The eyes tell all, as they say, even your age—but not if makeup artist Laura Mercier has anything to say about it. She's revealing simple ways you can camouflage the signs of aging around your stargazers, from wrinkles to thinning eyelashes. Once you apply these tips, you won't believe your eyes.
Crow's Feet
Laura says the first thing women need to do before they attempt to camouflage crow's feet is...accept them. "Nothing in the world can completely hide a wrinkle," she says. "Makeup fillers eventually sink into the creases throughout the day, then the lines become more visible."
So what should you do? Laura says to avoid using foundation or powder on crow's feet. Instead, distract from them by dabbing concealer only where you need it—in the discolored areas around the eyes and face. A more even skin tone will help camouflage signs of aging.
Dark Circles
Laura says the key is precision and technique when disguising dark circles or other discoloration around the eyes. Use a small, flat makeup brush to apply a tiny amount of concealer—not foundation, which isn't thick or lasting enough—in the dark area. Gently pat—don't massage or rub—the concealer on the discolored area. If you try to blend the concealer into your skin by massaging it, you'll pull and stretch your eye area's delicate skin.
Thinning Brows
With age, eyebrows become thinner. They succumb to years of plucking and waxing and don't grow back. Plus, the color fades, and we're left with less definition around the eyes. "A fuller brow looks younger," says Laura.
So she suggests having eyebrows professionally dyed. "I've done it," she says. "But because the more you dye, the more fragile the hair gets, don't dye brows any more than once a month." Once dyed, fill in the brow area with an eyebrow pencil. If your brow is very skimpy, consider applying some brow powder before the pencil.
Thinning lashes
Like brows, eyelashes become thinner and faded, too. They get drier, more brittle and fall out as you get older. Laura suggests having eyelashes professionally dyed as well, if they aren't too fragile. Plus, a reliable way to make your eyes "pop," she says, is mascara.
Apply mascara, focusing on the base of the lash. Don't place a heavy load of mascara on the tips of the lashes or they'll look clumpy and heavy. "As women get older, they should focus on highlighting the contour of the eyes," Laura says. "Place mascara at the root, then [lightly] paint each individual lash."
Small, Droopy Eyes
"Eyes may look smaller as we age because the lids get heavier and sag and [bags may appear]," says Laura. "Plus, the loss of color and fullness in the lashes reduces the contrast that makes eyes look alert."
To regain that contrast, use a thick mascara, and follow Laura's application tips. "Contrast the lash line with mascara and it will open the eye up."
Wrinkled Eyelids
If you're one of the lucky ones with a smooth eyelid with plenty of natural oils, then your lids can probably handle any type of eye shadow. Many women, however, lose natural moisture in the eyelids over time, so lids look drier and wrinkled.
So what kind of eye shadow looks good on a crinkled lid? Laura suggests using a silky shadow and avoiding shimmery shadows, which draw attention to the creases. If your lid is very wrinkled, then consider a silky matte shadow. Apply it by shading the full lid like a cloud.
