Clueless about eye makeup! - YouLookFab Forum

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Clueless about eye makeup!

Maureen

I am very new here so not sure where to post skincare/makeup questions.

I never wore or cared about makeup until my late 40's. Now I am in my 50's and while I have a good skincare routine and I an do foundation and all the easy stuff I am trying to move on to finding a simple eye makeup routine. I prefer a natural look that just enhances my eyes (bue). I watch youtube videos and women make it look so easy! Eye shadow I can kinda of handle but eye liner is my nemesis. How do you apply it when you older and your hand is not as steady as it once was and your eye sight is not great without reading glasses. My eyes are very sensitive and they twitch like crazy. I hate the sensation of touching anything in the eye area. I can now do mascara but I still feel a bit queasy when I do it.

Not sure what I am asking-advice, anyone else in the same boat?

The few times I have had it applied at a beauty counter I get many compliments and that motivates me to keep trying. I just am quite hopeless at it.

Thanks for reading this!

General

28 replies

Latest reply was from Melaine

SW Ann

Veteran

HI! Welcome!
I admire your desire to try something new to you even with the issues you have listed. First, if you try something and it makes your eyes itch or burn, retreat from that product! I would try products for sensitive eyes, and skin such as Almay, or clinique. Also, in terms of eyeliner, I do use a liner because it makes my eyes stand out behind my eyeglasses, but I only use eye pencils -not liquid liner. I find the liquids too hard to work with and unforgiving. My tip for this is to just dot the tip of the pencil along your lash line, and then "smudge" it with a q tip to give the effect of a subtle line. It will take some practice but if you like how it looks you'll get better at it. However, eye liner is not a necessity. Just do what you are comfortable with! If you have a friend that does her own make up in a way that you think looks good, ask her for some help.
Good luck, and have fun....

deb

Veteran

I am no longer able to get a clean line with eyeliner due to my age related saggy eyelids. Using a dark shadow and smudging just above the eyelashes works for me. It gives the look of liner and makes my lashes look fuller.

Style Fan

Veteran

Welcome. I have very sensitive eyes and skin. I always toss anything that causes irritation. Some products that are made for sensitive skin are irritating and some products that are just regular are just fine. I have had good luck with MAC but that is me. I use a liner that I add water to and then draw the line but I have been doing this for years. I find pencil does not last long enough.

My advice is to buy a magnifying mirror. This is a necessity for women after a certain age. How else can we see? I would look pretty peculiar without my magnifying mirror.

I also curl my eyelashes. It makes a huge difference. I like the Sephora brand eyelash curler the best.

Invest in good make up brushes and take care of them. Wash them carefully. They will last forever. I have MAC, Laura Mercier, Smashbox and Stilia. MAC are the best in my opinion.

Angie has done some posts about make up. She did one on mascara and one on tinted moisturizer.

Maureen

Thanks for the replies!

I have been slowly buying good brushes.

I have never curled my eyelashes... I get anxiety just thinking about it! Lol.

Shelly

I am also 50 something with blue eyes.
For a simple eye makeup routine that also looks nice behind glasses.

1. I use a peachy/apricot/gold shadow that I apply from the lashes to just above the eyelid crease.
2. I use Lancome pencils in a very dark brown -along the lash line and because it suits my eye shape, I flick the pencil past the outer edge of the eye socket. I only use Lancome because they are a soft pencil but not too soft. I really dislike hard and scratchy pencils.
3. I buy good but inexpensive mascara. I prefer to only use mascara until it starts to dry out and replace it with fresh. I like a wet mascara that I can apply quickly and let set. I am currently using Maybelline.

This eye routine takes only a couple of minutes and even at my age I still get compliments on my eye makeup.

I hope this helps ~

Meow

Veteran

I never used eye makeup either until I was in my late 40s now early 50s. I had deep set eyes with dark lashes so eye makeup was really not necessary. But...my lashes lightened up and with all the YouTube videos out there I learned a little about eye makeup. Now I use a light color on my lid and a a darker color on the outer corner - really helps to lift the eye. I'm really bad at eye liner but have found a dark brown eye shadow with an angled brush the easiest to apply and doesn't smear. Then several coats of mascara. My recommendation is to learn about your eye shape and experiment with makeup - you could have several eye shapes - mine are deep set and downturned. YouTube is a good place to start.

