Boomers Redefine the Face of 60

Jan. 13, 2006 — -- The first of the 77 million baby boomers turn 60 this month, and as they have with almost every stage of life, they are now redefining the face -- and the influence -- of 60.

"The interesting dynamic is, as boomers continue to age, they're not giving up their spending habits the way in which their parents did," said Marshal Cohen, chief analyst of NPD Group.

Boomers' disposable income accounts for 40 percent of the nation's spending power, and advertisers are adjusting their strategies to grab a piece of that pie, using older models and launching products that celebrate wrinkles rather than hide them.

"This is the huge growth," Cohen said. "You're talking about double-digit growth in an industry that's been around forever. And it's recognizing taking someone who looks great, that you can identify their age with -- you know a picture's worth a thousand words."

One company creating new products for aging boomers is Revlon. It's introducing a new product line -- Vital Radiance -- specifically for women over 50.

"Vital Radiance is designed for the woman leading an active life but [who] has noticed that her skin has changed over time," said Rochelle Udelle, the chief creative officer. "Because of these changes, she has noticed that makeup doesn't work as well as it used to and wants a makeup solution that helps her look her best."

Udelle offered these makeup tips for women over 50:

Prepare:
The first step is to prepare skin for makeup by smoothing and filling in lines using primers, concealers and correctors. Redness correctors neutralize red blemishes and broken capillaries, and a dark-circle corrector neutralizes circles around the eyes.

Shades:
Because complexions tend to fade with age, shades should counteract this color loss to bring back natural vibrancy. Look for face products with rosier or peachier tones. Eye-product shades should be softer and have low levels of pearl to enhance and brighten eyes without drawing attention to fine lines in the lids. Lip-product colors should be clean and uplifting to bring back brightness to the complexion.