To get a handle on strategic makeup moves that lend a vibrant, youthful vibe, we asked a few renowned experts to share their best tips.
White out your waterline. To open up those peepers for a younger gaze, Lancôme National Makeup Artist Sandy Linter likes to line the inside of the waterline with a kohl-based white pencil like Lancôme’s Le Crayon Khôl ($26). “The white color diminishes shortly, but a touch will be left in lower lashes which achieves that innocent and youthful, clean look,” she says.
Line your lashes. On the flip side, you can also add a touch of youth with black liner to enhance your lashes. “Use a waterproof cream liner and nylon angle brush, like MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack ($16), to darken the roots of your lashes before applying mascara,” says celebrity makeup artist Kristofer Buckle. “Thicker-looking lashes make the eyes pop without a bunch of fussy makeup.”
Go for the gold. Lighter is always going to read younger, even though some women love a dramatic eye look. For the best of both worlds, instead of going dark and daring, play with glowing shadows instead. “Take a golden shadow, or a much-lighter highlighting shadow, and apply to the center of your eyelid,” says Linter. “This opens up the eye, but doesn’t change the mood of your smoky eye, while keeping it fresh and young with just a sweep.” To get the look, try Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow in Golden ($21), or Laura Mercier Fairy Dust in Platinum ($28).
Be strategic with your concealer. As you age, the areas around your nose and the inner corners of your eyes begin to darken. “To remedy, apply concealer to both of those areas (try Lancôme’s Maquicomplet Concealer, $31), but there is no need to apply in a semicircle under your eyes,” says Linter. “Never go through laugh lines with concealer, either. Just stick to those two areas.” And make sure the shade matches your skin tone exactly in areas where you want more coverage. Most women go a shade or two lighter, which Linter says actually makes imperfections stand out more. Not sure how to tell if your concealer is too light? “Take a selfie!” she suggests.