Don't cover wrinkles, try green eyeliner and use lipstick on your cheeks! Over-50s make-up artists share the very surprising secrets to looking younger

There's no question that as we age, make-up can start to feel less effective. What worked in your twenties and thirties might start to look dated, caked-on, even clown-ish. 

And yet many of us cling on to our old routines, or spend hours being pressurised into trying new products at beauty counters.

So we've taken the midlife makeover out of your hands. Who better to give top tips for women over 50 than those who've passed that landmark birthday themselves?

We asked some of the world's leading make-up artists for their insider secrets, their hero products and how not to make mistakes...

Throw the rulebook out the window and experiment

Ruby Hammer MBE, 62, is one of the best-known and respected make-up artists in the industry. She has worked with Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford and created her own brand, Ruby Hammer.

Ruby says: I look at ageing as a boon and we have to be open to adapting. There's no point wishing for your 20s and 30s to come back. You must make a conscious decision to re-evaluate your skincare and your make-up.

Don't just reach out for products. Think about what's going to work for you.

With older skin you need to build up thin layers, and you don't want a heavy and thick product. Try No7 Restore & Renew Serum Foundation, SPF30 (£18.66, boots.com). One area might need a bit more coverage, so add more. Look at skin tints or moisturisers or foundations with serum. These are light and don't sink into wrinkles.

Any woman over 50 needs a decent concealer. It's a multipurpose product; skin might be a little crepey around the eyes, you might have a breakout or you might be a bit more ruddy around the nose.

A top tip is to use two shades for different areas of the face — I use a lighter one around my eyes. I love Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage (£28.35, lookfantastic.com), which is a palette with two colours. The texture is slightly thicker, which scares people, but actually if you've prepped your skin well, it dabs on and doesn't wear off.

For youthful glow and long-lasting vibrancy, I recommend Ruby Hammer Cheek Colour (£24, rubyhammer.com). Everything loses its bloom with age, and the complexion can appear a bit dull and grey. I would suggest the red, whatever your skin colour. You just need a tiny bit — dab onto the apple of your cheek and blend with your fingers. Build up if you need to — if you're darker skinned, add more; if you're fair, just use a smidgen.

Don't be scared of red but don't be heavy-handed.

There are so many lovely lipstick products. Go for a hybrid one that gives comfort for dryer lips and has a hint of colour. Clarins Lip Oil (£25, clarins.co.uk) has both qualities. You don't need a mirror to apply it, just whip it out for a top-up.

Eyes can look less bright but a really good mascara will open them up so you look wider awake.

My Mascara & Brow Duo (£28, rubyhammer.com) has a tubular formula, which means it wraps around lashes, stops smudges and comes off with hot water. One end tidies the brows and the other is a mascara. Use one layer for daily running around and then build up to a couple in the evening.

Either use a primer at the beginning or a setting spray at the end of your make-up. Try Nanoset from Indeed Labs (£24.99, indeedlabs.com) which you just spray onto the face. It's long-lasting, has blurring properties, and gives older faces a bit of a soft-focus look.

Don't...feel there are any rules. Enjoy experimenting with looks.

Hyaluronic acid is vital

Terry de Gunzburg is in her sixties and a cosmetics guru. She created the original Touche Eclat for YSL as well as her own brand, By Terry. She has worked with photographers Helmut Newton and Patrick Demarchelier as well as models including Linda Evangelista.

Terry says: Older women are a large and loyal audience, and I'm so happy that there's a focus on them. When you're older, it's important to use substantial skincare behind the make-up. Women want skin to look very natural and real, as though it was young and perfect. My advice is to go for a glow whether or not you use colour.

I like the L'Oreal Paris Infallible 32H Foundation (£11.99, boots.com) which gives good coverage without being heavy.

Midlife women hate powders. They can sit in your skin and make it look matte and old, settling in pores and revealing tiny wrinkles. That's why I created my bestselling 8HA Hyaluronic Hydra Powder (£42, byterry.com) to set make-up and remove shine. It's almost like a filler because of its blurring properties.

It contains eight different hyaluronic acids and is literally a hydrating powder: a skincare product, but in a dry version.

Dust over the face after applying skincare and foundation.

To help create that natural look, I recommend the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer (£12.60, lookfantastic.com). It's thin, and gives good coverage without being greasy or sticky.

Lips often get drier at this time of life. My Hyaluronic Lip Liner (£22, byterry.com) is enriched with hyaluronic acid so that it fills in lines and defines the contours of the lips, and you can use gloss or lipstick on top to create a smooth finish.

I like Lisa Eldridge's lipsticks, (£27, lisaeldridge.com); she understands makeup and application. These have a velvety texture and last well but aren't drying on older lips.

Brows lose definition and hairs so can look sparse. Try Graphite Brow pencil by 19/99 (£22, spacenk.co/uk). It's an age-inclusive company, and this gives a soft, natural look. Use the brush to tidy brows and then fill in with the pencil at the other end.

Don't... overdo it. Avoid heavy contouring and keep coverage light and fresh.

Don't hide and try to conceal wrinkles 

Sandy Linter is in her seventies and her clients include Elizabeth Hurley, Christie Brinkley, Debbie Harry and Cheryl Tiegs. In the '70s she was part of the Studio 54 crowd and now her YouTube make-up teach-ins for older women are legendary.

Sandy says: You need to like what you see in the mirror, whether you age naturally or not. But don't hide yourself. There aren't any make-up rules for older women, but don't try to conceal wrinkles, because you'll just draw attention to them.

Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face (£30, sephora.co.uk) is fabulous. You have to use it discreetly — a little on cheekbones, a little on lips and a little on the eyelids — but it gives your face a lovely glow which is what fades as we age. The main thing I've noticed is that your eyelashes get messy, thin and dry. Everyone uses plumpers, but I've never had any success.

The only mascara I recommend is Chanel Volume Mascara (£27.90, boots.com). It will never disappoint you. And always use black to frame the eyes, which lose definition. It's a myth that older women can't use black. I love NARS Air Matte Blush (£24.30, lookfantastic.com). I scoop a little out with my finger, rub it on the back of my hand to melt it down and apply from my hand to my cheek. It's smooth on midlife skin and gives a gentle glow.

And actually, the best liquid eyeliner is by NARS as well — the Climax Liquid Eyeliner (£20.82, boots.com) has the best feathered tip point I've ever used. You cannot make a mistake using this as a liquid liner. Apply from the inner corner of the eye to the outside.

I always hold my fingers on the end of the eye and pull slightly so that the skin is firm. And I use a Q Tip to create a little flick upwards at the end.

Finally, we can't leave out MAC. All make-up artists love MAC. Some products deliver more than others, but I've been using the Studio Fix Fluid Foundation (£34, maccosmetics.co.uk) since it was created. It's a standout product. Go a shade or two darker than your natural skin colour.

Don't . . . use heavier foundation thinking it will cover up imperfections. As you get older less and lighter is better. You cannot cover wrinkles with makeup.

Use blush subtly, to create healthy glow

Make-up artist Florrie White, 50, has worked with Uma Thurman, Gillian Anderson and Meg Ryan.

Florrie says: I work with some very beautiful older women, and what's important is that you aren't showing off the make-up, you're showing off the individual and enhancing their beauty. I'm flattered they ask me to do their make-up, because by this age you know what you want to look like.

I turned 50 myself this year and I've noticed that you do need to tweak your make-up. I use the same amount, but I'm using far lighter products on my skin — tinted moisturiser rather than foundation. Shiseido Revitalessence Skin Glow foundation, SPF30 (£49, lookfantastic.com) gives a luminous glow and you can still see your skin, which is what you want.

It looks healthier and fresher. Covered-up skin is very old-fashioned.

Armani Power Fabric Concealer (£28, lookfantastic.com) is a brilliantly buildable concealer and it's sweat and water-resistant. It looks very natural.

The tinted moisturiser I'd recommend is Trinny London BFF SPF30 Cream (£39, trinnylondon.com). You can get sensitive eyes as you get older, and I recommend dyeing eyelashes and brows. There's a good dye called RefectoCil (£5.95, justmylook.com) which makes them look thicker and you don't need mascara. It's also smudge and waterproof.

I've had a lot of comments about Gillian Anderson's make-up this awards season, and I've been using green around her eyes, which might seem surprising. I'm a big fan of Victoria Beckham's Satin Kajal Liner (£30, victoriabeckhambeauty.com). Smudge these deep purples, blues or greens into the roots of the lashes then black mascara, and that will add light around the eyes.

The brand Violette FR does amazing lipsticks that are more like stains and last a long time without sinking into lip wrinkles. Apply its sheer matte lipstick called Bisou Balm (£29, violettefr.com) with a lip brush.

Don't . . . make your blush a 'feature' unless you want to look like a doll or are slightly desperate to hide tiredness. Think of it as adding a warmth or a healthy glow to your complexion.

All products via shopmy.us/florriewhitemakeup

Get an outdoor glow, it's all about hydration

Oscar-nominated Amber Sibley, 55, has worked with Annie Lennox, Thandiwe Newton and Willem Dafoe.

Amber says: Ideally you've adapted your make-up over the years, but for me working on older skin is about hydration — a well-hydrated complexion creates a healthy base for make-up.

I always start with a serum called Rainforest Dew by Tropic (£44, tropicskincare.com), which improves skin hydration as you wear it. Pat all over the face and neck, decolletage, and especially the hollow at the base of the neck. Blush-wise, I always use lipstick on the cheek in a plum or blood-coloured shade such as Amaryllis by Dr Hauschka (£20.50, drhauschka.co.uk), so it looks as though you've walked through a forest or field and have got a lovely outdoor glow. 

Lipstick stays put and the sheen looks fresh and natural. Dab on the apples of your cheeks where you'd blush if you were embarrassed.

My main tip for the over 50s is to use concealer in the middle of the crow's feet at the outside corner of the eye. Most people have a pinker area there that goes downwards. Tap some Tropic Illuma Light-Diffusing Concealer (£18, tropicskincare.co.uk) into that corner. 

It gives the illusion of lifting the eye. Use a shade a tiny bit lighter than your own skin tone. Concealer is more important than foundation — you can also use it at the deepest point on either side of the bridge of the nose and under the bag beneath the eye.

Mascara is vital for defining the eye. You need to get right to the roots of the eyelash to emphasise them. Start in the middle and work to the outside, then do just a few going towards the nose. Green People Volumising Mascara (£21.50, greenpeople.co.uk), is great for sensitive eyes. Or Tropic Fixing Gel Mascara (£18, tropicskincare.co.uk), stays on in the rain but isn't waterproof so comes off easily.

Use the same principle with eyebrows which get thinner and paler. Fill in just a little with a creamy pomade to make a big difference. Ensure the main body of the brow is parallel to the arch and then tapers off. Natural Eyeliner & Eyebrow Pomade, Forest Path, (£13.70, ecco-verde.co.uk).

Don't . . . put concealer over your whole under-eye area like the Tik-Tokers. Don't forget your inner light is what shines through your face and makes you beautiful.