Skip to Content

How do you wear eye makeup over 50?


As women get older, their eye makeup needs tend to change. The skin around the eyes starts to lose elasticity and thin out, requiring different application techniques and products. Many women over 50 find that their old tried and true makeup routine doesn’t look as good as it once did. The good news is that with some tweaks and adjustments, women can still look glamorous and youthful with eye makeup over 50. This article will go over the key things to keep in mind when doing eye makeup for mature skin.

Use a primer

One of the most important steps in eye makeup application for women over 50 is to start with an eye primer. Primers create a smooth base for eye makeup and help it stay put without creasing. As skin ages, eyelids become more prone to creasing and fading throughout the day. An eye primer fills in fine lines and smoothes out the skin for better pigment payoff. Primers also help eye shadow colors look more vibrant and true. Some of the best eye primers for mature lids include:

  • Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
  • L’Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional Eye Shadow Primer
  • NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
  • Milani Eyeshadow Primer
  • Wet n Wild PhotoFocus Eyeshadow Primer

Apply your primer from lashline to browbone before applying any other eye makeup. Let the primer set for 30 seconds to a minute before going in with shadow. This will prevent creasing and fading.

Use a light base shadow

After priming, use a light base shadow all over the lid up to the browbone. As skin ages, eyelids can become more translucent. Using a base shadow provides coverage to even out skin tone on the lids. Look for shades like bone, cream, or champagne. Apply with a dense eye shader brush and blend out any harsh edges. This shadow also helps meld all the other shades together smoothly. Try using matte shadows as your base since shimmers tend to accentuate creases on hooded lids.

Play up the brows

Defined eyebrows are flattering at any age, helping to frame the eyes beautifully. As you get older, brows may become more sparse and lack definition. Using eyebrow products to fill them in and shape them can take years off your look. Go for brow pencils, powders, or tinted gels to enhance your natural brows. Brush brows up and outwards to see any gaps or patches that need filling in. Draw in hair-like strokes with pencil or powder using short, feathery lines. Focus color towards the ends of brows rather than the front. Finish by brushing brows into place. Well-defined brows help draw attention upwards and bring out the eyes.

Use a light hand with shadow

When applying eye shadow over 50, opt for a light hand rather than packing on color. Build up gradually and blend extremely well. Heavier shadow application can settle into creases and look harsh. Stick to neutral, matte shades on the lid paired with a soft shimmer shade in the inner corners and brow bone to brighten the eyes. Limit darker shadows to just the lashline or outer V to add definition. Always blend out any harsh shadow edges for a softer, more diffused look. With mature lids, less is often more when it comes to eye makeup.

Play up lashes

Full, fluttery lashes help open up the eyes and take years off your look. Curling lashes before applying mascara helps lift and define them. Use a lash primer before mascara to condition lashes and prep them for mascara. This helps build volume and prevent clumping. Lightly wiggle the mascara wand at the base of lashes and brush upwards to coat lashes from root to tip. Let each coat completely dry before adding another for maximum mascara staying power. Finish off your eye makeup look with a swipe of a highlighting shimmer shade at the inner corner of eyes. This helps eyes appear brighter and more open.

Avoid shimmer on hooded lids

For women with hooded eyelids, shimmery shadows tend to collect in lid creases and accentuate sagging. Stick to matte or satin finishes instead. Apply lighter shadows across the lid and use darker matte shades only in the outer V and lashline. Stay away from thick, dark liner on the upper lashline as this can make hooded eyes look more droopy. A thin line paired with tighter lined lashes helps lift hooded eyes. Also focus your highlighting shade more on the inner corners rather than all under the brow.

Try cream shadows

As eyelids age, powder shadows can sometimes emphasize dryness and crepey skin. Cream shadows offer a dewier, more youthful finish. They grab onto lids better than powders, lasting all day without fading or creasing. Apply cream shadows with fingers, patting and blending out the edges. Top off with a similar powder shadow to set and reinforce the color. Creams also work beautifully as colored eyeliner when applied along the upper and lower lashline with an angled brush.

Curl lashes first

Always curl lashes before applying mascara for women over 50. As we age, lashes can become stick straight and point downwards unflatteringly. An eyelash curler helps lift lashes up, opening up the eyes. Curl from the base of lashes and hold for 10 seconds. Use a waterproof mascara formula to help hold the curl all day. Re-curl lashes after applying your first coat of mascara when they are still pliable enough to curl. Repeat curling if needed between coats.

