Bobbi Brown's Makeup Facelift

Marianne Butler, 42: Photo editor

What was bothering her: "My ruddy complexion and the marionette lines around my mouth."

Bobbi's no-surgery solution: "Women in their 40s often complain about their skin—that it's looking ruddy or sallow. I tell them, 'Even if you've always resisted foundation, start wearing it now.' Use an especially hydrating moisturizer every day, because it plumps up the skin, so whatever lines are starting to form will look less obvious. I applied a corrector under Marianne's eyes, close to her lashes, because there were some purple shadows there, and also around her nose, where she is especially ruddy. Then I applied foundation over her whole face to even out her complexion. Toning down the redness around her nose and mouth definitely diminished the look of her marionette lines. On Marianne's eyes, I used a sandy, neutral eyeshadow over the top lid right up to the brow and a thin application of mahogany liner on her upper lid. Black mascara adds definition to her eyes and draws attention up and away from the lines around her mouth. I used a taupe shadow to accentuate her gorgeous brows and a raspberry pink cream blush on the apples of her cheeks."

Cost of Bobbi's makeup:
Corrector: $22; foundation: $40; eyeshadow: $19; eyeliner: $19; mascara: $20; eyeshadow (on brows): $19; pot rouge (on cheeks): $22
Total: $161

Pricey alternative:
Restylane (or another hyaluronic acid filler): $600 to $800 per treatment, two treatments per year; Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) to combat ruddiness: 400 to $800 per treatment, three to five treatments
Total: $2,400 to $5,600

Bridget Thexton, 52: Senior vice president at a financial institution

What was bothering her: "The age spots on my cheeks. And the area below my brows is sagging, which is dragging down my eyes."

Bobbi's no-surgery solution: "Age spots are the one thing that you can cover with makeup, and it's a cinch. First, use a creamy corrector a little lighter than your skin tone. Over that, dot a touch of stick foundation in the same color as your skin tone. The spot will completely disappear.

"I used a light eyeshadow in a nude color all over Bridget's lids to open up her eyes. Then I applied a gel liner in indigo to bring out their beautiful color. Bridget said she never wore liner on her upper lid, only on her lower lid, which is the opposite of what she should be doing. Lining the upper lid will bring the focus up when you look at her; lining only the lower lid brings the focus down. In the crease, I used a slightly deeper shadow, a shade darker than the nude, and blended that well. I lifted the arch of her eyebrows and extended them slightly toward her temples with a taupe eyeshadow. Black mascara adds more definition; I gave her two coats, starting close to the lashline and pulling out to the sides. A cream blush in powder pink gives her cheekbones a natural flush."

Cost of Bobbi's makeup:
Corrector: $22; foundation: $38; eyeshadows (two): $19 each; eyeliner: $19; eyeshadow (on brows): $19; mascara: $20; blush: $20
Total: $176

Pricey alternative:
Laser (for age spots): $250 to $550 per treatment, three treatments; eyelid surgery: $5,000
Total: $5,750 to $6,650

Avis McCarther, 67: Actress

What was bothering her: "The deep crease between my eyes and the wrinkles on my forehead. Also the shadows under my eyes."

Bobbis no-surgery solution: "I'm sorry, what wrinkles? Avis looks astonishing at 67. Her eyes are dark and deep set, and playing them up will divert attention from that crease between them and diminish the few lines she has on her forehead.

"I lightened up the area under Avis's eyes and at the inner corners near her nose with a cream corrector in a peach tone; on top of that, I applied concealer in a color one shade lighter than her skin tone, and extended it a bit onto her upper lid. I used a tawny eyeshadow to brighten the upper lid even more, and in the crease, a brown shadow with a hint of shimmer to really bring the focus to her eyes. Though I used a black gel eyeliner, I kept the line very minimal so that it only added definition.

"I also applied a fine line of black liner underneath Avis's eyes, and two coats of black mascara, which makes them stand out more. A little cocoa berry stain on her lips draws attention to her beautiful mouth."

Cost of Bobbi's makeup:
Corrector: $22; concealer: $32; eyeshadows (two): $22 each; eyeliner: $19; mascara: $20; pot rouge (on lips): $22
Total: $159

Pricey alternative:
Botox: $400 per treatment, three treatments per year
Total: $1,200

Kathryn Millan, 50: Photo editor

What was bothering her: "My jowls and the texture of the skin on my neck."

Bobbi's no-surgery solution: "To move the focus up from the lower part of Kathryn's face and her neck, I focused on her eyes. I used a neutral shadow over her lids, and then a soft gray gel liner, extending it up at the outer corners. Black mascara adds depth. A tawny cream blush placed high on the apples of her cheeks emphasizes her cheekbones, and a sheer, soft lipcolor doesn't distract attention from her eyes and cheeks as a darker color would.

"Kathryn could try a very light dusting of bronzer on her lower jaw and neck in order to play down the slight sagging there. She should be sure to use a big, fluffy brush, which will diffuse the powder; if it seems hard to blend, she'll know that she's using too much."

Cost of Bobbi's makeup:
Eyeshadow: $19; liner: $19; mascara: $20; blush: $20; lipstick: $21; bronzer: $32; brush: $35
Total: $166

Pricey alternative:
Thermage (tightens skin): $1,000 to $5,000, depending on number of areas treated; lower facelift: $5,000 to $10,000
Total: $6,000 to $15,000