I have a story where a woman transitions from emphasizing a youthful appearance to a more mature appearance. How would she change her make-up to show this? She is a newscaster so the change is important both to show character development to the audience but a change to the other characters in the story. My initial thought was light colors for both attire and make up for a youthful appearance and a darker suit and eye shadow etc for an older appearance. I'm a guy so please help!
A more youthful makeup tends to be bright colors - pinks and bright reds on the lips, more blush on the cheeks, and more eye makeup, usually something like winged eyeliner or even colored eye shadow, although that's not terribly popular anymore. Going more "mature" would probably see her transitioning to cooler colors - a more neutral eye with a hint of eyeliner and mascara, or a more natural/nude palette, where her makeup is more dark in tone.
Look at pictures: hairstyle, makeup, clothes. Pinterest is a good resource. Pinterest mature women Teen girls' styles
When you say youthful versus mature, what ages are we talking about? I realize that you may not want to be precise, but going from looking like a high school student to a professional woman in her twenties, versus going from a youngish woman to a middle-aged woman, are different things.
The MC is a female newscaster in her mid 30's. She has maintained a youthful image to her audience and her persona. Per the plot, she abandons her youthful image and projects a more mature persona. Although I hadnt thought of it this way, it would be comparable to comparing the make up and attire of a 30yo woman to perhaps a 40yo woman. Or 27 to 45 if a more extreme comparison helps. Gigi kind of answered my question, verifying my initial suspicion. However, if there are other considerations or opinions I would still love to hear them.
You know, I've noticed in Chinese cinema and I've seen it too that one time I watched a Korean drama, if the female lead has curly/wavy hair, then after some dramatic plot point and she matures or changes as a person, she inevitably gets straight hair. Straight hair is of course the norm in China/HK - very few has curly/wavy hair naturally. So I guess you could apply that to the west - what sorta physical traits are natural to a person and what sorta traits are seen as attractive but that is rarely natural? The more mature look would be the more natural look, I imagine.
Most women I know found out what suited them (and what they could do) and then just stuck with it. I don't think faces change so much as to need a radical re-think by 40, although as she is a news presenter she will probably have her make-up done by make-up artists who could voice their opinions more bluntly.
You could google make up trends for 30-40 yo women for some ideas. If she's a newscaster, would she have a make-up artist who'd help her decide the new look? I think for someone who has a public occupation, make-up is more important and they know more about which products to use, and due to her age, she'd probably have some go-to products, then add to that whatever fashion and women's magazines recommend.
I think the more youthful makeup look would include black eye liner with heavy flicks and penciled in eyebrows which would be lessened as your character ages.
Your thought is logical, but in reality what girls do when they have not had many experiences with makeup (and what I think I have done) is to use too dark colors at first or to use them in wrong places. I have done my makeup wrong for years until I discovered in a tutorial video, that eyeshadow must be applied differently. Lighter colors and not being too excessive shows maturense better I think. When you are a guy and not had any/mush experience with make up, I really advise you to look up tutorial videos on youtube. A writer must research, to sound believeable
I love dark colors. They suit me just fine. My two daughters, they're in their twenties, don't use make-up and wear bright colors - sometimes dark colors - depends on the weather. They do use, however, mascara. I always use lipstick, eventually some eye shadow . . . it depends on the mood I'm in. I'm in my forties, and appearance is very important to me if I go to customers. I'm a freelance programmer... or I used to be, before I got a handicap on my right hand. Still, I find appearance important.
I agree that appearance is important. Perhaps really not to everyone, but I think to a great majority. Also, Lavey has said that, GOOD APPEARANCE perhaps really is not the most important aspect, but APPEARANCE still is.
I dont think color or style can anwser your question. Different people have different opinions of both. The point to me sounds like your MC is hiding behind make-up and the character growth is her giving that up. So I think it should just be less or even no make up. Because it was a shield, a shield she trying to now live without. Could be a interesting scene. Her walking in front of the camera without anything. Afriad of what is going to happen, what people may think or say. If you want to go in that directions.
