Best Makeup

The pros on our panel agree: A great foundation is an essential product for over-40 skin and also the most difficult to get right. (That's why we have six new options in this category.) They caution not to get seduced by makeup skincare claims; texture and shade matter most. Overdoses of shimmer, dated lipstick colors, loose powder, and anything sticky got a veto. What everyone loved: compact cream foundations, waterproof liner and mascara, and packages that dispense makeup one hygienic dollop at a time.

The Pros

Sandy Linter, 59
Makes up celebs like Elizabeth Hurley, Natasha Richardson, and Candice Bergen.

Cynde Watson, 40
Wields the brushes behind Angela Bassett, Cynthia Nixon, and Paula Abdul.

Helene Macaulay, 46
Susan Sarandon and Edie Falco love the way she does eyes.

Leah Tamburino, 52
Makeup artist for TV anchors.

Julie Harris, 44
Counts Madonna as a client and works on shoots with top fashion photographers.

Their Makeup Picks

1. Cover Girl Advanced Radiance Restorative Cream Foundation ($10)
"Surprisingly upscale quality at a low price -- beautiful moisturizing coverage that still looks like skin. If this were a blind test, I'd swear it was a $50 foundation." -- Helene Macaulay

2. Revlon Super Lustrous Shiny Sheers ($8)
"Light, moisturizing color that looks youthful in a good way -- not too glossy. Shades like Peachy Sheen, Honey Drizzle, and Plumdrop are so wearable they're impossible to pass up." -- Cynde Watson

3. Prescriptives Here to Stay 24-Hour Longwear Mascara ($20)
"Great mix of science and design. The flexible brush, intense, no-smudge pigments, and perfect texture make it easy to maximize thin, sparse lashes and give eyes a wide-awake look fast." -- Julie Harris

4. Bare Escentuals Bare Vitamins Prime Time Foundation Primer ($21)
"This silky gel, layered over moisturizer, transforms skin into a smooth canvas. Your makeup will glide on, oblivious to lines, pores, and flaky rough spots." -- Leah Tamburino

5. Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Eye Shadow Quad in Earth Minerals ($9)
"These subtle neutrals blend on demand to give eyes a soft-focused emphasis." -- Watson

6. Yves Saint Laurent Perfect Touch Radiant Brush Foundation ($50)
"This giant foundation version of a click-pen concealer erases fatigue and adds sheer, radiant color in a few swipes. Love the wide, soft brush and squeeze-tube applicator -- no more messy sponges. If you prefer a liquid, this is it." -- Tamburino

7. Patricia Wexler MD Dermatology Fastcription Instant Airbrush Line Smoothing Super Concealer ($20)
"It's sheer and water-based, so it won't settle in lines or be detectable at the thin-skinned inner eye, where most women have shadows. Comes in warm and cool shades, not just light and dark." -- Sandy Linter

8. Giorgio Armani Designer Shaping Compact Foundation SPF 22 ($65)
"This brush-on cream gives extra coverage where you want it and looks velvety-real, even in broad daylight. If you like tinted moisturizers but think they don't do enough, try this." -- Linter

9. Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Extreme Ultra Firming Creme Compact Makeup SPF 15 ($34)
"This very light makeup gives drier skin a radiant glow and won't dry to a powdery finish like liquids. Stays supple." -- Watson

10. Maybelline New York Shine Seduction Lipcolor ($8)
"Like sneakers for lips -- a comfy morph of gloss and lipstick that's designed to hygienically release color for each use; leaves no aftertaste; and hugs your lips instead of lying on top in a glob." -- Linter

11. Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Longlasting Eyeliner ($27)
"This self-sharpening pencil gets you close to the lashline. The dark espresso and black shades won't look harsh or overdone, even on tired eyes." -- Harris

12. Dior Backstage Pro Cheeks in Catwalk Pink #755 ($30)
"This creamy mousse wakes up every skin tone -- from dark, like my own, to pale ones like Julie's. Try it instead of bronzer." -- Watson

13. Clarins Truly Matte Foundation ($34)
"Micro-sponges in the formula make this great for mature skin that's still oily or prone to blemishes. It hides pores; light reflectors minimize wrinkles." -- Tamburino

14. Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Lipstick ($22)
"Intense color with a creamy matte finish that's not too matte and won't bleed. I love the Perfect Brick shade for anyone who wants a new red." -- Harris

15. Lancome Color Fever Shine Lipstick ($24)
"Gorgeous nudes like Old Flame, Femme Fire, and Pink Sizz won't feather or fade but will add definition to thin, flat lips like mine. A real full-coverage lipstick that feels as light as lip balm." -- Macaulay

16. Cle de Peau Beaute Eyeshadow #13 ($70)
"These sheer, low-watt neutrals do for eyes what gloss does for lips: enhance size and provide a youthful, modern look. I like them layered or worn individually. The sparkle won't fall on your cheeks or look too 'evening.' I promise!" -- Macaulay

17. Bobbi Brown Moisturizing Cream Compact Foundation ($40)
"Perfect color matches, rich emollient texture, and serious coverage make this a hero on photo shoots, and my private clients love it too. It deals with redness, broken capillaries, brown spots, and undereye shadows. Retouches like a dream." -- Linter

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