If there's one thing guaranteed to get my hackles up, it's any beauty trend suffixed with the word 'girl'. Infantilising grown women feels faintly creepy and don't get me started on the anti-feminist, pretty privilege undertones. And yet… I remain begrudgingly intrigued by the 'cool girl'.
That insouciant, rule-breaking creature seemingly immune to time, who remains effortlessly compelling well into midlife. Marianne Faithfull and Kate Moss, I'm looking at you (wistfully).
Which got me thinking about 'cool girl makeup' and what that might mean as I edge towards my semicentenary.
I've written before about my age dysmorphia when it comes to my signature look. I've been wedded to my retro eyeliner flick and OTT blush for three decades, but as I begin – ever so subtly – to experiment, I realise I'm searching for something that feels modern, fresh and, dare I say it, not uncool.
So, what exactly is 'cool girl makeup' and how can those of us over 40 actually wear it?
What is 'cool girl makeup'?
From years of backstage reporting at fashion shows, the look has traditionally translated as not giving a damn aka 'raw' skin, no mascara, and blurred, matte lips. I can just about pull off the blurred lip (despite a lip line that's less perky by the year), but bare skin and naked lashes aren't an option for the civilised world. So how do you pull off 'effortless' when a little more effort is required?
Makeup for older women; less is more?
"Cool girl makeup is all about confidence and intentional modern makeup," confirms award-winning makeup artist and British Beauty Council member Lan Nguyen-Grealis. "It's defined, but enhancing rather than caked; polished without looking fussy. Minimal, with subtle enhancements."
Somehow, without consciously trying, I finally seem to be synching with the trend. The older I get, the less makeup I'm wearing (particularly when it comes to base).
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Skin is in
As with today's 'cool girls' (think Hailey Bieber, Mia Goth and Elsa Hosk) the look hinges on sheer, natural-looking skin and barely-there contour (often courtesy of viral makeup artist Nina Park). Skin, it turns out, is the cornerstone.
"From our 40s, cool girl makeup is about investing in skincare and self-care," says Lan. "It's flawless skin achieved through preparation; great serums and highlighting moisturisers to enhance a natural glow rather than layers of shimmer. Let real skin show. Skip full-coverage foundation in favour of strategic concealing."
Her advice is refreshingly practical, less powder, more setting mist. "They'll still do the job of keeping makeup in place whether you want a matte or dewy finish." She also notes that attitude is key. Confidence, after all, is half the look; the makeup merely supports it."
Define sans lines
As I've aged, I've noticed that hard definition (despite my eyeliner addiction) has become trickier to pull off. Everything feels a little softer, a little lower and a little less fixed which makes it unsurprising that softness is now the way forward.
"For eyes, an understated wash of colour and liner smudged into the lash roots adds definition without harsh lines," says Lan. "You still follow the outer corners to lift and enhance, but it's much more forgiving."
Brows should be groomed rather than drawn. "Use brow gels – especially those with fibres - to fill gaps and create softness, rather than blocky pencils or powders." The goal is youthful fluffiness with subtle structure.
"Lips should be softly blurred," she adds. "Using lipsticks or stains smudged in, so that there are no harsh edges."
I haven't quite relinquished my eyeliner flick – yet - but I've started adopting some of these cool girl tricks. Does it make me a cool midlifer? Absolutely not. But I am embracing not looking like a try-hard relic of my twenties just yet and frankly, that feels cool enough.
