3 Quick and Easy Eyeliner Looks for Older Women

6 Materials
$20
15 Minutes
Easy

Over 50 and the makeup routine you’ve been using all these years no longer suits you?


I’m going to show you a few ways of applying eyeliner for older women.


The makeup I’m using is from the Look Fabulous Forever range, made specifically for mature skin. However, you can achieve the same results with any brand of makeup.

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Tools and materials:

  • Dark brown eyeliner
  • Wedge brush
  • Dark brown eyeshadow
  • 1 cotton bud
  • Eyelash curler
  • Black mascara
Base makeup

1. Apply your base makeup

Start by applying base makeup for a smooth, blank slate. Use lipstick as well if you’d like. I’ve also applied warm brown eyeshadows to my lids and tidied up my brows.


I’m going to show you a few natural eyeliner looks for you to choose from.


Look 1: Slightly lifted eyeliner (not winged)


1. Draw the eyeliner in small strokes

First, hold the inside corner of the eye, slightly pinching it toward your nose.


Then, starting at the last eyelash, draw on the eyeliner a little but upward.


This is a good tip for women over 50 because our eyes tend to get more “hooded”, so this technique gives a lifted look. 

Look 1: Slightly lifted eyeliner (not winged)

Continue with little, short strokes of the eye pencil.


For day makeup, bring it just half way across the lid, tapering the line gradually. For night makeup, bring it nearly all the way in.

Look 1: Slightly lifted eyeliner (not winged)

2. Draw a gradual wedge

Create a wedge shape at the end, instead of a full-on wing.


Keep going over the pencil until you’ve reached the desired effect. Repeat these steps on your other eye.

Look 1: Slightly lifted eyeliner (not winged)

Here’s the look with the eyeliner just on the top:

Look 1: Slightly lifted eyeliner (not winged)

3. Apply eyeliner to your lower lash line

Some ladies prefer a lighter shade of eyeliner for the lower lash line. I will use the same brown shade.


Hold your eye at the outer edge, without pulling. Draw from the outside inward, just under the base of the lashes in a light movement, tapering off toward the middle of the eye. 

Look 1: Slightly lifted eyeliner (not winged)

4. Join top and bottom

Then, shut your eye and at the outer edge, bring the bottom line to meet the top with tiny strokes.


Do the same on both eyes. Avoid bringing the top downward, as that will droop the eyes!

Look 1: Slightly lifted eyeliner (not winged)

5. Soften the eyeliner

To soften the look of your eyeliner, apply a dark brown eyeshadow with a small, wedge brush.


Simply go over the liner on the top and bottom with a small amount of the eyeshadow.

Look 1: Slightly lifted eyeliner (not winged)

Here’s the eyeliner softened:

Look 1: Slightly lifted eyeliner (not winged)

If your eyes are especially close together, I recommend only applying the eyeliner to the outer edges of your eyelids.


Alternatively, if your eyes are farther apart, apply the eyeliner all the way to the inner corners.


Look 2: Mature, winged eyeliner

For older faces, I find that the dramatic, winged eyes are not necessary.


Here, I will show you how to create a slight, winged look. Start with all the steps from the first eyeliner look and then continue with the steps below.


1. Continue the eyeliner of the upper lids

Holding the edge of your eye, continue the liner upward in small strokes, toward the crease of your eye. Repeat for your other eye.

Look 2: Mature, winged eyeliner

2. Soften the wings

Then, use your small, wedged brush to soften the wings.

Look 2: Mature, winged eyeliner

3. Adjust if necessary

Look at yourself straight on and assess the wings. Add a bit more if the wings seem to disappear into the creases of your eyes. 

Look 2: Mature, winged eyeliner

Soften the eyeliner further with an eyeshadow brush if you want it even softer. 

Look 2: Mature, winged eyeliner

Here is the slightly winged effect, without it looking too harsh:

Look 2: Mature, winged eyeliner

Look 3: Tight lining


1. Draw in the tight line

Lift your upper eyelid carefully and draw in the actual tight line.

Look 3: Tight lining

This will have the effect of thickening the base of your lashes for a fuller look.


If you wear contact lenses or have particularly watery eyes, you might want to skip this technique.

Look 3: Tight lining

2. Clean up

If you had some of the eyeliner transferred to the bottom, use a cotton bud to gently wipe off the excess.

Look 3: Tight lining

You can also apply the liner to the bottom, lower waterline. I tend to think this closes the eye too much. 


3. Finishing touches

Finally, apply a few finishing touches to your eyes. This works with any of these 3 versions of eyeliner for older women.


Curl your lashes:

Look 3: Tight lining

Then apply mascara. Don’t panic if your eyeliner seems off because the mascara will pull the look together, framing the eyes.

Look 3: Tight lining

You might not need to apply mascara to the bottom lashes, especially if you’ve used eyeliner on the bottom lids.


Of course, you can use some if you want to.

Look 3: Tight lining

Go back in with a cotton bud to remove any stray eye makeup. Here we have the finished, natural eyeliner look: 

Look 3: Tight lining

Eyeliner for older women

As we age and our faces change, we need to adapt our makeup routines to compliment our faces. It’s not about piling on and covering up, but working with your natural face.


If you loved this eyeliner tutorial for older women, let me know in the comments below.

Suggested materials:
  • Dark brown eyeliner
  • Wedge brush
  • Dark brown eyeshadow
See all materials

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Comments
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3 of 9 comments
  • Robyn Robyn on Mar 08, 2023

    You are beautiful, lovely technique


  • Gerry Macallister Gerry Macallister on Apr 27, 2023

    Question regarding brow color…..I also am a blonde but every brow pencil or tat brow I buy says blonde but comes out dark brown. What color and make did you use? Germac2@aol.com. Thank you in advance.

    • SandyK SandyK on Mar 10, 2024

      I finally found a blond brow pencil that works. It's made by elf.

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