Staying on top of the latest beauty trends can be a chore – between surfing the ‘net, scrolling through magazines, watching endless “how to” clips on YouTube and scrolling through dozens of feeds on Instagram. So overwhelming, in fact, we often throw in the towel, oftentimes sticking to what we “know.” Unfortunately, most of what we “know” is dated.
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While shimmering eye shadow, falsies, and creamy blush may have been fresh and fun in you’re 20s, the wrong makeup look can instantly age you as you grow older. So, in an effort to remain fresh, flawless and fabulous, we reached out to beauty mogul Vera Moore.
In the ‘70s, Moore, who was born to working-class parents in Queens, New York, became one of the first Black actresses contracted to a soap opera. For over a decade, she portrayed nurse Linda Metcalf on NBC’s “Another World.” Immediately, the singer and theater actress turned soap opera star was faced with a harsh reality — makeup options available to performers of color were far and in-between.
In response, Moore, alongside her husband, Billy Helms, a veteran cosmetologist and esthetician, launched Vera Moore Cosmetics in 1979 – a beauty brand advocating the importance of natural beauty. “Our mantra is that ‘skincare is the foundation – makeup is an accessory,’” Moore told BlackDoctor.org.
With over three decades in the beauty industry, and a highly successful cosmetic line, Moore dished on six beauty do’s and don’ts for your 30s and beyond.
DO: “I’m glad you said skin first. A lot of us just don’t take care of our skin properly. When we get our nails done, we clean, scrub, moisturize, and polish them before we put on a top coat. But we don’t do that with our skin. For beautiful skin, it’s important to exfoliate,” said Moore.
“Think of your skin as an orange. You know how it’s full of tiny holes-let’s call them pores. Our skin is very similar. In order to really remove dirt and oil, we have to scrub our skin with an exfoliant. This can’t be achieved by washing your face alone,” Moore added.
“Depending on your skin type, you could do it twice a week. Masks are also a good option; those you can do from home. Just don’t sleep in it,” she added. “Of course, you have to know what your skin type is: oily, dry, or combination, before you select products to treat it.”
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Don’t: “Contour. Stop trying to look like the girl in the magazine, because you’re not her. She’s fake anyway. This trend of wearing excessive concealer under the eyes, contouring the nose—not even blending it. I understand it’s on trend, but come on, they’re over doing it-splashing it all over the place,” Moore continued.
“A lot of times, when these women remove all of the concealer, foundation, powder, highlighter, etc., they have beautiful skin. Applying all of these products can actually be problematic and age you.”
Do: “Individual lashes are a great way to have people say ‘oh wow, she’s beautiful-what are you using?’ While a full strip of lashes is nice for a night out, when you’re really trying to pop, they’re unnecessary during the day.”
Don’t: “Again, shy away from overdoing the under eye concealer. Shimmery shadows are nice but eyes are an area where you can do pretty much anything in moderation,” she said.
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Do: “Lips are another area that whether you want to go with a bold, nude, or natural pink lippie—it can work in moderation. Always be sure that when you’re applying lipstick, a stain, or a gloss, that your lips have been moisturized, first.”
Don’t: “[Don’t] wear anything that requires harsh scrubbing to remove. I think that is why some brands require you to buy the lip primer and remover, because without it, it’ll be days before you see your natural lip color again,” said Moore.
“The skin on your lips is very thin. You don’t want to create dry, peeling or splitting lips by using drying products.”
Overall, ”the goal is being comfortable in your own skin,” said Moore. “Beauty is internal. It has nothing to do with makeup. That’s why our mantra is skincare is the foundation, makeup is an accessory.”
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