SarahTheWhite

Veteran

I tend to do a heavier eye than most people are comfortable with, so you wouldn't like all of my techniques, but I might be able to help with some things. I find that it helps to pick a pencil that has a very smooth, creamy texture and is heavily pigmented because it can be easier to smudge around and you don't need to be so exact. I love Urban Decay's pencil eyeliners for this reason. I am also very sensitive to mica, and some of the. UD liners are mica free. I also have a very small magnifying mirror that suction cups to the bathroom mirror so I can see up close and personal. Once you draw the line, you can take a cotton swab (I like the pointy ones) and rub the line to soften it and blend it into the shadow. I would recommend playing with it on a day when you don't have anywhere to go. Apply more than you think you should so that you can feel what it is like to smudge it, and then you will know what is too much so you can scale back before going out in public. And finally, think outside of the box a little on color. I read somewhere that brown is the best color to use for blue eyes, but I just never loved it on me. I now alternate between a deep plum/grey, charcoal grey and a smokey blue/green. I tend to use grey eyeshadow with the plumb and blue/green to tone down the color, but it can do amazing things for the color of my eyes. It can also help to put eyeshadow on with a fine brush, up close to the lash line, just like it is a liner, and then go over it with a pencil. I find that also keeps the line from being too harsh.

Ankita

(website)

Hi Maureen and welcome to YLF

I’m so happy to see that you love your makeup and are open to experimenting with it to see what suits you and makes it easier to apply.

I’d love to be able to help in any way with this comment… sorry it’s going to be a veryyy long one talking about a complete eye makeup routine (makeup is one of my loves!), so thank you in advance if you stick with me till the end of it

1. Moisturise - I would recommend start by giving your eyes & the area around it some love by simply investing in a good eye cream. As we mature, the area around our eyes tends to look dehydrated, so a great way to infuse life into it is to add moisture into the skin. Simply use your ring finger to dab and pat the cream around the eyes.

2. Pick your base wisely. The key to beautiful makeup application (irrespective of age) is that LESS IS MORE…always, so if you’re good with concealer, I recommend not taking your foundation all the way under and around your eyes. Use only 1 product - either foundation under the eye or concealer, not both. And don’t forget the inner corners - because more often than not, that’s the area that has the darkest shadow. Use your fingers to smooth the product in.

3. Prime! If you have an eyelid primer, use it because it will change your eye makeup game! Mature lids tend to be heavier and droopier (mine already are at 30 because I have hooded eyes!), which means that skin will create folds and that’s where the eyeshadow will bunch up. A primer will ensure that your eyeshadow does NOT budge! Use your fingers to gently lift the skin under your eyebrow and use the other hand to smooth out primer making sure you cover the entire lid area.

4. Coming on to eyeshadow- i say choose whatever colours you fancy! Don’t go by what people say will or will not suit you, because that’s the beauty of makeup! The only thing I would recommend is that you use cream eyeshadows instead of powders and I’ll tell you why - if you say your hands are not as steady as you’d like them to be, I would choose to give minimum makeup brushes in your hand to avoid chances of poking yourself in the eyes… instead I would encourage you to use products that you can apply AND blend using your fingers (the best makeup tools ever in my books!). There are a ton of eyeshadow cream pots and creams in stick form in the market today, so choose any (i’ve listed a number of them if you’d like to try) :

Maybelline color tattoo eyeshadow (cream pots)
Bobbi Brown long-wear cream eyeshadow (pot)
Clinique Lid Smoothies
Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint (eyeshadow in stick form)
Jouer Creme Eyeshadow Crayon (stick form)
Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Eyeshadow (stick form)
By Terry Ombre Blackstar Color eyeshadow (stick)
KIKO long lasting stick eyeshadows (stick)
Collection Work The Colour Eyeshadow Pencil (stick)
Charlotte Tilbury color chameleon (stick)

On days when you want to do nothing fancy, just slap on some cream shadow, blend blend blend with your fingers and you’re good to go!

Another tip for mature eyes is that don’t take color anywhere above your crease, so keep the eyeshadow off your brow-bone.

5. Eyeliner - try out powders and pencils and say no to liquid if your hand is not too steady. I would suggest using a soft pencil to line the area just above your eyelashes (really touching the lashes) and then smudging it out using your pinkie finger or a Q-tip or ear bud (works great!).
If you must use a liquid liner, then place your elbow on a flat surface, rest your pinkie finger on your face (on the cheeks maybe?) for added support & then draw a thin line.

6. Mascara -If you’re scared of eyelash curlers, don’t use them. Your eyes are precious and we do not want you to poke them! Simply give your lashes 2 coats of mascara and see what you prefer - lengthening or volumizing and choose your mascara based on that. Also, if you have sensitive eyes, stay clear of fibre mascaras.

7. Brows - don't forget your brows, because that shapes your face and really brings the focus to your eyes. Fill in gaps using a pencil or powder or simply use a clear mascara to keep them in place.

I hope I haven’t bored you to death!

If you give any of this a go, i wish you all the luck

Have fun Maureen!

