Quick answer: To lift mature eyes with makeup, the secret is placement, not thickness. Press a creamy, waterproof pencil right into the lash line, then flick and smudge it up at the outer corner so the eye reads more almond and wide awake. Nikol builds the whole look on a primed lid with a soft shadow, curled lashes, and softer liner shades like Dark Chocolate or Charcoal—never harsh black.
Key takeaways
- The lift comes from flicking both shadow and liner up at the outer corner, not from a thick line.
- A creamy waterproof pencil can be smudged upward with the warmth of your finger, then it sets and stays put.
- On mature eyes Nikol reaches for Dark Chocolate or Charcoal—she skips black because it can look heavy.
- Order matters: prime the lid, apply shadow, curl lashes, line, then move on to complexion and lips.
- Curled lashes, defined brows and a brightened under-eye complete the lifted effect.
Hey ladies! In this tutorial Nikol Johnson revisits the eye-lifting trick she first shared last year—now upgraded with her new waterproof eyeliner and lip liner collection. It's a gentle, subtle technique made for mature and hooded eyes, and it works with your lids instead of fighting them. Here's exactly how she does it, start to finish.
Why does eyeliner placement—not thickness—lift mature eyes?
As we age, the lid loses a little elasticity and the lash line can look less defined. A heavy, dragged-down line only emphasizes texture and can make eyes look smaller and more tired. Nikol's approach is the opposite: keep the color tight to the lashes and angle everything gently upward at the outer corner. It's a small detail that creates a wide-awake illusion—your eye looks more almond-shaped and lifted, even though you've barely added any width to the line.
How do you prep mature lids before liner?
Prep is the real secret to a look that lasts. After her skincare, Nikol smooths on a little Fiercely Smooth Face Primer to blur the surrounding skin, then neutralizes the lids with her Eye Primer, working from the base of the lashes up to the brow bone and into the inner corner. That grippy, even base cancels darkness and gives shadow and liner something to hold onto—important on mature lids, where product loves to migrate and settle into the crease.
What is Nikol's step-by-step eye-lift technique?
She builds the eyes before touching the complexion, so any fallout is easy to wipe away. Here's the sequence:
- Prime the lid, then apply a soft wash of eyeshadow all over. (In the video she experiments with a neutral Tom Ford palette—any flattering shade works.)
- Take the deepest shade on a small tapered brush and drag it along the base of the lashes, flicking it up and out at the outer corner. Clean up the edge with a cotton pad so it stays crisp.
- Curl your lashes now—before liner—so you don't disturb the line later.
- Work the WaterProof Eyeliner Pencils in Dark Chocolate right into the base of the lashes, almost smudging between them for a soft, dense lash line rather than one hard stroke.
- While the creamy formula is still workable, pile a little extra at the outer corner and use the warmth of your finger to smear it up and out into a faint, diffused wing. Then let it set—once it sets, it's waterproof and won't budge.
Because the pencils are highly pigmented and very creamy, a light hand goes a long way. Nikol offers them in Navy, Dark Chocolate (her number-one seller), Plum and Charcoal—and always chooses a softer shade over black on mature eyes for a result that reads gentle and natural.
How do you finish the lifted look?
With the eyes set, Nikol frames and finishes the face:
- Brows: Small, natural strokes with the Skinny Brow Pencil in Brownie fill any gaps, then a spoolie softens the color so nothing looks heavy.
- Lashes: A few precise coats of VOLUME UP Mascara at the base, combing straight up, push lashes up and out to open the eye.
- Under-eye: The peach-toned Just Peachy Color Corrector brightens and cancels darkness that can drag the eye down; press it in with a warm finger, then add concealer only where you need it.
- Complexion & lips: Finish with BB cream, a soft blush, and a lip liner, lipstick and gloss combo to tie the whole look together.
If your eyes are sensitive or you're new to a formula, it's always smart to patch-test first.
The bottom line
Lifting mature eyes isn't about drawing a bigger line—it's about placement, softer shades and a creamy formula you can smudge upward before it sets. Master that flick at the outer corner and the whole eye looks more open and awake. Ready to try it? Explore the full eyeliner collection, shop everything for the eyes, or browse our best-sellers to build your own lifted look.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best eyeliner for lifting mature or hooded eyes?
A creamy, highly pigmented waterproof pencil in a soft shade—Nikol favors Dark Chocolate or Charcoal over black. Creamy formulas let you press color into the lash line and smudge it upward before it sets, so you get soft definition and a diffused lift without dragging a harsh line across the lid.
How do you apply eyeliner to make mature eyes look lifted?
Work the pencil right into the base of the lashes, then flick it up and out at the outer corner instead of dragging it down. While the formula is still creamy, use the warmth of your finger to smudge that outer edge upward into a soft, diffused wing that makes the eye look more almond-shaped.
Why does Nikol avoid black eyeliner on mature women?
She finds black can look harsh and heavy on mature eyes, which visually pulls them down. Softer shades like Charcoal and Dark Chocolate give definition that still reads gentle and natural. You can layer for more intensity if you love a darker liner, but a softer base tends to flatter mature lids.
Should you apply eyeshadow or eyeliner first for a lifted eye?
Nikol preps with eye primer, then applies eyeshadow first—flicking the deeper shade up at the outer corner—before curling her lashes and adding liner. Doing the eyes before foundation means any fallout is easy to clean up, and curling lashes before liner keeps the line from getting disturbed.
How do you keep eyeliner from smudging on mature lids?
Start with an eye primer to create an even, grippy base, since mature lids tend to have more movement and oil in the crease. Then let the waterproof formula set after you shape it—once it sets it stays put through the day. A patch test is wise if your eyes are sensitive.
How do you finish the rest of the face after the eyes?
Once the eyes are done, Nikol brightens the under-eye with a peach color corrector, adds concealer and BB cream, a soft blush, then lip liner, lipstick and gloss. Finishing the complexion after the eyes keeps everything looking fresh and lets you tidy any shadow fallout first.
