The versatility of eyeliner makes it an indispensable tool in achieving a flawless makeup look. When it comes to anti-aging beauty, the eyes play a crucial role and eyeliner helps enhance them in various ways – be it through a classic winged liner, voluminous lashes or a subtle pop of color.
To assist women over 50 in achieving a supple and radiant appearance, we turned to expert makeup artists who provided three simple yet timeless hacks for mastering eyeliner application.
We caught up with Gargi Patel, professional makeup artist at Vashanti Cosmetics, and fellow pro MUAs and beauty experts Mandie Brice and Andrea Claire,
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MUAs Share 3 Flattering & Simple Eyeliner Hacks For Women Over 50
1. Always Apply Primer Beforehand (Never Skip It!)
Before even applying eyeliner at all, Patel explains that it is essential to use a primer on your eyelids. This, she says, will prevent smudging and smearing as primers are designed to lock in your eyeliner in place. "The goal is to always keep the eyeliner in places you want it to stay," she notes.
Patel adds: "Let’s start with preparation of the eye area. Using a good primer suitable for the eye area will help to keep not only your eyeliner in place, but also your eyeshadow."
She also notes that your primer "should also hydrate the eye area so liquid eyeliners will not dry out, causing pieces to land in places that will not give a clean look."
2. Apply Eyeliner Solely to the Top Lid (Not the Bottom!)
Eyeliner instantly has the power to open up your eyes and lift them at any age, Brice explains, and for women over 50, this is especially true when it is only applied to the top lid with a minimalist approach.
"How the eyeliner is applied makes a big difference," she says, while explaining how mature beauties can be careful not to make a common mistake with eyeliner.
"Often, people will apply it in a very heavy fashion all the way around the eye, which can make the person look tired, and the eyes look heavy," she points out.
Instead, Brice recommends "a light touch, and just the outer two thirds of the eye on top, and skipping eyeliner altogether on the bottom."
Another fun tip she shares for a more lifted look is to add a shiny dot of highlighter to the inner corner of your eye. "Using a brightening highlighter in the inner corner can really wake up someone's eyes as well," she says.
3. Opt For Pencil Formulas Over Liquid
For a timeless pro tip, Patel says that "pencils are the easiest" to use, and "allow you to go from a light stroke to a bolder line." She also suggests that if you really do like to line your bottom lashes, "try to create a thinner line."
A heavier line, she warns, can melt, and "slip down to create raccoon eyes." This, she adds, "pertains to the upper eyelid, as well, especially if your lids tend to droop down." Good to know!
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, for mature beauties over 50, if you "love your liner and have dark circles," Claire says, "keep your liner to the top lash line."
A little trick that Claire uses "to counter darkness" is to apply a "nude liner to the lower waterline, which helps to open and brighten the eyes."
