At the risk of sounding preachy, the first thing to know about the best wedding guest makeup ideas for women over 40 is that there are no age-related rules at play here. Whether you prefer a bold lip or standout false lash, or a more understated-yet-elevated with a little of the best blusher, makeup is about whatever makes you feel great – especially for a special occasion.
However, you may want some visual inspiration for looks on women who are older than 40, 50, 60 and beyond if you're any of these ages. As such, we’ve rounded up some beautiful makeup looks on celebrities over 40 to provide you with exactly that.
Whether you’ve only just received a “save the date” for a wedding that’s a way off, or you’re looking for last-minute inspiration for your makeup for somebody else’s impending nuptials, these celebrity looks will give you plenty of ideas for wedding guest makeup.
32 of the best wedding guest makeup looks for women over 40
Helen Mirren's flushed skin and sparkly eyes
Acting royalty Helen Mirren nails her red carpet makeup every single time and this look, worn at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, would make a great wedding guest makeup look. The sparkly eyes and youthful flush of blusher are complemented by pink lipstick.
Recreate Helen Mirren's look
RRP: £22
An ultra-pigmented liquid blusher that's available in 13 shades with matte and dewy finishes, this is one of the best formulas on the market for creating that healthy "flushed" look.
RRP: £8.99
A high street icon, L'Oréal Paris makes great, reasonably priced lipsticks like Color Riche. This pretty pink shade looks similar to Mirren's look.
RRP: £20
A sheeny and/or sparkly eyeshadow, like this glitzy option from MAC, can really brighten the eyes and make the colour pop –particularly when you apply it to the inner corners.
Viola Davis's dark green smokey eye
This deep forest green eye makeup on Viola Davis looks incredible and perfectly defines her eyes. It was the focal point of her red carpet look, worn to the closing ceremony of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, with her skin and lips glossy and glowy.
Mindy Kaling's sunset eyeshadow
We're sure you'll agree that the way that Mindy Kaling's eyeshadow and lipstick complement her outfit is incredibly satisfying. The star wore this look to the Los Angeles premiere of the third season of Netflix's Never Have I Ever in 2022.
Michelle Yeoh's classic liquid liner
There are very few situations where a flick of liquid liner isn't a good idea for your makeup look. With a subtle flush of blusher, pink-hued lip and fluttery lashes, Michelle Yeoh chose this exact look for the Gold House Hosts 2024 Gold Gala.
Salma Hayek's brown smokey eye
Warm brown shades of eyeshadow lend themselves brilliantly to a smokey eye makeup look, as Salma Hayek demonstrates here. Paired with coral pink lipstick, the star wore this look to the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Julianne Moore's hot pink lipstick
Julianne Moore's hot pink lip colour provides a gorgeous contrast to her green gown worn to the 2023 Academy Museum Gala. Her eye makeup was kept simple to let the statement shade do the talking, but still had a lovely shimmery sheen to it.
Demi Moore's coppery tones
Copper is such a reliable eyeshadow shade – it complements a wide range of colours and is an easy choice of metallic to elevate any look, as Demi Moore showcased at the amfAR Cannes Gala in 2024.
Jennifer Hudson's red lipstick and winged liner
Paired with a failsafe and simple-yet-chic eyeliner wing, Jennifer Hudson's sheeny red lipstick is a classic look that would work well for any special occasion such as attending a wedding. The star stepped out with this look for the 2024 Tony Awards.
Jamie Lee Curtis's peachy blush
Peachy shades are flattering on many skin tones and can be particularly when you want to add warmth to the complexion with a blusher, as seen on Jamie Lee Curtis here. The star paired peachy blush with a pale pink lip and defined eyes for the 2024 Oscars.
Gabrielle Union's two-tone metallic eyes
Creating a frosted effect, Gabrielle Union paired two different metallic shadow shades for an eye-catching makeup look at the Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards in 2022. Simple silver jewellery completed the look.
Sandra Oh's gold glam
Pairing pretty gold tones on her eyes with glowy skin and a glossy pink lip, we love Sandra Oh's radiant glam makeup look, worn to the 2024 Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards.
Sienna Miller's berry lip
Sienna Miller's pretty summer berry lipstick look, complete with a slightly blurred finish, was one that caught our eye on the red carpet of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. The star kept the rest of her makeup fairly understated with fresh skin and a slick of mascara, making her lipstick the focal point of her look.
Jada Pinkett Smith's emerald liner
Paired with long and wispy lashes, Jada Pinkett Smith's metallic emerald green liner is both eye-catching and perfectly matches the gown she wore to the 94th Academy Awards in 2022.
Jennifer Aniston's standout lashes
A pair of the best false eyelashes in a voluminous style are always a good idea in our book, but especially so when you have a special occasion in the diary. Jennifer Aniston paired standout lashes with peachy blush and a glossy lip for a Murder Mystery 2 photocall in 2023.