Thirkellgirl

Veteran

My always-sensitive eyes have gotten worse in the past year or so, and I can no longer wear my Clinique eyeliner pencils. I have had great luck with Neutrogena's, which are soft (and cheap). I also have a couple great brushes and can use them to do a soft line with eyeshadow. If you aim for your lashes and not your lid you will probably have better luck. I like Bare Minerals eyeshadow, which doesn't make my eyes itch. I rarely do mascara, which makes me sad because it adds so much to my eyes, but my heavier black eyeglass frames compensate for that somewhat.

pcs5054

My eyes tend to be sensitive to certain things, but I've had good success with Bare Minerals eye shadows and have used the darker brown eye shadow as a liner too with an appropriate brush. I do use a pencil liner by Make up Forever, which seems not to irritate my eyes either. I also got a sample of Make up Forever mascara and that seems to be good too. I also have a magnifying mirror, which is helpful with make up and other beauty related routines.

SandyG

Veteran

I'm older than you and understand sensitive eye issues. My favorite purples, taupes and pinky colors irritate due to the dyes so I'm limited to pretty neutral eye colors. What I've found (after extensive 'research') is French eye makeup has fewer ingredients that bother me. Maybe try a consult at a Chanel cosmetic counter? And my everyday fav is the Clinique Chubby eye crayon -- fast and easy.

rachylou

Veteran

Pencil is kinder, I think. Also, do the liner first so you can correct mistakes without ruining everything else.. !!

Maureen

Wow you guys are great! Thank you so much for all the info. I am reading and re reading it all!

I think I will try the UD pencils. Those Clinique Chubby eye crayons sound fun. I do have some cream shadows (Maybelline and Bobbi Brown).

I think you are all right-I need to just practice and be patient.

I know it really makes a difference and I like the effect. Just need to gain confidence and convince my eyes I am not out to hurt them!

Rubygirl

All good points. I have one thing to add ... In applying eye makeup, you will also need to take into consideration what type of eye area you have such as hooded eyesetc.. I have attached a picture of what I mean

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annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Supposedly Michelle Phan is the guru now of make-up tutorials

https://www.youtube.com/user/MichellePhan

ETA her basics series

https://www.youtube.com/playli.....MXguHsIdqt

Maureen

Any eye cream recs?

Skincare is a huge interest of mine. Are there many posts here on the topic and would they be under the general category?

Anonymous

Depending on what I am trying to achieve I use a different eyeliner. I like the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner and use a somewhat very thin short flatbrush to press it into my lashline. Other times I use Revlon Colorstay eyeliner pencil. I do not draw a line. I just dab along my lash line and then use eyeshadow along the top lashline to blend it before applying the rest of my eyeshadow. Both eyeliners do not smudge on me and lasts all day. I only use mascara occasionally and find that my lashes have thickened up and have become fuller ever since I stopped using mascara daily. I dont usually use an eyelash curler but will brush my eyelashes before I apply mascara. Makes a huge difference.

Also, ditto on the magnifying mirror.

Regarding eyecreams, i use a different one during the winter and summer. I like Mario Badescu products and while you can buy at Ulta, I usually buy it online. I wear a richer eyecream at night and a lighter one during the day. Oh, and they must be unscented.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Manual skills and technique aside, the kind of makeup that suits you depends on more than just your eye colour. How deep-set and large your eyes are also matters a lot more. For example, someone like SarahtheWhite looks great with thick black liner, because she has large eyes that are not deep-set. If I tried that, I'd look like I had two black holes where my eyes should be.

Also, the amount of subcutaneous fat around your eyes matters. Some people have a lot and their eyes to get puffy if they haven't slept. Others have very little, and they look hollow-eyed and ill when they haven't slept. This matters a lot when it comes to putting eye shadow or liner around your eyes.

Generally speaking, as you age, less is more. A sweep of mascara is all many women need, although a little eye shadow in the right places can be flattering and fun. Experiment with how much and what colour.

I've found that the best everyday look for me (I'm 43) is just a good mascara, and undereye concealer. Dark circles is never a great look, and it's getting more obvious as I get older.

Maureen

So I bought a Clinique Chubby Shadow tint today in the color Lilac! Love it and sooo easy. I will buy a couple of more of those (Not that thrilled with the selection) and also try BB and others. I love the stick application-I think it is what this makeup dummy has been looking for! next up will be an eye liner pencil.

Thank you so much for all the advice. If you know of any other shadow sticks let me know!

Ankita

(website)

Jouer Creme Eyeshadow Crayon
Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Eyeshadow sticks
By Terry Ombre Blackstar Color eyeshadow sticks
KIKO long lasting stick eyeshadows sticks
Collection Work The Colour Eyeshadow Pencil
Charlotte Tilbury color chameleon sticks
Rimmel scandal eyes eyeshadow Crayon
Sephora jumbo waterproof pencils
urban decay glide on shadow pencil

J.J.

