Style after 30 just isn’t what it used to be. It’s better. And getting better by the day.
Witness the rise of female influencers like Carla Rockmore (whose Instagram tagline is “Celebrating the self-expression of 50+ through fashion, fun, & fierceness”) and Grece Ghanem (“beauty doesn’t age, beauty changes”). There’s also a rise in the number of Hollywood actresses of a certain age landing leading roles while looking gorgeous and confident. TV shows like “And Just Like That” demonstrate that stylish women thrive after 25.
And then there’s Elena Frankel and Carolyn Barber, the Boston ladies who’ve started a new makeup company for women age 30-plus, celebrating life experience and looking great through the years..
“We get to a point in our lives where your kids get a little older, and a lot of women start questioning their own importance,” Frankel said. She and Barber got “tired of the unsubtle messaging that age was something to apologize for.” They also felt strongly that women’s beauty needs change as they age. And so they launched Flyte.70, selling direct to consumers on flyte70.com.
Frankel and Barber are the team behind legendary E6 Apothecary — the indie makeup store on Beacon Hill full of hard-to-find cosmetics brands in the ’90s. The pair are at a different stage in life, but are still every bit as cool.
“The market is so saturated with makeup,” Frankel said. “But when you walk into most makeup sections, you feel like the products are either geared toward 20-somethings looking for glittery Coachella festival makeup, or is for more grown-up but is completely uninspiring and boring. We wanted a brand that was targeted to women’s needs as we grow up, but also embraces design and art.”
That artfulness shows up in every aspect of the makeup, from the name (they named Flyte.70 after the changing journeys women are on throughout their lives, and added the 70 in honor of their birth year) to the packaging. The topography on all packaging evokes lightness, while the neon element “is to keep you grounded to who you once were — for people who lived in the ’80s.”
As for the makeup itself, all of the formulas, finishes, and textures are targeted for the concerns of older women.
“Most older women don’t want to wear powder because it’s drying,” Barber said. “But our Lucid Finishing Powder contains hyaluronic acid that has a softening effect.”
Similar thought went into developing their mascara.
“As we age, our lashes start to get thin. Ours is almost like a hair treatment, with conditioners that help your lashes grow,” Frankel said. They’ve taken color into consideration with age, too. “It’s an indigo-infused black, because straight black can start to look really harsh as we age,” Frankel said. “So if you switch to something a little softer it’s a lot more attractive.
“It’s really all about the formulas,” Frankel added.
And of course, about the refreshing perspective the line offers, as well.
“You’re this age and we want you to really embrace it.”
