The Best Eyeliners for Older Women We Tested, Including Maybelline, Lancôme, and More
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10/22/2024 07:15 AM
Our winners are gray-friendly, smudge-resistant, and safe for sensitive eyes
Jessica Juliao; Jhett Thompson; Bobbi Brown; Amazon
It feels like it takes a lifetime to master a good eyeliner flick, so when you perfect your craft, it's easy to get stuck in your old ways. But as your skin changes over the years, it's important to use makeup products and techniques that can evolve with you.
Experts Say
"Mature eyelid skin can be thinner, so consider gel or cream formulas for less tugging and easier application. Also look for hypoallergenic and fragrance-free liners to reduce eye irritation, dry eyes, and sensitivity." — Dr. Jennifer Tsai, board-certified optometrist
With this information in mind, we reassessed our list of favorite eyeliners and chatted with experts to find the best formulas that won't irritate dry eyes, that will complement graying hair, and blend beautifully on skin laced with storytelling lines. Because even if your eyes look different, you should still be able to achieve your signature look.
Read on for the best eyeliners for older women.
Best Liquid Eyeliner for Older Women: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner
Star Qualities
Serious all-day staying power
Angular, fine-tipped pen makes it easy to get into inner corners
Easy to remove
Red Flags
Dried so quickly that we couldn't correct our mistakes
There wasn't much we didn't love about this winning eyeliner pen. Its fine-tipped applicator created smudge-resistant, ultra-thin lines — an advantage for someone adding eyeliner over wrinkles — which helped our tester draw the perfect wing. The formula was also pretty buildable but didn't require much layering to get a deep shade.
We did notice that it dried and set into the skin almost immediately, even if we made a mistake. Luckily, removing errors with a cotton swab and makeup remover was easy.
Pro Tip
Sketch out a line along your lashline with an eyeliner brush using eyeshadow before using the actual eyeliner — this way you can blend away any mistakes.
Type: Liquid | Colors: 8 | Benefits: Pigmented, waterproof, transfer- and smudge-resistant, smooth application (doesn't tug)
People / Jhett Thompson
Best Drugstore: Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise Eyeliner
Star Qualities
Affordable price
Safe for sensitive eyes
Slender tip for smooth and precise application
Red Flags
Thin applicator may come with a learning curve
This budget-friendly liner performed similarly to our best overall pick, drawing across the skin smoothly without tugging or smudging. Its angular, thin tip made it easy to shape clean wings and the ultra-dark formula dried down quickly, staying in place until intentionally cleansed with a makeup remover.
Despite being waterproof, this stay-put liner was easy to remove with just one pass of a makeup remover wipe, which meant that we didn't need to tug hard or excessively on the thin eye skin to effectively remove it.
Shade Recommendations
"Forest Brown," a cool-toned, earthy brown
Type: Liquid | Colors: 5 | Benefits: 12-hour wear, waterproof, transfer- and smudge-resistant
Best Pencil: Lancôme Drama Longwear Liqui-Pencil Eyeliner
Star Qualities
Doesn't tug at delicate skin
Stay-put formula
Soft, pigmented results
Red Flags
Black shade may be too intense for light or graying hair
When it comes to a good eyeliner pencil for mature skin, this formula ticked all of our boxes. Its soft, smooth formula was easy to glide across eyes with lines and never tugged at the skin, leaving behind a smudge-resistant line that didn't budge until it was time to wash off the day.
This eyeliner was tested under ophthalmological control and is also appropriate for contact lens wearers, making it a safe option for sensitive eyes — plus its waterproof formula will keep the product in place despite teary or dry eyes. However, Dr. Tsai doesn't recommend putting this pencil (or any eyeliner) in your waterline, no matter how safe the product claims to be.
Shade Recommendations
"Parisian Night," a metallic navy, "French Chocolate," a matte brown, or "Purple Cabaret," a dimensional plum
Type: Gel-pencil hybrid | Colors: 8 | Benefits: 24-hour wear, waterproof, ophthalmologically-tested, free from parabens, sulfates, and phthalates
Best Gel: Melt Cosmetics Ultra Matte Gel Eyeliner
Star Qualities
Smudge-resistant formula
Brush makes it easy to soften the color
Quick dry time
Red Flags
Eyeliner brush not included
Mature eyes require a lighter hand and softer makeup products, like this creamy gel from Melt Cosmetics. "If a pencil is too hard, it will drag on the skin and you will have no control," says Jo Strettell, celebrity makeup artist. "With an eyeliner brush, [you can] blend for a softer look."
This creamy formula offered intense pigment with just a little bit of product at the end of our tester's brush, which means that this pot will last them quite a while. Plus, we could blend the edges of our liner with the brush to get a softer, more flattering look, while knowing that it would be smudge-resistant for the rest of the day and night.
Shade Recommendation
"Spliff," a rich, warm-toned brown
Type: Gel | Colors: 4 | Benefits: Waterproof, super pigmented, easy to blend, smudge-resistant
Best Cream:: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eyeliner Stick
Star Qualities
Easy to blend
Smooth application
Pigmented formula lasts all day long
Red Flags
Dries down pretty quickly
If you're looking for something with a softer effect (perhaps to match graying hair), we'd recommend this blendable eyeliner that won a 2024 PEOPLE Beauty Award for the "best cream eyeliner." Because the tube is a bit chubbier than most eyeliners, this stick is easy to grip, and the formula can be smudged for a smoky eyeshadow effect if blended quickly enough (it dries down pretty fast).
