Quick answer: The crucial step most mature women skip isn't a product — it's priming. In this holiday tutorial Nikol primes her eyelids before liquid eyeshadow and her whole face before complexion products. Priming evens the surface and gives makeup something to grip, so shadow, liner, and foundation stay put instead of creasing, fading, or sliding.
Key takeaways
- The step most mature women skip is priming — both the eyelid and the whole face.
- An eye primer cancels lid darkness and gives liquid or cream shadow a grippy, even canvas.
- A face primer (used after moisturizer, not instead of it) helps foundation or BB cream glide on instead of catching.
- Small habits carry the look: curled lashes, a freshly sharpened liner, and thin, buildable layers.
Hey ladies! In this holiday makeup tutorial I'm playing with liquid eyeshadow — something a little different — and highlighting the one step I see most mature women skip. After doing countless makeup lessons, I can tell you it's rarely the products that fail. It's the prep. So let's prime, layer thin, and build a soft evening look together.
What is the crucial step mature women miss?
It's priming. Not once, but twice: I prime my eyelids before any shadow, and I prime my whole face before foundation. On mature skin, lids crease and complexion can catch, so pigment and coverage need a smooth, slightly grippy base to hold onto. My very first step is always my eye primer, which takes away lid darkness and gives me a perfect canvas. Later, the step I most often see skipped entirely is the face primer.
How do you prime mature eyes for liquid eyeshadow?
Start with the primer, then keep every layer thin and worked in with your fingers. Here's the eye sequence from the video:
- Smooth on your eye primer to cancel darkness and set up an even lid.
- Tap on liquid eyeshadow (I experimented with Armani's champagne 11S and matte-brown 36M, plus a couple of Chanel shades), placing it in the middle and working it out with a fingertip — don't be afraid to sheer it down.
- Curl your lashes, then line close to the lash base with Waterproof Dark Chocolate eyeliner, kept neat with the Nikol Beauty pencil sharpener, and smudge it out for a soft, forgiving finish.
- Coat lashes from the base with Volume Up Mascara, wiggling to catch every little lash.
Prefer a softer, more ethereal eye? Reach for lighter liquid shades instead of the deeper browns — the technique is the same.
Why do mature women skip face primer, and does it matter?
Many women moisturize and then go straight to foundation, assuming that's enough. It isn't. A primer is a separate step: after your serum or moisturizer, it smooths and blurs the skin so whatever you apply next glides on. I used my reformulated Fiercely Smooth Face Primer, pressed in and left to set for a moment, before my complexion products. Skip it and that's often why foundation looks patchy or won't sit right.
What does the full holiday look include?
Once the face is primed, everything else goes on in thin, easy layers:
- Fill brows lightly (I use a milk-chocolate shade).
- Color-correct pigmentation with Just Peachy Color Corrector so concealer doesn't have to work as hard.
- Roll on Creamy Concealer and buff it in with the Foundation Buffing Brush for an airbrushed under-eye.
- Apply BB Cream to even everything out.
- Warm the skin with a cream bronzer, add a rosy flush of blush, and keep lips neutral with a nude liner, soft pink lipstick, and a touch of gloss.
- Set only the under-eyes with Nikita Banana brightening powder.
Big hair, big earrings, done — a soft, glamorous holiday look built on prep.
The bottom line
The magic isn't one hero product — it's the couple of minutes of priming most people rush past. Prime the lids, prime the face, then layer thin. Ready to build your own prep-first routine? Explore Nikol's face primers, eye essentials, and brushes & tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the crucial step most mature women miss?
Priming. In this tutorial Nikol shows that the step women skip most is prepping the skin — an eye primer before shadow and a face primer before foundation. Priming evens the surface and gives makeup something to grip, so color and coverage last instead of creasing, fading, or sliding on mature skin.
Do you need a separate eye primer, or will concealer do?
Nikol uses a dedicated eye primer as her very first step to cancel lid darkness and create an even canvas. A purpose-made eye primer is designed to grip pigment, whereas concealer is emollient and can slip into the crease. If you want to try concealer instead, patch-test first and watch how it wears through the day.
What eyeshadow does Nikol use in this holiday look?
She experiments with liquid eyeshadows — Armani shades (a champagne 11S and a matte brown 36M) plus Chanel options — applied over primer and blended with her fingers. Liquid and cream formulas mesh with mature lid texture better than dry powders, but any shade works; go lighter if a dark evening look feels intimidating.
Why do mature women skip face primer, and does it matter?
Many treat moisturizer as enough and go straight to foundation. Nikol explains that primer is a separate step: after hydrating, a face primer smooths and blurs so foundation, BB cream, or CC cream glides on instead of catching. Skipping it is why complexion products can look patchy or sit unevenly.
What order does Nikol apply the products in?
Skincare first (resurface, cleanse, moisturize), then eye primer, liquid eyeshadow, eyeliner, curled lashes, and mascara. Next she primes the face, fills brows, color-corrects, applies concealer and BB cream, adds cream bronzer and blush, does the lips, and finishes by setting the under-eyes with a brightening powder.
Can you use these tips if you're not over 50?
Absolutely. Priming, thin layers, and sharp tools help any age, but they matter most on mature skin where lids crease and complexion products can catch. Adjust shade depth and coverage to taste, and as always with new products, patch-test and pick formulas suited to your skin type.