Lighten up liner

Black eyeliner paired with pale nude shadows can look too harsh and aging. Opt for softer brown or slate grey liners instead to subtly define eyes. Apply liner only to the upper lash line rather than lower waterline to help open up eyes. Smudge liner with an angled brush before it sets for a soft, smoky effect rather than a harsh line. Stay away from lining the inner rims, as this can make eyes look smaller. Keep liner application close to the upper lashes for definition without drag.

Finish with highlighter

A touch of highlighter on key points of the face and eyes gives mature skin a lit-from-within glow. Sweep a luminous champagne or rose gold powder highlighter along the tops of cheekbones, on the cupid’s bow, and at the inner corner of eyes. Use your fingertip to pick up highlighter and tap on for a natural looking gleam. Avoid heavy highlighter application, as too much glow can accentuate fine lines. A soft strobe pulls light towards your best features and gives dimension to the face.

Keep lower liner minimal

For a brighter, more awakened eye look, avoid lining the lower waterline. Use only a touch of liner or shadow smudged into the outer third of the lower lashline. Take a dark matte shadow on a small liner brush and sweep it from mid-lashline to outer corner. Then softly blend out the edges so there is no harsh line. This defines eyes without making them look smaller or more tired. Reserve fuller lower liner for evening when you want a more dramatic sultry eye look.

Embrace your grays

Let your natural gray hairs shine through rather than coloring them in with brow products. Eyebrows sometimes fade to gray prematurely before hair color goes silver. Filling in gray brows with darker color can look unnatural. Embrace the gray and enhance brows by grooming and shaping them. Use clear brow gel to tame unruly hairs and lightly fill any sparse areas with short, hair-like pencil strokes. Well-groomed natural gray brows are beautiful.

Cheat a cat eye

A cat eye liner look can be tricky to execute with mature eyes and unsteady hands. Cheat the look with shadow instead of liquid liner. Use an angled liner brush to sweep a dark shadow along the lashline and extend out just slightly past the outer corner. Blend well so there is no harsh line. Layer a matching dark shadow along the lower lashline. Finish with lots of volumizing mascara. This creates the illusion of a lifted cat eye minus the tricky liner application.

Use a lighter hand near inner corners

When applying eye makeup, always use a lighter hand near the inner corners of eyes. These areas show lines and creasing most easily. Avoid dark liner inside the inner rims as this can close off eyes. Don’t bring shadows down too low under the lower lashline or they can emphasize under eye circles and bags. Keep inner areas as bright as possible. The darker shadow and liner concentration should be on the outer halves of eyes for a lifting effect.

Curl lashes before and after mascara

For maximum eyelash curl, always curl before and after mascara application. Curling lashes before mascara helps open up the eyes and prep lashes for lifted, fanned out coating. After mascara has been applied, curl them again while the mascara is still drying and pliable. This helps set the lifted curl in place and prevents mascara from weighing down straight stubborn lashes. Re-curling is especially helpful for holding a curl with waterproof mascara formulas.

Lighten up brows

While defined brows help frame aging eyes beautifully, ultra-dark, filled-in brows can look harsh. Go a shade lighter with your brow color for a softer look. Graying brows should be enhanced with taupe brow products rather than dark brown. Even black brows should be softened with a lighter hand. Focus most of the brow color on the arch and tail and use a spooly to blend the front for a natural gradient effect. Well-groomed and subtly defined brows keep your eyes a focus point.

Tightline to define

For mature eyes, tightlining the upper waterline can define eyes without looking overly made up. Use a soft eyeliner pencil in brown or grey and lightly trace right into the lashline between the upper lashes. Avoid lining the inner rims, just add definition at the base of the upper lashes. The color stays hidden but makes lashes look fuller. Pair with several coats of volumizing mascara on top lashes only. This creates a widened, awakened eye look minus visible liner.

Conclusion

With the right techniques and products, women over 50 can still look radiant and youthful with their eye makeup. Focus on enhancing your natural features like eyebrows and lashes to frame the eyes. Use soft, neutral matte shadows paired with highlights and mascara to awaken the eyes. Avoid harsh lines and overly pigmented products. Embrace and enhance your natural eye shape and color. Curled lashes, well-groomed brows and a light hand with liners and shadows helps retain a bright, natural eye look that enhances beauty at any age.