Quick answer: This Fierce Aging episode is a full, step-by-step natural makeup tutorial on Doris, 74 — not a mascara-only demo. Nikol Johnson builds a soft summer look for mature skin, and at the eyes she uses her Volume Up Mascara and then adds false lashes to lift the eye. So here the mascara complements falsies rather than replacing them.
Key takeaways
- It is a complete Fierce Aging makeup tutorial for mature (70+) skin, built around a less-is-more, natural finish.
- Nikol primes the eyes first, shapes the brows with a stencil and taupe pencil, then washes on The Cabana palette.
- Volume Up Mascara adds length and volume; in this episode Nikol layered false lashes on top for extra lift, so it did not replace them.
- The base stays light and fresh: color corrector, creamy concealer, BB cream, banana powder, cream blush and a coral-nude lip.
- The bigger message is aging positively — Doris shares her cataract-surgery recovery and a keep-moving-forward mindset.
Hey ladies — welcome back to the Fierce Aging series. In this episode Nikol Johnson works with Doris, a 74-and-a-half-year-old guest from Naples, Florida, to create an easy, natural summer look on mature skin. It is as much a heart-to-heart about aging as it is a makeup lesson, so here is what really happens on camera and how you can recreate it.
What kind of makeup look does Nikol create for women in their 70s?
The whole look is about enhancement, not transformation. Doris shares that she recently had cataract surgery that did not go as planned — her retina inflamed during the procedure, and the medication temporarily changed her skin — so she wanted something soft that still looked like herself. Nikol keeps it fresh and neutral, the kind of daytime look you can dress up or down by swapping the lip or blush. Woven through the tutorial is Doris's real message about aging: every decade is different, you can choose your attitude, and leaning on good friends makes it easier.
How do you apply eye makeup on mature, changing eyes?
Nikol does the eyes first so any fallout can be cleaned up before the base goes on. Here is the order she follows:
- Prep and prime. After a serum and eye serum, she smooths on Fiercely Smooth primer, then works eye primer from the base of the lash up to the brow bone to cancel out redness and blue tones.
- Shape the brows. Using a Slim Arch stencil, she maps where the brow should start, arch, and end, then fills with short, wispy strokes of a taupe brow pencil — anchoring the base where sparse hairs end so nothing sits too high.
- Wash on color. With The Cabana palette (her lightest), she sweeps the mid shade across the lid, taps the lightest shade in the center and under the brow bone, then defines the crease and outer corner with the darkest shade.
- Line and soften. She glides a Dark Chocolate waterproof pencil along the upper lash line, lifting slightly at the outer corner, dots it about three-quarters along the lower lashes, and blends everything out with a short smudge brush.
- Lashes. She wiggles Volume Up Mascara at the base and pulls through to coat every lash, then applies false lashes to lift the eye.
Does Volume Up Mascara replace false lashes?
In this episode, no — and it is worth being honest about that. Nikol clearly loves the mascara, calling it the best she has ever used (and one she formulated herself), and you can see it pull Doris's sparse, fairly straight lashes into a fuller, more visible fringe. But she still added false lashes afterward specifically to lift the eye. So think of Volume Up Mascara as a strong base that can stand alone for an everyday natural look, while falsies remain an option when you want extra drama. It is a makeup product, not a lash treatment, so there are no growth claims here — just volume and length in the moment.
How does Nikol finish the base, cheeks, and lips?
With the eyes done, she keeps the complexion light and skin-like:
- Correct and conceal. She presses Just Peachy color corrector into shadowy under-eye areas, follows with creamy concealer in Light, then buffs BB cream in Light Medium into the skin for a lighter, breathable finish.
- Set lightly. A banana-toned brightening powder goes over the T-zone to control shine — handy in humid South Florida.
- Warm the cheeks. She sweeps Coconut Row as a soft bronze at the base of the cheekbone and adds Palm Beach cream blush on the apples for a fresh, coral flush.
- Finish the lips. She lines with Cameo lip liner, giving the upper lip a subtle lift for fullness without overlining, then fills with her Coco 13 lip color. For a brighter summer option, a coral pairing like the Defiance lip gloss also works beautifully with Cabana.
- Set the glow. A quick mist of rose water refreshes the makeup under the lights.
The bottom line
This is a real, wearable tutorial for mature skin — proof that soft, natural makeup can look polished and still feel like you. If you want to recreate Doris's eyes, start with the mascara and build from there. Explore Nikol's mascara, shop the full eyes edit, or browse the best-sellers to find your own everyday staples.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this Fierce Aging episode actually about?
It is a full natural-makeup tutorial on Doris, a 74-year-old guest, filmed for Nikol Johnson's Fierce Aging series. Alongside every application step for mature skin, Doris talks candidly about a cataract surgery that did not go as planned and how she stays positive, so it is part makeup lesson and part real conversation about aging well.
Did Volume Up Mascara replace false lashes here?
No. Nikol applied Volume Up Mascara first, praising how it pulls sparse, straight lashes into a fuller fringe, and then added false lashes to lift the eye further. The mascara can stand alone for an everyday natural look, but in this episode she used both together rather than one instead of the other.
What eyeshadow palette does Nikol use?
She uses The Cabana, described as her lightest palette. She washes the mid shade across the lid, taps the lightest shade in the center and under the brow bone, and adds the darkest shade in the crease and outer corner for soft, natural depth that suits a summer look on mature eyes.
Why does Nikol do the eyes before the base?
She prefers to perfect the eyes first so any eyeshadow fallout or eyeliner smudging can be cleaned up before concealer and BB cream go on. That way the finished under-eye and skin stay flawless, and she is not wiping product off freshly applied foundation. It is a simple order-of-operations tip that keeps mature skin neat.
How does Nikol keep brows looking natural on older skin?
She maps the start, arch, and end using a Slim Arch stencil, then fills with short, wispy strokes of a taupe brow pencil rather than a solid line. She anchors the base where sparse hairs end so brows do not sit too high, aiming for a soft, symmetrical shape that complements grey or lightened hair.
What's the takeaway on aging from this episode?
Doris's message is to keep moving forward: every decade brings changes to your face and body, but you can choose your attitude, lean on good friends, and find joy anyway. Nikol reinforces representing real women with real age, no filter, celebrating enhancement over transformation and helping guests feel like a fresher version of themselves.