Our tester called this liner "perfection in a single stroke" and applauded its soft and smooth application. Plus, another tester liked how easy it was to build up the color — starting with a light wash on our lashlines and intensifying with every layer.
Shade Recommendations
"Fog," a warm gray, or "Rich Chocolate," a neutral brown, depending on your hair and eye shades
Type: Cream | Colors: 4 | Benefits: Waterproof, transfer- and smudge-resistant, buildable, true-color wear
Best Investment: Valentino Colorgraph Waterproof Gel Eyeliner
Star Qualities
Extremely pigmented formula
Easy to blend with included brush
Very long-wearing
Red Flags
More shimmer options than matte
If there were ever a luxury eyeliner to invest in, this Valentino Beauty pencil would be the one to purchase. Packed with pigment and soft enough to glide across mature eyelids, it's easy to get a customizable eyeliner look without tugging on your skin. It has a short dry-down period that allowed us to soften the eyeliner with the built-in eyeliner brush before the formula set and locked in place for all-day, smudge-free wear.
Shade Recommendation
"Brown Fondant," a bronzy metallic shade, would complement gray-streaked hair while offering some depth
Type: Gel | Colors: 6 | Benefits: Waterproof, transfer- and smudge-resistant, smooth application, blendable
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While makeup artist Jo Strettell also recommended several of our Tested favorites, she also had a few other recommendations that safely complement mature eyelids.
What to Know About Eyeliner for Older Women
Skin and Eye Sensitivity
"Over time, the eyelid skin can start to thin as our collagen and elastin production decreases, causing more visible blood vessels and dark circles, droopy lids, fine lines, and wrinkles," says Dr. Tsai. "Less natural oil or meibum is produced as we age, which leads to dry skin and dry eyes."
To combat this, look for eye-safe products that are paraben- and fragrance-free, like the Lancôme Drama Liqui-Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner, which is also ophthalmologist-tested. Dr. Tsai also discourages users from applying eyeliner to the waterline, or "tightlining," as it can clog the meibomian glands and lead to dry eyes. (Plus, this method can make eyes look smaller as the skin starts to sag.)
Hair-Compatible Shades
It's no secret that hair turns different shades of gray and white as the years go by, and just as your makeup routine (likely) changes when you dye your hair, it will change when your locks lose their melanin, too.
"For a daily natural look, it's best to stick with the softer shades of gray, and all shades of browns to bronze," Strettell recommends. "But don't be afraid to use black or bright colors for fun — you can soften and blend eyeshadow powders over the liner if it all looks a little too much."
Dr. Tsai also prefers charcoal, navy, and taupe, which "create definition without seeming too harsh."
Application
Just as our products change with age, so does the way we apply them. "As we get older, the best tip is to keep makeup light and minimal," says Strettell. The celebrity makeup artist recommends "keeping foundation super light around the eyes" and using a "clean powder puff to avoid makeup collecting in the fine lines" of the eyes, which can intensify the look of wrinkles instead of masking them.
People / Tamara Staples
How to Use a Pencil Liner on Mature Eyes
- Sketch your eyeliner with an eyeliner brush and a neutral-colored eyeshadow to find the correct shape for your eye.
- Open and close your eyes in between strokes to make sure the product doesn't transfer onto your lid. Squint or laugh to see where a wing works with wrinkles or lines.
- Take your eyeliner pencil or pen and go over the line you created without tugging.
- Optional: To soften a pencil, gel, or cream liner, smudge the line with an eyeliner brush. To intensify the line, add a thin line of liquid eyeliner along the lashline and between clumps of lashes to give the illusion of added volume.
Behind the Scenes
A group of testers, both with young and mature skin, came together to test 32 different eyeliners in our PEOPLE Tested lab. We also consulted with makeup artists and eye care professionals to get their tips, tricks, and recommendations when it came to eyeliners for older women — all while trying out a few liners of our own. Our final list was decided based on the following:
- Application: We smudged, swiped, and sketched on each eyeliner and took note of how easy (or not) it was to glide each formula. Excess tugging, subsequent dry or teary eyes, and other discomforts were noted here.
- Blendability: We took stock of each formula's pigmentation and if we could effortlessly smudge the liner for a softer look or not. The liner's pigmentation and dry-down time was also evaluated.
- Wear: In the lab, our testers re-assessed their liners after 30 minutes, checking for any signs of smudging, fading, or feathering. Our real-world testers wore these liners day in and out to see how they stood up to different environments and played with different makeup.
Our Expert Panel
- Jo Strettell is a celebrity makeup artist with a lengthy portfolio of editorial and red carpet experience alike. Her repertoire consists of Ana de Armas, Helen Mirren, and Cate Blanchett, to name a few.
- Dr. Jennifer Tsai is a board-certified optometrist and founder of Line of Sight, a concierge eye care practice in New York City that offers a holistic approach to eye health, specializing in dry eye treatments, contact lenses, and ocular aesthetics.
What is PEOPLE Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don't stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we've awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.
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