UPDATE: I had it done! Brows and lashes. No irritation. At first the brows seemed a little dark and thick. She didn't just wipe the color on but used a brush and seemed to paint each hair. She also said she put dye in spots where hair was missing. Today I had them sugared and they look really great! Several people said I really look younger. I demand honest opinions from my friends and family so I do believe I look younger, LOL. The lashes look good but it wasn't the dramatic difference I was hoping for. I guess my lashes are not as long as I thought. They do look good with mascara. I'm still getting used to the look as my eyes look different now. On to makeup. Someone I know who is a rep for a makeup line is going to come over and give me and my friend make up tips. We are late 40ish and want to make sure we are keeping current while looking the best for our age. We are very worried about not looking like our daughters (both 18). We see too many women are age dressing like their daughters. I even cut my very long hair when I realized my hair was just like my daughters. I saw a picture of the back of a women and she looked like 16 from the back. Then you looked at the front and she looked 60. I did not want that so while I still have longish hair the style now is more fitting. Even my 84yr old mom, who doesn't wear makeup complains that her friends still wear their makeup the same way they did when they were 20. If this is a midlife crises, I am enjoying every minute! and so is hubby as he has started noticing some of the upgrades, ; )

I use this: Roux Lash & Brow Tint I've used other tint kits, but they've made my eyes burn terribly (which has also happened every time I've had my lashes professionally dyed). The Roux kit does not burn, and I find it very easy to work with - although I do have to be very careful to not let it drip down onto the applicator (I just use Q-tips) where I end up getting it on my fingers and it's a pain to remove. The kit does come with an "ooops" remover, and it works well if I accidentally get the dye on the skin around my eyes as long as I use it immediately. Anyway, using the Q-tips, I first apply the clear activating liquid (bottle #1) and let it dry for about a minute, then using a clean Q-tip I apply the dye (bottle #2) while looking into a lighted magnifying mirror. Super easy to do. After a few minutes, I either splash my eyes with water or gently wipe with a water-soaked cotton ball to remove any residue. For me, this is no fuss/no muss (unless I get it on my fingers!), doesn't burn, and is cost-effective. This is definitely a product I'll keep using. I'm able to do a much more thorough job than the professional ever did when I paid $25 (plus tip) to have her dye my lashes, and it's long-lasting too.

Fascinating topic :). I have never been interested in make up, and so never got into much of it. Daily routine is, after washing face, to apply an SPF 30 moisturizer, brow pencil since I plucked most of mine as a teenager and they never grew back, and a dot of Dermablend cover on a small but very pale and noticeable circular scar above one eye where I had a skin cancer removed. Quit bothering with eye shadow and blush years ago, ditto with foundation which is also nasty to wear in the Miami subtropical weather; feels to me like wearing a greasy mask, yuck. Actually the climate here strongly mitigates against the multilayer face 'painting' I read about; cannot imagine plastering on primer/foundation/powder and then leaving it to bake all day especially during what I call our double 90 season (heat and humidity). Have never used lipstick, rarely mascara and never tried eye liner. Have never had an interest in Botox or any other type of intervention or surgical options and probably never will. I did Invisalign orthodontia several years ago; had lived with crooked teeth until I was 50+ YO and the feeling about my improved appearance/smile, along with the greater ease in keeping up with dental hygiene due to straight teeth has been immeasurably positive. I have my hair professionally cut and highlighted every 10-12 weeks. Wash and blow dry it every other day, use a straightening iron too often--as I'm aging my hair is developing that brittle overprocessed look that I hate to see. I need to up my use of hair treatments but just haven't bothered. What else--do my own pedicures, no manicures or nail polish on my hands. Did fingernail polish for years on my own but didn't like how it discolored the nails and prefer natural. I am in major stall on exercise; was doing Pilates regularly with a trainer but she closed her studio and I haven't found a group class with a good instructor on a schedule that works for me. At 58, I badly need to get myself into a regular schedule of cardio, stretching and weight training. Have never had to worry about weight but the tone and fitness lack is worrisome. I'd call myself diligent in keeping clean, tidy and looking reasonable but in many ways I like being in the stage of life at which I've become 'invisible'. It's very freeing in a lot of ways not to worry about trying to live up to whatever i social acceptability standard for appearance is out there for women these days :).

I've been quite pleased with the length, and now fullness that I've gotten from the Lumigan (generic Latisse), and last week I had my eyelashes tinted, and what a difference! I wake up looking like I have mascara on. In fact, I haven't applied mascara since the tinting was done, and I don't usually leave the house without it. The salon that I went to offered tinting for only $20. They also do eyelash perms and tint for $80, but I'm quite happy with the effect of the tinting alone. I was told that it should last 3 - 4 weeks. I've also seen eyelash tint kits on Amazon, with lots of great reviews, but I'm not sure about doing it myself, though I have been dyeing my eyebrows with Just For Men beard and mustache dye with great success.