Menopause make up advice with Adrienne Arpel

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You can slather away your wrinkles.

You can slough off the dead skin cells.

You can even pick it all up and tuck it all in

with a surgical needle and thread.

But if you don't polish off the look with a contemporary cosmetic image, you're still going to look old! Indeed, experts say that one of THE biggest make-up mistakes women over 40 make is that they wear the same products - or colors - or styles of make-up - they wore 20 years or more before.

You can always tell the happiest time in a woman's life - just look at her make-up and you'll know where she's stuck in time," says legendary celebrity make-up artist Adrien Arpel. Too often, Arpel says women are knee deep in a "cosmetic time warp" , inexplicably bound to a look and a style that is clearly from another decade of their life.

"No woman would be caught wearing a 30 year old dress or a 25 year old pair of shoes - but yet so many are still wearing the same make-up they wore when they were in high school or college - and many more are duplicating the look they had on their wedding picture," says Arpel. Even when products are updated - to a pricier brand for example - most women still stick to the same color palette, and she says, seldom take chances or think outside the box to find a new look.

So where do you begin putting on the new face of glam for the second half of your life? Experts say updating can be easy if you begin with products geared to compensate for the changes that occur in mid-life - like thinning lips, or a change in skin coloring or texture. "These are not your daughter's cosmetics - but they are products that can take years off your face - in an instant!," says Arpel.

To help you get started, below you'll find the top four cosmetics that experts say every woman over 40 must have in her make-up bag!

Essential # 1 : Face Primer

A relatively new kind of product developed to smooth the skin and give you the equivalent of a freshly spackled canvas upon which to paint, a good primer can do miracles when it comes to evening out skin tone, filling in tiny lines and wrinkles and reducing the look of large pores. The final result will make your foundation go on smoother and last longer, without getting into wrinkles and fine lines!

Application Tips: Apply after cleansing and moisturizing, using fingertips or a sponge. Don't "rub" it in, like you would a moisturizer - instead pat into your face, applying sparingly much the way you would a liquid foundation.

Essential # 2 : Skin Illuminator

Also known as "skin brighteners", these must-have creams, liquids, and powders contain microscopic particles that work like tiny mirrors to reflect light on to your skin. The end result is a radiant complexion that looks younger than springtime! To emphasize that glow, look for products tinted a light peach or warm beige tone - or those with a kalidiscope of multi colors to brighten skin.

Application Tips: Since, on their own, illuminators won't cover like a foundation, you need to add them to your make-up, or put them on over foundation. So, the primer goes first, then foundation, then an illuminator or brighter. If your skin is dry, definitely choose a liquid illumination product. If your skin is oily, and you don't have a lot of fine lines or wrinkles, then a face brightening powder works best.

Essential # 3: Concealer

Designed to cover and 'conceal" discolorations around the eyes, these ultra creamy "super-foundations" can be a mid-life woman's best friend. The reason? As we age, the already thin skin under our eyes thins out even more, leaving tiny blue and red veins underneath to suddenly appear. Add to this a few sleepless nights, and you have the makings of dark, discolored aging circles in and around the eyes.

In addition, as estrogen levels plummet and the collagen reserves in our skin begin to decline, we lose definition in our cheekbones-, which in turn can cause a "dip" under the eye that creates still another shadow.

The end result can add up to 10 years to your appearance! A really good concealer can take those years away!

Application tips: Thes super trick here is to find a product that is dense in pigment but not cakey - and matching it to your skin tone. The biggest concealer mistake women make: Choosing a shade that's too light! This only makes puffy eyes look puffier and lines more prominant! Also, make certain to "pat" concealer in place using your ring finger (for minimal pressure on the eye area) and always put it on last - after foundation. If you put concealer on first, followed by foundation, you're likely to dilute the product and end up with less coverage.

Essential # 4 : Bronzer

Different from a permanent tanning product, a bronzer is a cosmetic that can add a glorious temporary glow to your skin and a shimmer of summer color all year long. Experts say it's perfect for mid-life skin since as we age we tend to lose color from our faces - one reason behind that "pasty" look that adds years to your appearance.

Applications Tips: For the most natural look select a bronzer no more than two shades darker than your natural complexion. Fair skinned gals should look for products with a yellow/peach undertone, while dark skinned ladies need reddish-brown tones. If your skin is very pale, use a cream blusher in a pink shade applied to the "apples" of your cheeks first, before applying bronzer, says Green. And, regardless of your skin color never put a bronzer all over your face. Instead, hit only the "high" points where the sun normally kisses your skin: Tops of cheekbones, down the center of your nose, and on the chin. Blend in upwards towards the temples, and if there's any left on the brush, sweep it across the top of your forehead and into your hairline.

From "Your Perfectly Pampered Menopause