As your skin matures it becomes thinner, so you may find that makeup wears differently, especially around your eye area where degrading collagen levels are most noticeable. That’s no reason to stop experimenting with beauty looks, but it does mean you might have to switch up what you use and how you apply it. We asked our Colour Maestro Ana Lazovaski to talk us through the best eye makeup look for older women. Below, she’s created a simple guide with step by step instructions here so you can easily recreate it at home.
Start with a serum
Before applying eye makeup for older women, Ana is always sure to prep her client's skin thoroughly. When prepping older skin for eye makeup it’s important to start with a hydrating treatment. Ana says a product like Drunk Elephant’s "Shaba Complex Eye Serum" is perfect for smoothing fine lines and reducing the crepey effect that can often make skin look older than it is. She suggests choosing a serum that is lightweight and non-greasy, otherwise, you'll risk your products becoming stuck in your fine lines, which draws more attention to them. Look out for ingredients like niacinamide, which makes skin feel plumper, and copper peptides that help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Remember to massage
Rather than just patting an eye cream or serum into skin before applying eye makeup for older woman, Ana suggests using facial massage techniques to really make the most of the products. By waking up the muscles in your face with some light pressure and kneading movements, you’ll increase blood circulation which can help make older skin look plumper and younger. Always move in an upwards direction to pull your face taught, dragging skin downwards will only emphasise sagging more.
Be savvy about eyeshadow
Once you’ve hydrated, it’s time to move on to actually applying the eye makeup, but Ana notes a few things you should bear in mind. She suggests avoiding matte and glitter shadows as they will accentuate any uneven texture, and instead to opt for finely-milled, high-impact satin pigments.
Ana uses the Code8 Iconoclast Eyeshadow Palette in Velvet Chrome on her more mature clients. Its revolutionary Knead Technology means it can be used wet or dry, making it ideal for blending easily into the skin for a universally flattering look. Ana recommends applying one light-coloured satin shadow all over the lid and blending well, going up and slightly out at the ends. This will help to make mature eyes seem wider and more awake, too.
Invest in quality eye pencils
When applying eye makeup for older women, Ana recommends lining the eyes using a high quality kohl, like the Contour Eye Pencil, for added drama and definition. This is not a traditional eye makeup technique for older women, as people are often worried about stark liner ageing them, but the trick is in the final step: blending. Using the sponge tip of our pencil or your finger to gently smudge and diffuse the eyeliner for a softer, more flattering look.
Choose a thin mascara brush
Another tip for flattering mature eyes: choose the right mascara. Any product with an oversized fluffy brush is much more likely to smudge and transfer, so instead try to find a mascara with a slim brush or comb. Not only will it be easier to apply, but it will also allow you to reach from the tip to the roots of your lashes for a more wide-eyed look. Ana uses the Lash Sophisticate Mascara in a zig zag motion up the lashes to coat them all evenly without causing clumps.
Apply concealer last
When your eye look is complete, tidy up any fall out that may have occurred when you were blending your eyeshadow by wiping it away with an ultra fluffy brush. Once your under eye area is clean, Ana says the final step is to go in with a thin layer of highly pigmented concealer. This will brighten the eyes and give a more youthful look. The Seamless Cover Concealer is super hydrating and packed with light-diffusing encapsulated pigment spheres for a radiant finish, making it the perfect choice.
We hope you’ve enjoyed these eye makeup tips for older women and found the steps easy to recreate with your own makeup collection. Remember—there are no rules in makeup and you should always wear what makes you feel your best.
