It sounds like TikTok fear-mongering but it’s the truth; like the hair on your head, your eyelashes change as you age. As a result of noticeably drier, coarser, and thinner strands, you might’ve already switched to a volumizing and nourishing shampoo and conditioner in recent years. You can also make a similar move in your makeup routine. Yes, there are certain mascaras for aging lashes that cater to your new concerns while still delivering the length, volume, and curling benefits you want.
First, here’s exactly what happens to your lashes as you get older. Dr. Diane M Hilal-Campo, M.D., a New Jersey-based ophthalmologist and founder of Twenty/Twenty Beauty says, “As you age the hair follicles weakens and the growth cycle slows down, and can slow or even stop production of eyelashes. This results in eyelashes becoming thinner and less dense as well as shorter and straighter.” She also notes that hairs can lose pigment and become gray.
So which mascara should you use for mature lashes? Ahead, Hilal-Campo and New York-city based celebrity makeup artist Vincent Oquendo share which formulas to choose, plus application and removal tips for long, thick, lush lashes no matter your age.
The Best Mascara Formulas For Aging Lashes
When choosing your next mascara, Hilal-Campo suggests choosing a formula that’s stacked with hydrating natural oils, vitamins, and hyaluronic acid to “nourish the lashes and hair follicles.” She also says to avoid ones made with harsh preservatives, like BAK, because they can further damage lashes, making them brittle and weak.
Oquendo likes using tubing formulas because they’re less like to smudge. These types of mascaras are made with polymers that create a tube-like coating around each lash rather than coating them with pigment. “Often, with a mature client, their eyes tends to have some hooding and mascaras seem to transfer overtime,” he says. Waterproof formulas are another solution, but Oquendo says they can be drying over time if you’re not conditioning your lashes in between uses.
If you don’t deal with chronic smudging, he recommends volumizing formulas. “Volumizing mascara is an excellent option if you don’t have trouble with mascara transferring because it makes your lashes bold so your eyes stand out and you can go lighter with the rest of your makeup,” Oquendo says.
How To Apply & Remove Mascara On Aging Lashes
For maximum impact, Oquendo suggests using a lash curler before applying mascara. “It can go a long way for most eyes since it can give the appearance of a more lifted and awake eye,” he says.
Once it’s time to take off your mascara, Hilal-Campo recommends using natural oils – like poppyseed – and a cotton round in lieu of harsh removers. “It’s important to let the cotton round or microfiber cloth soaked [in] the poppyseed oil sit on your lashes for a few minutes, and then very gently wipe off,” she says. The ophthalmologist also likes spraying the eye area with an hypochlorous acid spray (like one from her brand) to sanitize and kill bacteria. You can also avoid potentially damaging rubbing and tugging by using a tubing mascara because they’re removable with just warm water.
Below, you’ll find the 10 best mascaras for aging lashes to add to your makeup routine.
The overachiever of mascaras, Tower 28’s MakeWaves lengthens, volumizes, and defines without getting clumpy or crunchy. While the triple-wave wand makes getting every lash a breeze, it’s also just as effortless to take off. The brand has formulated it so it’s safe for sensitive eyes, and even went a step further with allergy and ophthalmologist testing, too.
Lancôme’s Monsieur Big Mascara brings the drama with a capital D. Its wide, dense brush and volume-boosting formula delivers lush, thick, and fluffy lashes. No wonder Oquendo is a fan. “It’s volumizing yet doesn’t get chunky,” he says.
The wand of Ilia Beauty’s Limitless Lash Mascara is dual-sided so you can customize your look, whether you’re after lifted and full or lengthened and defined lashes. What’s more, the nourishing formula is gentle to remove. All you need is a bit of warm water – no scrubbing or tugging on delicate lashes required.
If your lashes have become increasingly brittle, switch to a mascara that’s stacked with conditioning ingredients, like vitamins and oils, to nourish them. Twenty/Twenty Beauty’s mascara – Hilal-Campo is the founder – contains hyaluronic acid, an all-star hydrator that’s likely already in all your go-to serums and moisturizers.
“This is a tubing mascara, which means it comes off with warm water and is very unlikely to transfer,” Oquendo says of Victoria Beckham’s Future Lash. “[This] makes it long-wear and perfect for hooded eyes.” The curved micro bristle brush lifts, defines, and helps you reach even the tiniest hairs at the inner corners of the eyes.
The name says it all: Sarah Creal’s tubing mascara is so effortless to apply, you could theoretically swipe it on en route to dinner or a party.
Think of this violet CoverGirl tube as the mascara equivalent of your favorite hydrating face serum. It’s infused with a hyaluronic complex and bamboo serum that plumps, volumizes, and conditions for thicker, stronger, and longer lashes with minimal fallout.
A daily multi-step skin care routine can be laborious enough, so it’s understandable that adding a lash serum into the mix seems excessive. But that’s where Colorescience’s first mascara makes all the difference. It’s a smudge-resistant tubing formula that also serves as a lash serum and conditioner that lengthens, strengthens, and reduces breakage.
Prone to mascara smudges because you have hooded eyelids? Oquendo presents Chanel’s Noir Allure Mascara as a solution. “I find this mascara to be amazing on hooded eyelids as once it sets it doesn’t transfer,” he says.
This bareMinerals tube isn’t just a mascara – the formula also contains a serum with plant-based peptides that lengthen and strengthen lashes.
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