What Color Eyeshadow For Women Over 60?

As women age, their makeup needs to begin to change. The colors you rocked in your twenties might no longer be the best choice in your older years. If you're wondering what eyeshadow color changes to make, we have done some research and have suggestions to ensure that your make-up complements your beauty.

Mature women should stick with matte shadows in neutral shades like beiges, browns, and grays, along with a pale highlighter. Avoid frosty or high shimmer hues that accentuate wrinkles and hooded eyes. 

Equally as important as eyeshadow shade is the technique. As women age, their facial structure changes, especially around the eyes. Eyelids can begin to become hooded, and applying make-up the wrong way makes eyes appear to sink back more rather than bringing them forward. Luckily, makeup techniques create the illusion of forward eyes, and it's not as difficult as you might think.

How do you apply eyeshadow over 60?

Challenges

There are challenges to the application of makeup when women become older. Many wear glasses, creating difficulties, but the poor eyesight that accompanies glasses is the bigger challenge. When it becomes difficult to see, applying makeup can become frustrating.

Stiff fingers that have to manipulate small tools only add to the frustration, but there is good reason to continue wearing makeup. Other challenges, like hooded eyes and wrinkles, can be diminished when you know a few good tricks.

Hooded eyes

Hooded eyes occur when excess skin hides the natural crease and causes the eyelid to be smaller. This is a genetic feature that affects even young people, but age adds to the prominence of hooded eyes. Luckily, there are makeup techniques to help hide hooded eyes for all ages.

Wrinkles

As women age, the skin on the eyelid becomes thinner. This creates fine lines and wrinkles that accumulate eyeshadow, creating creases and unwanted caking of eye products. Keeping the skin hydrated helps to slow aging skin, but you don't want hydration under your eyeshadow unless it's part of your eye primer.

Products

There are important products when one is younger but essential for makeup application on a mature face. Keep reading to find suggestions about products you should have in your makeup inventory to make your eyes look young again.

Eye Palette

Having a good eye palette in your makeup inventory ensures all the colors you need are in one place. Purchase one with plenty of brown shades to choose from for variety but also includes a black or very dark brown for lining the eyes and a white or very light hue for slight highlighting of the brow bone.

Consider a palette like this one from LORAC found on Amazon.

Eye Primer

Eye primer should become an essential part of your makeup kit. It provides a smooth surface that helps your eyeshadow stay in place. This is important to reduce creases in your eyeshadow, especially if you have hooded eyes. Eye primer also removes discolorations, brightens your eyes, and gives your eyeshadow an even look.

There are many options for textures and shades, and the best one is really about your personal preference and skin needs. For example, if your skin is oily, you might choose a long-lasting formula. In contrast, if your skin tends to be dry, choose an eye primer with hydration.

Consider this top-rated eye primer found on Amazon.

Eyebrows

For mature women, the eyebrow area is of the utmost importance, even if this isn't an area you focused on previously. According to Margaret Woodberry, author of Health and Beauty Tips for Women 60 & 80, eyebrows frame the face and define the facial features. It's important to keep the brows as dark as possible and properly trimmed and shaped.

Lashes

Eyelashes are a large part of making your eyes look young and bright. Long, full lashes make eyes look wide-open and frame your features, giving you an instant facelift. Give lashes an upward bend with a lash curler, so the focus is up and open to counteract any droopiness that comes with age. Invest in a good mascara or maybe even lash extensions.

Application

First, be sure that you have light and magnification to see what you are doing. Also, remember that glasses are a natural magnifier, so consider the added exposure when applying eye makeup if you wear them.

Many techniques help aging eyes. Avoid your instinct to close your eyes while applying eyeshadow. With your eyes open, it helps to create the look you want others to see. Also, you can't see your natural crease, so you have to create your own.

For hooded eyes, it's important to use the contrast between dark and light to create shadows and highlights that trick other's eyes.  Start with a medium brown or another neutral hue rather than a lighter one to cover the lid.  This might be contrary to your usual routine, but the medium tone helps create the shadow that draws attention away from the hooded eyelid bringing the eye forward.  Eyeshadow that's too light on the lower lid creates separation between dark tones, drawing unwanted attention.

Use light shades to create an illusion of space. Do this by adding a dab of light color in the inner corner of the eye and just below the eye only.  Then, add a highlighter just below the brow bone but no lower.

With the dark shades, create shadows. Find the natural crease of your eyes and add a dark shade just above the crease following the socket and slightly above to create depth. Don't go all the way to the brow bone. You need some light space. Be sure to blend out any harsh lines. Also, use dark brown or black to line the outer two-thirds of the lashline and waterline. There should be a slight flick upward at the end for a lift. Follow-up with liner if you prefer, but be careful. Lines that are too dark, especially on the bottom, make eyes appear smaller.

To continue the lifted look, follow the natural line from your nose to the bottom of the brow bone, not applying any dark shades or liners below that line.  To find this line, take a long, straight object and hold it on your face starting at the side of the nose at an angle ending at the brow bone.

Check out this tutorial that walks you through the step-by-step process of how eye make-up can disguise hooded eyes.

Should a 60-year-old woman wear eyeshadow?

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Older women face challenges like poor eyesight and stiff fingers, making eyeshadow application difficult. Not to mention familiar makeup routines might no longer give the desired results, especially around the eyes.

All these reasons might tempt aging women to abandon wearing makeup, but there's no reason to abandon eyeshadow. Shades and techniques need to be adjusted to accommodate the changes that come with age. Makeup can complement a mature face just as much as a young one if used properly. The trick is knowing which makeup styles make women look older rather than younger and avoid those.

In the later senior years, women may no longer want the complete makeup look. When that time comes, forgo the lashes and eyeliner. To soften the eyeshadow, leave off the dark crease and light highlighter. Rather, stick with soft shades in grays and light browns for an all-over blended look.

If poor eyesight makes it difficult to see the fine details when applying makeup, a good magnifying mirror with an adjustable lamp can make all the difference.

Check out this vanity mirror with light and magnification on Amazon.

What kind of eyeshadow should an older woman wear?

With time, creases and wrinkles begin to make the eyes look smaller. The wrong eyeshadow shrinks the eyes even more. There's debate among experts about whether creams or powders are better for mature eyes.

Powders are more traditional and generally recommended by more experts for mature eyes—however, some like the smooth glide of cream for easy application. Most creams tend to crease, making them unsuitable for those with hooded eyes. Overall, this may be an area where personal preference has to make the decision. Some products have ingredients in them that, along with eye primer, will help stop any type of eyeshadow from settling into the wrinkles, leaving unwanted creases.

What color eyeshadow makes you look younger?

Mature women who want younger-looking eyes should stick with soft neutral tones and avoid bold, bright colors. Try sticking with tones that closely match your skin tone. Harsh colors can accentuate dark circles. While browns are generally neutral, try to avoid hues that have too much yellow and red pigment, which can make you look tired. When you want a bolder look, go for the jewel tones.

Also, remember that high-shimmer, sparkle, and frost are no longer your friend. You don't want to spotlight your problem areas but rather focus on the illusions created through your makeup techniques that draw attention away from the problem areas.

Final Thoughts

Older eyes have seen many trends come and go, and there's no reason they cannot continue to be trendy. Just adjust the color and techniques to ones that complement the natural beauty of a mature face.

For more makeup ideas for senior ladies, check out 25 Makeup Ideas for Women over 50 with Gray Hair.

If you want to make sure that more than your makeup is up to date, read 25 Awesome Bob Hairstyles for Women over 60.