Lupita Nyong'o's wine lip and metallic eyes
Complete with liner, coppery metallic eyeshadow and wine-red lipstick, this makeup look on Lupita Nyong'o – which she wore to the 2024 CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards – is nothing short of gorgeous.
Sofia Vergara's rosy pink lipstick
Rosy pink shades are such classics and a great choice of lipstick colour that flatter many people. Sofia Vergara's glamorous look here is a great example to recreate, featuring fluttery lashes and a warm brown smokey eye.
Angela Bassett's coral eyeshadow
At the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Angela Bassett opted for a coral eyeshadow look, complete with liquid eyeliner and lengthy lashes, which perfectly complemented the warm shade of her dress for the occasion.
Jennifer Lopez's copper and silver eyes
Worn to the 2024 Met Gala, Jennifer Lopez's ethereal eye makeup look combined bright copper and eye-catching silver shades, which really drew attention to her eyes and brought out the colours in her dress.
Priyanka Chopra's ultra smokey eye
Defining her eyes perfectly, Priyanka Chopra's rich dark brown smokey eye is such a gorgeous evening look if you want to amp up the intensity of your eye makeup. The star was pictured with the look at Rome's Bulgari hotel in 2024.
Reese Witherspoon's camel eyeshadow
Warm camel is a great shade to incorporate into your eye makeup; here, it perfectly compliments Reese Witherspoon's blue eyes. The star paired this with a very muted red lipstick for the 2024 Critics Choice Awards for a winning ensemble.
Eva Longoria's pale pink lip
This pale pink shade imparts a nice hint of colour on Eva Longoria's lips for a really pretty results. Paired with a subtle smokey eye and flawless-looking skin, she stepped out with this look for the the "Le Chouchou" Jacquemus' Fashion Show in summer 2023.
Hannah Waddingham's pink blush and glossy lip
Complete with ultra-fluttery voluminous lashes, Hannah Waddingham's gorgeous 2024 Olivier Awards look featured a fresh and pretty shade of pink blusher and a matching glossy lip to boot.
Halle Berry's soft glam
We're sure you'll agree that Halle Berry looks absolutely radiant here. The star stepped out with coppery eyes, glowing skin and a pink-brown shade of lipstick for the closing night of the 2023 Red Sea International Film Festival.
Oprah Winfrey's purple eyeshadow
We love an outfit-matching beauty look – Oprah Winfrey matched her eye makeup to her purple gown for the 2024 Golden Globe Awards, paired with a pink-brown lipstick and a bit of blusher for a truly cohesive makeup look.
Lucy Liu's bright pink lip
We love this bright pink statement lip on Lucy Liu, worn to the Gold House Hosts 2024 Gold Gala, which would work well at a summer or winter wedding. Not only does it suit her down to a tee, but the subtle wash of blusher is beautifully flattering too.
Jessica Chastain's rose gold eyes
The pink and metallic shades in Jessica Chastian's makeup for the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards are so pretty – with rose gold eyeshadow, warm pink blush and a rosy lipstick, we love this look.
Julia Roberts's flushed glow and metallic eyes
Featuring a muted, cool-toned bronze eyeshadow look that perfectly defines her eyes, Julia Roberts's healthy flush of blusher and cool pink lipstick made for a winning look at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.
Kerry Washington's grey smokey eyes
Incorporating both a grey and more of a bronze eyeshadow, this smokey eye on Kerry Washington is such a perfect example of a beautifully diffused makeup look. Worn to the Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show, the star's complexion had a bronze glow paired with a neutral brown-pink lip.
Cindy Crawford's defined eyes
With a peachy shade of lipstick and liner-defined eyes, we loved Cindy Crawford's look at the Clooney Foundation for Justice's 2023 Albie Awards. This makeup look also appears to feature a lighter shade of liner on the waterline to help brighten her eyes.
Gemma Chan's peach blush and lip combo
This is such a pretty look seen on Gemma Chan at the Annual Academy Museum Gala in 2023. With a healthy flush of peachy blusher and the same shade on her lips, finished off with fluttery lashes and winged-out brown eyeshadow, we're sure you'll agree it's gorgeous.
Sandra Bullock's gunmetal smokey eye
This eyeshadow look seen on Sandra Bullock at the UK screening of The Lost City in 2022 combines all the intensity of a matte smokey eye with the light-catching sheen of metallic shades. Completed with a wash of blusher and pink lipstick, we love it.
Shania Twain's lengthy lashes
Lengthy and fluttery lashes will always be one of our favourite red carpet looks; it's a go-to for a reason. Shania Twain paired hers with a glossy pink lip and a generous, healthy looking wash of blusher for the 2023 Brit Awards red carpet.
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