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Carol from North Carolina emailed me with the following question:

Dear Lo,

As a mother of a bride, I viewed your web site for my daughter who is getting married, but I have a question for 52-year old me. I quit wearing eye shadow because it accentuates the crinkles in my upper lids. How can I get cover these crinkles so I can wear shadow? I have med/fair skin color and my hair is medium brown. The skin on my eye lids is normal/oily.

-Carol

Carol,

I believe you have a common problem that can be easily resolved. Mature makeup is something that I love, because it is more about finesse than sparkle! 52 is quite young in the “mature makeup” category, as I deal with women from 40 -90 with the same problem.

We all know that light colors emphasize and dark colors minimize. If you thought your thighs were large you probably would not wear white, tight pants. Therefore, avoid light shadows on your lids if they are accentuating crinkles. And, avoid any shimmer in eye shadows – matte is your best friend. The best thing that you can do to emphasize your eyes is to use a dark brown or dark gray liner on your top lashes, and then blend this into a medium brown or gray shadow. This will pull the focus up to the top of your eye and will provide a nice background for your eye color.
As we get older we want to keep makeup soft as harsh lines can age a face. Stay away from pencil liners (they don't stay), and use a gel liner, cake liner, or wet eyeshadow. These liners stay in place and can be just as easy to use. Eye primers are wonderful for any skin and are basically matte cream shadows that you apply before your eye shadow. Go to a counter such as Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier or Trish McEvoy (my favs), and have someone work with you and show you how to apply these products. If you don't have access to a department store then find drugstore that has a return policy for used cosmetics (CVS), then you can buy several colors and try on at home.

Mature Makeup Mentor

I think that Diane Sawyer looks amazing and is as an example of mature makeup (or any makeup) done right. Her eyes are nicely defined, and her skin looks fresh due to a nice pink on her lips and cheek. I have included a nicely lit portrait shot from a distance and a snap shot with harsh lighting. I know how critical you all are of your own faces, and I want to show you how beautiful women look in real life when you get close up. Yes, you can see her wrinkles around her face, but ain't nothing gonna hide that and she looks beautiful regardless.

Source: ABC/Ida Mae Astute and www.tvpopcrunch.com

Lo's Basic Eye

1. Apply cream shadow or eye primer over lid from lash line to crease fading up to the brow.
2. Apply a medium color shadow from your lash line towards the crease (you can go up to the crease or stop below- as long as it is blended in) depends on your eye shape and personal preference.
3. Apply a tight liner on your upper eyelid.
4. Soften line by smudging slightly with eyeshadow brush.

Suggested Products

Bobbi Brown

* Eye Shadows - Fawn, Taupe, Slate, Cement
* Gel liner - Espresso, Sepia, Granite, Black Plum

Laura Mercier

* Eye Basics – Creme shadow that is a great primer. Choose a color that neutralizes your eye lid
* Liner in Mahogany or Bleu Marine

Drug store

* L'Oreal matte shadows- many have a dark shadow to use for a liner
* Flesh colored cream shadow from any brand

xoxo,
Lo