint of Colour, Mavala Switzerland Creamy Mascara and L’Oréal Paris Magic Retouch - Instant Root Concealer Spray 

#5 Embrace tint

If you haven’t already become acquainted with brow tint during lockdown, the DIY hack is worth the know-how. Not only will it help sparse brows look fuller, but if you find your mascara constantly ends up on your eyelids, tinting them will provide a semi-permanent solution. And those greys we were talking about earlier? Any leftover mixture can provide a cheeky top-up.

bh loves: 1000 Hour Brush-In Lash & Brow Dye Kit

Main image credit: @traceeellisross

What’s the best beauty hack you know? Have you tried any of the above?