The best eyeshadows for older women should highlight the area around the eyes without drawing attention to dryness texture or creases. According to Julie Chung, MD, an ophthalmologist in Los Angeles and co-founder of the hair tool company T3, “as we get older, the skin around our eyes naturally becomes thinner and more stretched—it’s actually the thinnest skin on the body, which is why fine lines tend to show up there first.”
At forty-one, I’ve noticed subtle changes in the elasticity of my skin, fine lines under my eyes, and new folds on my lids that have completely changed the way I apply makeup. Don’t feel confined, though. According to Katey Denno, a celebrity makeup artist who has worked on celebrities like Sarah Foster, Amanda Seyfried, and Leslie Bibb, “the old standard that you don’t wear shimmer after 35 is so not to be followed.” “There are many neutral shimmery toned shadows that look great on 40 to 80 year old lids.” Based on suggestions from makeup artists, I examined the best formulas below. Because it is supported by experts hydrates lids, and lasts all day, Laura Mercier Caviar Stick is our top choice overall. In addition, we have drugstore recommendations ones that work best for blue or brown eyes, and more.
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick is the best overall
Using Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks, you can color in your lid with a smooth velvety texture just like you would with a crayon. You can use a gentle brush or your finger to blend it out before leaving. Because it contains ultrahydrating and nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and raspberry stem cells that support moisture and skin barrier health, the formula is especially beneficial for women over 50. Mature skin is generally drier and produces less oil, so it’s critical to keep the eyes hydrated. Despite having a creamy texture these sticks remain smudge-proof, crease-resistant, and long-lasting. Celebrity makeup artist Nina Soriano claims to use this formula both on set and in her daily life, saying, “Caviar Sticks are a constant in my kit, both personally and professionally.” It is buildable and provides the ideal amount of color to enhance the eye. You can use your tools to glam it up or just add a wash of color. It also offers a fantastic assortment of colors.
E.L.F. Liquid Velvet Eyeshadow is the best drugstore
The e.l.f liquid to powder drugstore eyeshadows have a sophisticated velvety matte finish and are powerful for the $8 price. According to Soriano, they’re perfect for classic over 40 babes who like a no fuss look. The powdery, transfer-and crease-resistant finish is created when the doe foot applicator dabs directly onto the lids. When the pigment is saturated, you can easily blend it out with your finger or a soft brush to create a diffused look, but move quickly because they dry quickly after application. More than a dozen classic neutral matte shades are available, suitable for errands, the workplace, or even a simple makeup free look for a night out.
Clinique All About Shadow Quad is the best option for sensitive eyes
Clinique’s beloved powder palettes are made with all day wear ingredients and provide a smooth finish making them whisper-weight and crease-resistant. Its powders are intended to be worn alone or used to define and contour eyes. They come in four gradient shades in complementary colors, with options in both and shimmer finishes. Made from a very light powder great for sensitive eyes, and ophthalmologist tested, they are also easy to remove and have been approved by eye experts, making them a favorite of Dr. Chung. According to Dr. Chung, long term lid and ocular surface health requires choosing eye makeup that removes easily and using gentle thorough removal techniques—no scrubbing.
Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow Liner Kohl is the most versatile
According to Soriano, Stylo is both an eyeliner and blendable cream stick; use on its own or layer with your favorite eyeshadow. Because it’s Chanel, this all in one eyeliner cream pen may seem stylish to take out of your bag, but the formula and design are brilliant and adaptable. This multipurpose liner has an ultra creamy texture and glides on mature lids with a long lasting formula that doesn’t highlight fine lines or crepey lids. The eyeshadow’s broad side is ideal for shadowing out and blending for a unified all-color look, while its thin edge can be used as an eyeliner. You get that je ne sais quoi French-girl look from the deeply pigmented formula.
Merit Solo Shadow Cream Eyeshadow is the best cream
“Mature eyes look fantastic with these eyeshadows according to Offers, they have a weightless less artificial appearance and are attractive. They can be blended with a finger or brush for a wash of color on a hooded eye, which makes me look more well rested and gives the eyes a warm glow.” Its cream to powder eyeshadow formula applies smoothly and is full of ingredients that are good for lids, such as sunflower seed oil, chamomile, and calendula, which keep the skin nourished. It applies smoothly with your finger or an eyeshadow brush and it can be applied in layers for greater pigment richness and depth. It comes in 14 shades including mattes and sheens with microfine pearl that provide a shimmer that is more adult friendly than glitter flecks.
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Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow Stick in Lavender is the best option for green eyes
“Green eyes look great in lavender; shades of purple work for them,” says Offers. The renowned Cream Eyeshadow Sticks by Bobbi Brown are available in a variety of purple hues. The lavender shade offers a buildable glide and glow formula that is waterproof, making it ideal for people who use eye drops or have teary eyes. The soft cream sticks easily blend with your fingers smudge and glide straight onto the lid. This lavender shade’s icy pearl shimmer is easy to build for an intense frosted lavender look, and it stays put throughout the day.
The Dior Backstage Eye Palette in Smoky Essentials is the best option for blue eyes
Blue eyes can have countless runway ready looks with just one palette. Because the contrast of these colors makes blue eyes stand out, Offers suggests that rich tans browns bronzes and golds are excellent shades for blue eyes. Offers advises looking for formulas that are finely milled and lend a subtle sheen, not a chunky metallic when purchasing powder shadows for mature lids in order to reduce product migration into fine lines. Nine long wearing pigmented colors in a range of shades and finishes, including mattes, satins, shimmers, and metals, make up this Dior palette ideal for any blue eyed experimenter over 40 who wants to try a variety of looks, or for the makeup phobe.
The Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Soft Cashmere is the best option for brown eyes
According to Soriano, plum is a great shade for brown eyes. This Dior palette includes a variety of browns, including taupes, champagne, bronzes, and a warm plum chocolate. These five shades offer a variety of options with finishes like shimmers, metallics, and mattes. They are made with cornflower extract for a creamy, comfortable finish. The powders can be used as liners, high drama evening looks using a combination of deeper hues, inner-corner highlights, brow-arch highlighter, and allover washes of softer hues.
Ilia Eye Stylus is the best option for women over 60
Ilia’s buttery cream shadow stick has a distinctive slanted tip that makes it look like an art tool from a painters toolbox design. Antioxidant-rich grape extract is a crucial component that adds skin care benefits to minimize fine lines and hydrate the skin while providing color. Because I detest fallout—the movement of product around the eyes—I value a cream eyeshadow stick. This is particularly crucial because as we get older, our close up vision deteriorates and it becomes harder to see all the fallout. Denno, who enjoys using this Eye Stylus on her older clients, says it’s delightful how simple it is to use with a few swipes and a fingertip smudge. The formulas are waterproof long lasting and resistant to creases. Denno advises using the Eye Stylus along the lash line and then smudging up with a brush to achieve an all-over-lid effect.
Mario Master Mattes Eye Palette The Original is the best eyeshadow palette
This 12 shade palette contains powder shadows that are easy to apply with a brush and feel light on the lids. According to Dr. Chung, “I advise older patients to avoid heavy or highly pigmented shadows because they highlight crepey lids and sit at the texture of aging skin.” Inspired by the minimalist matte neutrals of the 1990s, the palette is also a cult favorite with an abundance of choices. Twelve gentle matte shades that apply smoothly with an eyeshadow brush to create an all-over color wash, as well as matte highlighters and liners that are delicately contoured using lighter and darker hues. With so many options, this palette is perfect for traveling and seeking diversity.
