- Laura Geller shares her best makeup and application tips for achieving an easy holiday glam for women over 50.
- Less is more when it comes to holiday makeup for women over 50, but you can still have fun with color and be a little bit bold!
- Here’s Geller’s advice for creating a luminous holiday look, plus her two makeup must-haves to keep with you for touchups.
‘Tis the season for a bold red lip and putting a little shimmer on your eyelids, but that can often feel intimidating for women over 50. Laura Geller, the 67-year-old makeup artist who has made a career of making mature women feel confident in their own skin with her makeup tips and tricks, disagrees. “The holidays are the perfect time to play around with your makeup and try something new!” she explains to Prevention.
But how do you do it without veering into Vegas showgirl territory? Geller says for women over 50, there’s a surefire way to get decked out this holiday season without going overboard. Whether you are searching for little extras to glam up your look for a work party or a festive family gathering, you are in the right place. Below, Geller reveals her exclusive beauty secrets for the season to Prevention. And as a makeup artist and fabulous woman in her sixties, we trust her advice implicitly. Keep reading for the break down.
Laura Geller Beauty
Always start with a moisturized base
The first step—especially in wintertime—should always be a moisturizer. “Cold weather naturally pulls moisture from our skin, so it’s important to make sure you’re properly hydrating it before applying makeup,” Geller previously told Prevention. “I always say that makeup can only be as good as what’s underneath, and if your skin is thirsty, your foundation will tell on you through dry spots and creasing.”
Geller’s go-to product? “There’s no question about this one, it’s my Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer in Hydrate.” This lightweight cream-to-gel formula is inflused with hydrating hyaluronic acid and moisturizing squalene, shea butter, and jojoba oil, and creates a smooth, luminous look before any makeup goes on. It is her essential prep for dry skin over 50. “By applying a hydrating primer first, your makeup stays fresh and dewy, creating the perfect canvas so everything you put on top just glides on effortlessly.” Think of it as an invisible Instagram filter for your face that will ensure your holiday look goes on smoothly and lasts.
Amplify with one or two special touches
Holiday makeup doesn’t need to be complicated or intimidating. “For women over 50, less is more,” Geller says. “Add a few special touches to make it feel festive.” In layman’s terms, you don’t need to go overboard or stray too far from your typical daily look. Geller recommends picking one strategic feature to highlight: “Go easy on your base and build where you want impact: a classic red lip, a slightly deeper eyeshadow for definition, or a soft shimmer on the lid and inner corner to catch the light.”
As for products, Geller’s Jelly Balm in Brick House makes a red lip easy with its buildable berry hued color and hydrating formula. While her recommendation for shimmer is her Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator.
Here is Geller’s personal holiday glam plan: “When I want more glam for evening holiday parties and events, I reach for a classic red lip paired with a hint of shimmer on the eyes,” she says. “On nights where I want something a touch softer, let’s say for a casual holiday get together with friends, I lean into neutral tones on the eyes and a flattering lip with some gloss.”
Keep things simple with one makeup palette
How many times have you spent hours digging around in your makeup drawer looking for that one old tube of red lipstick or that eye shadow you haven’t worn since last year’s holiday party? It’s so much less stressful to have your makeup organized in one palette that you can reach for when you need to get party ready, like Laura’s Glam on the Go Face + Eye Palettes.
“These are perfect for creating a holiday look and include three different palettes with eyeshadows and blushes—not to mention it was recently named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things 2025! Everything you need is included, so it’s like having a mini makeup wardrobe at your fingertips. Whether you’re feeling neutral and natural or bold and festive, there’s a shade that fits the mood. For the red lip, you can grab any lipstick that has the right tone of red for your coloring, and then I’d apply some gloss on top to finish up the look.”
Don’t be afraid to touch up
“You’ll always find two things in my purse: lipstick and blush!” Geller says of her touch-up must haves for adding color on the go. “A swipe of my favorite Jelly Balm Hydrating Lip Color or a quick sweep of blush can instantly brighten my look and I don’t need a mirror to apply either.” Jelly Balm is an easy-to-apply tinted lip balm, it adds hydration, shine and just a hint of color to refresh your bright holiday lip.
When it comes to blush, “a baked formula is my non-negotiable for a fresh pop of color that brings life back to the face and adds a little polish. (Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten Marbleized Blush is her must-have for mature skin over 50 because it imbues a lit-from-within glow to the skin.) Geller’s best party trick? “I’ll sneak into the ladies’ room, apply a little blush and suddenly I look lifted and camera-ready.”
Voila, gorgeous! With Geller’s tips and tricks, we hope you feel confident and fabulous at all your holiday events this season. Plus browse more Laura Geller Beauty favorites below.
Laura Geller Beauty Baked Balance-n-Brighten Color Correcting Foundation
Now 50% Off
Laura Geller Beauty Better Than ‘Block Foundation with SPF 50+
Now 58% Off
Bliss x Laura Geller Beauty Drench & Quench All-Day Moisturizer
Now 12% Off
Laura Geller Beauty The Best of the Best Baked Face Palette
Now 61% Off
Bliss x Laura Geller Beauty Eye Do All Things Brightening Eye Gel
Now 30% Off
is an editor, copywriter, and professional skincare junkie. Her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Oprah Daily, Allure, Marie Claire, and more. Follow Gina on Instagram.
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