But while liner can help to open up your eyes and brighten your appearance, tightlining your waterline, or the inner rim of your lashes, will only stand to make you look older. “First of all, makeup inside the waterline instantly creates the illusion of smaller eyes.
Wearing makeup products on your waterline can obstruct oil glands, preventing the eyes from producing a healthy tear; to avoid this, look for products specifically designed for application to your waterline.
Applying a thick, black eyeliner makes your eyes appear really small and beady — making you look older than you are. An easy solution to this problem is to switch your back eyeliner with a brown one for a softer and more youthful appearance.
Also, try to avoid applying makeup on the lower lash line as it makes the eyes look smaller, highlights fine lines and drags down the whole face. The eyeliner can get smudged from the bottom lash line, clearly showing signs of fatigue, and making you look older.
"When makeup is applied to the area known as the waterline, it can potentially block the glands known as meibomian glands that release an oily substance that contributes to the tear film, which can subsequently lead to dry eye or irritation," Garshick said.
A little white or nude eyeliner on your bottom lid can work wonders to make you look more awake and refreshed. Gently pull on your under-eye and trace the line between the lower lashes and the inside rim.
DON'T line your whole eye.
Drawing your eyeliner from outside corner all of the way to the inside corner of your eye, on top and bottom, is just a whole lotta eyeliner. It's harsh and unflattering, and makes your eyes appear smaller. It also makes it look like you wear a studded black belt over your Billabong t-shirt.
Your eyes become sensitive as you age and it is not always recommended to experiment with eye makeup, especially if you have eye issues. However, this does not mean you should miss out on the fun! Some of the best eyeliners for older women do not irritate the sensitive skin around your eyes but help make them pop.
"Keep the liner to the top lid for a more lifted, youthful effect." If you really, really want to go after your bottom lash line, Stiles recommends using a lighter color there than you're using on the top. "This will still give you definition, but feels softer and more flattering," she adds.
Instead, try doing a very thin line, starting from the outer half of your lid. Only trace your lash line with the eyeliner, and don't make it thicker. Finish off with a small winger line that goes upwards for a subtle look that lifts the eye.
To achieve a younger look, Hughes recommends using champagne eyeliner rather than the go-to white pencil. “You may have heard the trick to apply white pencil eyeliner to your waterline to brighten your eyes and make them look younger.
As an incredibly sensitive area, the waterline requires a special type of eyeliner. (Just imagine the red and watery eyes brought on by irritation from a generic black eyeliner or worse, a liquid liner!) “I look for silicone-based liners that are longwearing and waterproof,” says celebrity makeup artist Jamie Dorman.
Despite what you may have heard, it's not the best idea to apply dark eyeliner to your bottom waterline because this can actually shrink the appearance of your eyes. Instead, apply your go-to eyeliner just below your lower lashes to help make your eyes look bigger.
What's the difference between tightlining and waterlining? Tightlining is applying eyeliner underneath the upper lash line, whereas waterlining involves applying eyeliner just above the lower lash line.
Adding eyeliner to your waterline is an easy way to change up your eye makeup. It can add darkness to a smoky eye, brighten up tired/red eyes, make smaller eyes look bigger, and big eyes look smaller.
A statement color, glowing skin, and graphic eyeliner are not going out of style anytime soon. And don't forget to add on your face gems–they're a must-have (trust us).
Adding a sweep of eyeliner is an absolute must when doing eye makeup for mature skin over 60. It adds a beautiful structure to the face and can frame your eyes as the standout features they are. A pencil eyeliner is good for aging eyes because it softens the lash line and makes your fringe look fuller.
Opt for a lighter eyeshadow rather than a dark, smoky shade on your eyelids and around the eyes, like Jenna Dewan Tatum. "Highlighting the corners makes eyes look brighter and fresh," says Ahnert. "Use a light color shadow in matte or shimmer to inner corner, lower lash line in outer corner, and the inner lid."
Being gentle with your skin will cut back on prematurely aging your skin, but less makeup will have your skin looking younger. You'll have less bacteria on your face. Bacteria is all around us but you don't want it on your face. Every single time a makeup brush touches your face, you're adding bacteria to your skin.
Use a waterproof pencil eyeliner, like the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner, and carefully press it along your waterline. Make sure to look straight into a handheld mirror and slightly tilt your head down while lining your waterline.
Ditch liquid liners
Thick black lines don't do any woman over 35 any favours as it makes eyes that are already getting smaller with age look even tinier. And the rock-chick look is too harsh for ageing skin tones, so switch to brown or charcoal-grey.
The bottom line: Liquid liner* is* safe to put in the inner rims of your eyes, but maybe not the best idea.