There I was, a freshly minted 50-year-old, staring down the doors of beauty heaven—or what I thought was supposed to be heaven—aka Sephora. For context, I’d spent the last two decades with the same makeup routine. Foundation that matched my high school prom look? Check. Eyeshadow from the late ‘90s? Yep. Lipstick, re-bought in the same color year after year, even though that shade of mauve went out of style around the same time as MC Hammer parachute pants? Oh, absolutely.
But I thought that turning 50 was maybe, just maybe, the time to update my look. Something about my skin changing, makeup trends moving on, and the wonders of hyaluronic acid (is it a moisturizer? An acid? Both? Does it hurt?). So, off I went to Sephora with high hopes.
From the moment I walked in I was hit by a wave of neon lights, jumping music, and rows upon rows of products with names I couldn’t pronounce let alone know what they were used for. People half my age were confidently swatching colors that looked like they’d been pulled from a vibrant sunset—bright corals, shimmering golds, dreamy purples, all the while my skin-tone-matching prowess maxed out at “ivory” and “beige.”
I approached a display that looked like an easy starting point—moisturizers. Surely I could handle moisturizers, right? Wrong. Suddenly, I was confronted with choices like “plumping serum” and “age-defying elixir”. The labels talked about things like peptides and acids. I was overwhelmed.
I couldn’t even muster up the courage to ask one of the store associates. I left. Sephora had won that day. I walked out, empty-handed, cheeks flushed—not from blush but from sheer embarrassment.
Let’s be real, how many of us are still rocking the same makeup look we started in our 30s? We’re creatures of habit. Once we find something that works, we’re all about loyalty, whether that’s in life, love, or lipstick. But our skin changes, our faces evolve, and staying stuck in the same routine can actually hold us back from looking our best.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed. The beauty industry thrives on launching a zillion new products daily. It’s normal to feel like we’re out of our depth, but just because things are new and complex doesn’t mean they’re out of reach. Embracing change is easier when we remind ourselves that we don’t have to become beauty experts—we just have to be open to trying something new.
Here are some tips that I picked up along the way.
So, did I finally return to Sephora? Yes! It only took a year of psyching myself up, watching a couple dozen YouTube tutorials, and leaning on my girlfriends for moral support. This time, I walked in with confidence and left with a bag of products actually tailored to my needs. I even asked questions. (Apparently, serums are my friend now.)
For any woman out there who’s staring down the beauty aisle with anxiety, remember this: it’s never too late to try something new. Our skin is constantly changing, and our beauty routines can too. Besides, it’s fun. Think of it as a little adventure—like climbing a mountain but with way less sweating.
Whether it takes you two minutes or two years to feel comfortable in a new beauty routine, just know you’re not alone. Try a little, test a little, and eventually, you’ll find what works for you. We’re all in this together!
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