These days many makeup artists are less likely to talk about hiding a woman’s age and wrinkles than about playing up her individual gifts. “For me to get a great result on an older woman, age is not what I see,” said David De Leon, a makeup artist who often works with Jane Fonda. “I look for her potential.”

But finding the makeup that makes that woman look and feel great can be tricky. Application techniques that worked for years start to fail as one’s skin changes. Longtime favorites begin to detract, not enhance. Mature skin is typically drier, and those mattifying, pore-shrinking products don’t deliver like their hydrating and illuminating counterparts.

We asked the makeup artist Carolina Dali, whose clients include Ali MacGraw and Sharon Stone, to illustrate the best techniques for mature skin in two looks — one day, one night.

Enhance for Day

Eyebrows thin over time. Fill them in, but not with a pencil, Ms. Dali said. A powder will look more like the real thing. She likes the Chanel Brow Powder Duo for its hair-approximating shades. Choose a color that is close to your actual brow color, not darker.