3 Of The Best & Worst Reviewed New Makeup Releases For Older Women In 2026 (So Far)

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Winter 2026 delivered beauty trends we wanted to try ASAP, but it's also been a busy few months for new makeup releases. From setting sprays created specifically for those experiencing hot flashes to hydrating lip stains to superfine eyebrow pencils, many of the year's new beauty releases have been ideal for older women, tackling everything from dry lips to keeping skin youthful as it ages. But not all of the year's makeup releases (so far, at least) were created equal.

To find out which products are worth your money — and which ones aren't — we combined each one's score out of 5.0 stars based on user ratings from two separate stockists for each item. We divided that number by two, creating a more comprehensive overall user score. We then consulted user reviews from online stockists and social media to spot trends in both praise and gripes, to find out what users truly think.

Anastasia Beverly Hills launched its ArchiBrow Microblade Hair-Like Eyebrow Detailing Pencil in March 2026. The company boasted on Instagram that it's its thinnest brow pencil to date, ideal for older women, as it's normal for eyebrows to become less full and lose color pigment over time. The thinness of this pencil aims to make precision easier when creating your desired shape and thickness. And judging by Sephora and Ulta reviews, it does just that. The product has an average rating of 4.6 stars on Sephora from over 1,200 reviews at the time of writing, with 93% recommending it. On Ulta, where 97% of reviewers would recommend the brow pencil, it has around 350 reviews with a 4.8-star average, putting its overall average score at 4.7 stars out of 5.0.

"It blends very well with my eyebrows and looks like it's real hair strokes. It is easy to apply, and I am done doing my brows a lot faster with this pencil," one Ulta reviewer wrote of the $30 product. On Instagram, one user commended the pencil's fine tip. "Perfect for filling in sparse areas and adding detail," they wrote in the caption.

Summer Fridays launched its Flushed Lip Stain 12HR Long-Lasting Lip Tint in February 2026. These stains are formulated with aloe vera gel and panthenol, which both have hydrating properties (ideal for naturally aging dry lips) and can also soothe irritation. Lip stains notoriously have better staying power than lipsticks, which older women may prefer over carrying lipsticks around for constant reapplication after eating, drinking, or sharing kisses with loved ones.

Though the $24 lip tint hasn't received multiple horrific reviews, it's not doing as well as some of 2026's other makeup releases. On Sephora, it doesn't have a recommendation percentage at the time of writing, but has amassed a lower 3.8-star average from over 620 reviews. On the Summer Fridays website, it came out slightly better with 4.1 out of 5.0, giving it an overall average score of 3.95 stars. Multiple Sephora reviews claimed the product dried out too fast in the tube, though, while another shared that the online color swatches were lighter than the actual shades. Not great if you can't get to a store to see them in person.

The Laura Geller Beauty Anti-Hot Flash Setting Spray makes bold promises. It claims to keep makeup resistant to smudging and sweat for 18 hours via a light coverage spray that won't feel heavy or create tightness. It has a matte finish and boasts to be ideal for mature skin, as it's designed to be worn amid hot flashes often brought on by menopause. The Anti-Hot Flash Setting Spray is a Sephora and Kohl's exclusive (both use the same ratings and reviews), so only Sephora ratings were considered. But they speak for themselves. At the time of writing, the product, released in April 2026, has 89 reviews and an impressive 4.8-star rating, with 94% of reviewers recommending it.

One reviewer revealed they use the product both before and after applying makeup, sharing, "It helps my makeup from moving and smudging. It's such a fine mist that it evenly sets everything in place." Because it offers light coverage, another recommended it as an alternative to heavier setting sprays for summer. Social media users were equally enthralled, as one Instagram user even claimed the spray helped keep their makeup looking good for 10 hours. Not bad for $32.

Clinique dropped its UV Solutions Brightening + Tinted Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 just in time for summer — but it's not doing great in early reviews. The company claimed it suits all skin tones and textures (including very dry, which older skin often is), offers a light glow (ideal for older women who don't want heavy foundation) with brightening properties to reduce the appearance of dark spots and fine lines that can become more obvious with age. Of course, sunscreen is always important — even in the winter — at every age, but it's always a good idea to be extra cautious about skin protection with older skin.

The tinted moisturizer has an average rating of 3.3 stars on Ulta from three reviews. It got a slightly better response on Amazon, though, where 54 users gave it an average of 4.2 stars at the time of writing. That gives the makeup product an average score of 3.75 stars. One Amazon reviewer noted it's not considered waterproof, which could be a problem on summer days around water. Another didn't feel there was a lot of product for $44, which may not work for those on a fixed budget.

MAC Cosmetics launched its Lipglass Cushion High-Pigment Oil in spring of 2026. The longstanding makeup brand claimed the highly pigmented lip gloss can offer 72 hours of hydration and improve the lips' moisture barrier. That should be music to the ears of older women, as our lips naturally become drier with age. They often lose volume too, but shiny lip products can create the illusion of a fuller kisser. On Sephora, the lip oils are recommended by 96% of reviewers at the time of writing, with an average score of 4.8 stars from over 50 reviews. On Ulta, the $25 product is recommended by 96% of reviewers from 225 reviews, with an average score of 4.6 stars. That puts its average at 4.7.

One Sephora reviewer complimented the lip product for its thickness, writing, "What really stands out is how nourishing it feels. My lips stay soft and moisturized for hours without that heavy or greasy feeling. It also doesn't settle into fine lines, which makes lips look fuller and smoother." On Instagram, another reviewer commented on how wearable the shades are and how smoothly the product applied. To reap the benefits, just make sure you're not using your lip oils all wrong. 

Another lip tint that isn't quite cutting it is the Laneige JuicePop Box Lip Tint. The brand launched the collection in January with the promise of a smooth application that keeps lips moisturized. The makeup was designed to offer buildable coverage for a more natural finish (perfect for older women who don't want heavy, severe color) that could last up to 12 hours. Laneige's JuicePop Box Lip Tints don't have a recommendation percentage on Sephora, but have an average score of 4.2 stars at the time of writing. On Amazon, it has an average of 4.0 stars, making it's overall average score of 4.1 out of 5.0. While that's not horrible, multiple reviewers called out the lip stain for not delivering on its promise.

Several poopoo'd the 12-hour wear claim, with one Amazon user writing, "I commute about an hour to work, and by the time I got there, both the gloss and color were pretty much gone." Another pointed out they didn't think the product was worth $23, stating, "It does NOT stay shiny and fades within 30 minutes. Like you never put lip gloss on. Don't waste your money or buy a cheaper brand."

To determine if a new makeup release would work for older women, we stuck to products that claimed to target concerns typically experienced by those in their 40s and beyond. That meant selecting items that promised to aid the likes of thinning brows, hot flashes, and dry skin. Where possible, we combined each product's rating out of 5.0 from two outlets that sold the item at the time of writing (we specifically looked at reviews on the brand's own website, Ulta, Sephora, and/or Amazon) and divided it by two for an overall average score. We also analyzed social media reviews to find out what multiple users liked and didn't like about each product. Each item had to be released in 2026 and shades of products released prior to 2026 were not considered.