- Laura Geller shares tips on how to conceal dark circles and wrinkles under eyes for women over 50.
- The makeup pro explains how to choose and apply the right products, including a few from her brand that are currently on sale.
- Tackling under-eye darkness and wrinkles “is truly one of the most daunting tasks,” Geller admits.
As we age, our makeup needs evolve. Nobody understands this more than makeup legend Laura Geller, who regularly shares groundbreaking makeup tips for women over 50. One concern that Geller admits can be particularly challenging? Concealing discoloration and signs of aging under eyes. Thankfully, Geller has a step-by-step guide for exactly how to tackle “dark circles” and “wrinkles” around the eyes.
When it comes to makeup for mature skin, concealing under-eye wrinkles and darkness “is truly one of the most daunting tasks,” Geller tells Prevention. But, with the right application and some good products, she explains how to best enhance your complexion while avoiding emphasizing areas of concern. Below, find Geller’s top tips for addressing the under eyes with makeup as we age, especially for women over 50.
Prep the area
In order to properly prepare skin beneath and around our eyes, Geller warns against slathering on a thick, moisturizing eye cream. Instead, she recommends opting for an all-over hydrating face primer that you’ll bring all the way up to your under-eye area. Previously, Geller recommended focusing on skincare products at night when discussing makeup tips for women over 50 with Prevention, as applying it right before makeup can lead to smudging and poor coverage. We suggest using an eye cream for wrinkles at night to address fine lines around the eyes with both skincare and makeup.
“Eye cream is going to take off your makeup every time you blink—your mascara is going to get hydrated and you’re going to make a mess under your eyes,” Geller explains. “But primer—primer doesn’t transfer. So that’s number one: Use a primer and bring it up under your eye.” Not only will using a primer (like her brand’s Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer: Hydrate) provide a bit of light moisture and hydration but it will also prevent your makeup from settling into lines and help your makeup stay put all day.
Choose the right concealer
It’s also important to pick the right concealer for your under-eye concerns. Geller says you should choose your formula depending on the severity of your dark circles. “If they’re not that bad, then the cream concealers and wand concealers are great. They glide on easily, they blend easily,” she explains. “But if you’re somebody who has really dark circles, look for a concealer in a pot, because it has a more putty consistency and it’s thicker, and it will cling more to the skin and build up in the area.” However, if you struggle mostly with fine lines around the eyes, you may want to opt for a lighter, more hydrating concealer to avoid emphasizing unwanted texture.
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Place it strategically
Once you’ve prepped your under eyes and found the right products, Geller wants you to think about where the dark circles and fine lines are primarily located before applying your concealer. She explains that the darkness a lot of us struggle with starts near the inner corner of the eye and extends roughly three-quarters of the way outwards—not to the very outer corner of the eye.
“So if it’s lines and wrinkles that you’re worried about enhancing when you smile, keep the concealer blended just up to the third quarter of the eye. It’s a little trickier to do, but put less and you can always build if needed,” Geller explains. “Control the amount you put on.” By keeping your concealer focused on the areas of darkness, you’ll avoid a “cakey” look under the eyes and avoid emphasizing any wrinkles you may have around the outer part of the eye (a.k.a. crow’s feet).
Lock everything in place with powder
Once you’ve achieved a perfect concealer application under the eyes, Geller suggests applying your foundation, followed by a light application of powder. Adding powder on top of your cream products will help keep the makeup in place and avoid any creasing or settling into lines. “You don’t have to go heavy,” Geller warns, explaining that you can use a loose powder, an invisible setting powder, or even a highlighting powder that doesn’t contain shimmer (which may highlight the area you’re trying to conceal). “What you don’t want to do is create dryness—so you don’t want to use a foundation powder that you may be wearing on your face unless you use a soft brush and just brush it on lightly, but you should set your concealer.”
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Shannen Zitz is the Associate Style & Commerce Editor at Women’s Health, where she covers all-things sneakers and activewear. Previously, she was an assistant editor at Prevention. Shannen graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland with a bachelor’s degree in English. If she’s not reading or writing, you can probably find her frequenting the skincare and makeup forums on Reddit or hogging the squat rack at the gym.
Charlotte Lewis Finigan is the Senior Commerce Editor at Prevention. After a decade of working in Hollywood writers’ rooms and contributing pop culture writing to ETOnline, Bustle, TVGuide, and CBS, she underwent bariatric surgery and changed her focus to health and wellness. Previously, Charlotte was the Sexual Health & Wellness Writer for Refinery 29. There, she wrote and edited shopping content about new wellness trends, beauty launches, and sex-positive products. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her girlfriend—and the love of her life, her senior dog, Rory. All three can typically be found perusing the Fort Green farmer’s market for fresh produce or curling up on the couch to watch Survivor.
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