For eyeliner, try using Rimmel London EXAGGERATE water proof eyeliner. My eyes are sensitive (allergies), so I need a waterproof one, otherwise it runs right away.

I'm relatively new to eyeliner, too, and recently tried a whole bunch. The Rimmel London is creamy and easy to apply, comes in brown and black (I have both; with blue eyes and blond hair, I like brown for day and black for night). The fact that its drugstore-brand makes me happy, too.

Best part about it: if you make a mistake, you can quickly wipe it off. What happens literally every morning is I put it on one eye and it looks great. The second eye is a disaster, so I end up 'erasing' with just a Q-tip and redoing it. Then erasing just the outer corner of my eye, and re-doing it. If I'm having a bad day, it might even take a third erase-and-start-again. Through all that, there are no issues with smudges remaining.

What's weird is that once you get it the way you like, it pretty much stays there (unless you rub your eyes a LOT). Dunno how the magic works, but it does!

Good luck!

BethT

My tips:

I cannot do my eye makeup without a magnifying mirror. I have a small one that suctions to my bathroom mirror and is perfect.

I love more expensive shadows (Bare Essentials, Too Faced) because they are more pigmented and remain on my eyes for more than 30 minutes (even without primer).

However, I love cheaper mascaras with Maybelline being my go-to brand. I haven't found a more expensive brand that was even close!

I always hold a piece of TP right under my eyes so the shadow doesn't wind up on my cheeks instead.

And embarrassingly enough--I watch some of those semi-tacky teenager Youtube videos on make-up application. Oh, the professional ones are nice and well produced, but never seem to quite help. But those 17 year girls who play with their makeup for hours always have some good tips, even if I don't plaster it on quite as thick!

SandyG

Veteran

J.J.'s second eye mistake advice reminds me -- I recommend you do your hardest eye first. That way you end on the easy eye. This works with exercise too

Maureen

Thanks everyone! Great tips and advice.

unfrumped

Veteran

A super-magnifying mirror is needed! I have one that stands on bath counter so I can sit. Also there are ones as in hotels that you can attach to wall and extend.

Gaylene

Veteran

I like a very natural look around my eyes, especially as I've gotten older. I don't like vivid lipsticks, so playing up my eyes, my best feature, still works for me. I use four products: an eyebrow pencil, a charcoal or deep brown pencil to line my upper lashline, an under-eye illuminator instead of concealer, and mascara.

My favourite eyebrow pencil is a MAC eyebrow crayon in Lingering, with Maybelline Define-A-Brow in medium brown a close second. Mid-range colors look more subtle so generally going lighter than your brow color is easier to work with and gives a softer look on an older face. It is also important to use a spoolie brush, or soft toothbush, to blend the color so it looks natural, not harsh.

I use a soft pencil crayon liner--usually a MAC or Sephora brand-- in charcoal or deep brown to draw a line at the roots of my upper lashes. The line gets smudged with a Q-tip, so you don't need to be precise. I sometimes deliberately thicken the line at the outer corner to give a shadowy effect when smudged. I avoid eye shadows these days because creams and powders tend to migrate into fine lines as the day wears on.

I've eliminated concealers and foundations under the eye for the same reason--migration of product into creases and lines as the day wears on. I want my make-up to stay put the entire day, regardless of what i, or the weather, is doing that day. I've recently fallen in love with Clinique's Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector. It does not cover under eye darkness; instead it reflects light so the under eye area looks brighter. The product also contains sunscreen and hydrating elements so repeated use seems to help the skin under the eyes stay smooth and supple. I also like that the faint tint in the product doesn't migrate.

I usually finish with a coat or two of dark mascara, although I sometimes leave off this step because the eyeliner is often enough to make my lashes stand out. I prefer a non-smudging, non-clumping mascara--Maybelline's Define-A-Lash is inexpensive, but works just as well as my Bobbi Brown one.

The whole routine takes only a couple of minutes, but seems to give enough polish to my face without looking like I'm wearing makeup or requiring a lot of time, skill, and expense.

Gwennie

Wanted to say that as someone with sensitive eyes, I find non waterproof mascara better. For me the waterproof mascara is less easy to remove and more likely to smudge. My favorite is Loreal Telescopic Mascara. You can apply mascara just on the tips of your lashes as well so it's less likely to get into your eyes. For eyeliner, I find either liquid eyeliner or more of a gel or liquid pen type eyeliner easier to apply than pencils and just use my lashes as the base. Good luck!

Melaine

(website)

Thanks everyone for this thread, what great info! I also have sensitive eyes and rarely even try with eye makeup. I will have to look closely at these tips.