10 most common beauty questions for women 50+, answered

7. HOW DO I USE OILS FOR SKIN AND HAIR? Kitchen-cabinet olive and safflower oils are historic beautifiers, but more refined versions of plant, nut and fruit oils for face and hair are an

alternative to smelling like a salad. Face oils like Honest Beauty Organic Beauty Facial Oil ($34, target.com) or CeraVe Skin Renewing Gel Oil ($25, ulta.com) are different from serums.

(Serums deliver active ingredients deep into the skin and go under moisturizer.) Face oils seal in moisture like a topcoat and are applied after serums and creams. Simply pat sparingly on

dry or dull areas to add radiance and glow. Try cleansing oils like Curél Makeup Cleansing Oil ($20, ulta.com) to dissolve makeup, cleanse and soften dry complexions as an alternative to

wipes. And while coconut oil is getting a lot of social media attention, it can make mature hair feel greasy or even drier and oddly crunchy or brittle. Try elevated hair oils like Olaplex

No7 Bonding Oil ($28, ulta.com) or Ouai Hair Oil-Ulta Beauty ($28, target.com) as a repair solution for damaged, processed and textured hair. Use on wet hair prior to blow-drying, or on dry

hair to add gloss and tame frizzes. After decades of choosing oil-free products, we’re all into oil! (Left to right) Garnier SkinActive MoistureBomb Super Hydrating Glow-Boosting Sheet Mask;

Freeman Hydrating Aloe & Seaberry Mask; No7 Restore & Renew Serum Boost Sheet Mask Walgreens (3) 8. WHICH SHEET MASKS ARE BEST FOR MATURE SKIN? It’s puzzling, but most of the

low-cost sheet masks available at drugstores and mass retailers are designed for younger complexions plagued by oil and breakouts. They emphasize deep cleaning and detoxing with ingredients

like clay, sulfur or charcoal. But dig deep through the racks. Single-use masks pre-infused with moisturizing, wrinkle-plumping, skin-refreshing ingredients like the Garnier SkinActive

MoistureBomb Super Hydrating Glow-Boosting Sheet Mask ($3, walgreens.com) with hyaluronic acid, Freeman Hydrating Aloe & Seaberry Mask ($3, walgreens.com) with aloe or No7 Restore &

Renew Serum Boost Sheet Mask ($4, walgreens.com) with glycerin provide a 20-minute fast fix. Apply one before makeup as a prep to a big night (or day) out. Thanks to the design and portable

packaging, they’re ideal for travel and stashing in a gym or tote bag. (Left to right) Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap; Blistex Hemp & Shea; Shea Moisture

Cannabis & Witch Hazel Skin Rescue Moisturizer; Botanics Simply Calm Hydrating Overnight Mask for Stressed Skin Target (3); Walgreens 9. DOES CBD OR HEMP OIL ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING FOR

MATURE SKIN? CBD — short for cannabidiol (a chemical found in marijuana) — comes from the plant itself, and hemp oil — derived from the cold-pressed seeds — are two of the most talked-about

ingredients to hit the beauty business. Skeptical? Popping up in creams, oils, soaps and lip balms, CBD or hemp oil won’t get you high, but they claim to be the next big thing as

anti-inflammatories, hydrators and blemish healers. The science is in very early stages, so stay tuned. Hemp oil (also called cannabis sativa seed oil) is not exactly new, it’s been used in

beauty items forever. Ever try Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap ($16, target.com)? Still intrigued? Try Shea Moisture Cannabis & Witch Hazel Skin Rescue

Moisturizer ($15, target.com), with no CBD, just hemp seed oil; Blistex Hemp & Shea ($3, target.com), a lip balm with hemp oil and shea butter; or Botanics Simply Calm Hydrating

Overnight Mask for Stressed Skin, with cannabis sativa seed oil ($13, walgreens.com). (Left to right) e.l.f. Camo CC Cream ($14, target.com); Estée Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue Moisturizing

Foundation SPF 45 ($45, ulta.com); It Cosmetics CC+Cream Illumination With SPF 50 ($42, ulta.com); BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 ($34, sephora.com) Target; Ulta

Beauty (2); Sephora 10. IS “CLEAN” OR “DERMATOLOGIST-TESTED” BETTER FOR SENSITIVE SKIN? Some of us have very reactive skin at 50, and over half of us consider our skin sensitive. Yet we

still want the same face makeup as everyone else. For a long time, dermatologist-tested was the safe way to go. But today, products labeled clean, vegan or organic are claiming that niche.

The truth is that both are always great place to start — but any product may contain possible ingredients that trigger redness and rashes. Those with preexisting skin conditions like

rosacea, eczema or psoriasis need to be particularly careful. Your best bet is to always try new products and brands slowly, one at a time, first on the inner elbow for 24 to 48 hours, and

then on your face. If you’ve had issues before, look for formulas free of common irritants like fragrance, phthalates, dyes and preservatives (like parabens) whenever possible.   _Lois Joy

Johnson is a beauty and style editor who focuses on women 50 and older. She was the beauty and style editor at_ Ladies’ Home Journal _and a founding editor of_ More _magazine._ _She has

written three books:_ The Makeup Wakeup, The Wardrobe Wakeup _and_ The Woman's Wakeup.